Orthopedic Specialist Frisco TX: Know The Symptoms Of A Sports Injury

orthopedic specialist frisco txSummer is the perfect time of year for you to get outside and enjoy your favorite sport, but summer may also be the time of year you’re more likely to need the help of an orthopedic specialist Frisco TX. Why? Because exercising and playing sports often leads to injuries that require medical help. Things like poor training, not stretching or warming up properly, incorrect gear, and sometimes just plain bad luck can lead to sprains, strains, swollen muscles, fractures and dislocations. Orthopedic Specialist Frisco TX: Sports Injuries Can Be Acute Or Chronic Injuries related to sports and exercise can either be acute or chronic. Acute injuries occur suddenly and symptoms include sudden, severe pain, swelling, a bone or joint visibly out of place, not being able to place weight on a leg, foot or joint, not being able to move a joint as you normally would, a tender arm, elbow, wrist, hand or finger and extreme weakness in an arm or leg. Chronic injuries occur over time and with repetitive movements. The most common symptoms of chronic injuries are pain when you play or exercise, a dull ache when you rest, and swelling. Orthopedic Sports Medicine Frisco TX: When You Should Call A Doctor Sports injuries can be mild, moderate or severe. Some can resolve themselves quickly, while others only seem to get worse over time. It’s important that you take the time to treat any sports- or exercise-related injury instead of just “powering through.” You may be able to handle treatment yourself for mild injuries, but for moderate to severe injuries, you must see a doctor. Symptoms to look for include severe pain, swelling or numbness, an injury area that can’t bear any weight, a joint that feels unstable, an old injury that swells or begins to hurt or ache. Orthopedic Surgeon Frisco TX: When You Can Treat Yourself If you don’t have any of the symptoms of a moderate or severe injury, follow the RICE protocol (Rest, Ice, Compression and Elevation) to relieve pain, reduce swelling and speed up healing. For at least the first 48 hours, you should reduce your normal activities and rest as much as possible. This is especially important if you’ve injured your leg. Apply an ice pack to your injury for 20 minutes at a time, four to eight times a day. Compress the injured area with an ace bandage, splint or any other method that can reduce swelling. Additionally, swelling can be reduced by elevating the injured area so that it is above the level of your heart. Orthopedic Specialist Frisco TX: How Your Doctor May Treat Your Injury If your injury doesn’t improve after 48 hours of self-treatment or it is moderate to severe, your doctor will have a number of treatment options available to get you back in the game. He may: ▪ Prescribe NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs like ibuprofen) to reduce swelling ▪ Immobilize your injury with a sling, splint, case or leg immobilizer ▪ Suggest surgery to repair torn ligaments and tendons or to put broken bones back into place ▪ Order rehabilitation that will slowly get the injured area back to normal through movement and exercise If you have a sports- or exercise-related injury that has either happened quickly or that has been bothering you for some time, you need the help of an orthopedic specialist Frisco TX. At Texas Orthopedic Partners, we can help to heal your injury so that you can return to your normal routine as quickly as possible. Call (469) 293-4000 or visit us online at www.texasorthopartners.com.