When to get medical attention for common sports injuries

We know you’re tough — but you also need to be smart. If you suspect a serious sports injury or if you have any of these signs, see a doctor:

·         Deformities in the joint or bone — it looks “crooked,” or moves abnormally

·         You cannot bear weight or can’t use the limb without it “giving way”

·         Excessive swelling

·         Changes in skin color beyond mild bruising

·         It’s not getting any better after a few days of PRICE therapy

·         Ankle injuries are often thought of as sports injuries. But you don’t have to be an athlete or even a “weekend warrior” to turn your ankle and hurt it. Something as simple as walking on an uneven surface can cause a painful, debilitating sprain.

Ankle injuries can happen to anyone at any age. However, men between 15 and 24 years old have higher rates of ankle sprain, compared to women older than age 30 who have higher rates than men. Half of all ankle sprains occur during an athletic activity. Every day in the U.S., 25,000 people sprain their ankle. And more than 1 million people visit emergency rooms each year because of ankle injuries. The most common ankle injuries are sprains and fractures, which involve ligaments and bones in the ankle. But you can also tear or strain a tendon.

Tennis elbow is a type of tendinitis – swelling of the tendons – that causes pain in the elbow and arm.

With the input of doctors of OPTM Health Care, here’s a list of ten of the most common sports injuries you’ll want to avoid. Be conscious of them as you play or work out, as any one of them will throw a huge wrench in your training – not to mention the pain that goes with it.