Injury

Sporting Injuries and Pain

Lily Bedford provides an insight into managing sporting injuries and the pain to allow the body to recover.

Training for personal fitness and sport is a fulfilling and healthy activity, but the risk is like most life activities. Sporting injuries can be unpleasant and inconvenient for athletes, from professionals to people just looking to have some fun. Injuries like this can occur due to overexertion, such as suddenly starting a high-powered exercise regime, or only through the accidents which can happen to anyone.

It can be tempting, especially for committed athletes, to undergo training being are injured. An essential part of dealing with an injury is understanding and handling the pain, allowing the body to fix the damage and living with the injury while it heals. It is essential to stop and let the damage the time it needs to heal and get medical attention if the damage is severe. The athlete can handle some injuries but see a physician if the pain worsens or swelling does not subside.

Traditional Pain-Killers

A common way athletes can deal with the pain from an injury is to take prescription painkillers, such as Ibuprofen. This can be a safe and effective way of dealing with discomfort. However, drugs, especially pain-killers, are powerful chemicals and have specific dosages to ensure that they are used safely. It is essential to obey the proper dosages as stated on the packaging and comply with other relevant instructions (such as not drinking alcohol, for example). Pain-killers can make it so that an athlete can manage the discomfort, but they must remember that the injury is still there even though they feel less pain - taking care not to cause more damage by forgetting that they are injured.

Non-Pharmaceutical Options

Some athletes may wish not to take drugs or may not be able to due to a condition. Fortunately, many available options help them deal with the discomfort. One of the most straightforward options of this type is to cool the injury^[1]. Athletes can do so with an ice pack or a packet of frozen vegetables wrapped in a towel. Frequently sporting injuries (such as sprains) involve redness, swelling and inflammation, which can be very painful - applying cold will soothe the discomfort and reduce the swelling.

Another useful non-medicinal treatment for pain is exercise. Exercise releases endorphins in the brain, which are natural and effective pain-killers. These chemicals are released at times of stress and emergency (among other occasions) and enable people to keep going longer and deal with their pain. Running is one of the best ways to stimulate this effect. Of course, the athlete must choose a form of exercise that will not affect their injury, either by moving the affected area carefully or avoiding it. This form of therapy has many other benefits, such as maintaining fitness and encouraging sleep - exercise is known to help people sleep, and poor sleeping patterns can exacerbate pain and discomfort.

Avoiding Illegal Drugs

Recently there has been a rise in the number of people who fall into using hard drugs[2] to deal with the pain from a sports injury. Some athletes suffer from a particularly severe injury that causes chronic and intense pain, and opiates are sometimes used to quell the discomfort they feel. Unfortunately, some turn to heroin to deal with an injury's pain and become addicted. Heroin is one of the most addictive substances associated with numerous direct and indirect health problems: from collapsed veins due to frequent injections to overdose risks.

The withdrawal symptoms from heroin are extreme, which is why so many addicts find it impossible to give up. Symptoms include flu-like joint pain, vomiting and bowel problems. Users who wish to give up often find that the anti-addiction drug methadone is useful in dealing with these withdrawal symptoms. Methadone treatment centres make this drug available to those who need it. However, all these complications can be avoided by taking pain-relief advice from qualified physicians only - hard illegal drugs may seem like a quick fix, but the associated risks are massive.

Dealing with the pain of an injury can be an arduous task, but with sticking power and medical advice, athletes can conquer the pain and carry on with their life while their injury heals. Prescription drugs are the most popular way of handling discomfort, but exercise therapy offers the athlete the chance to have fun while they act against their pain. By keeping calm and getting the best information, it is usually possible to alleviate the discomfort without causing further problems to the injury - enabling the individual to get back to their activities as soon as is possible.

References

University of Missorri (2001) Use of heat and cold for pain relief. [WWW] Available from: https://medicine.missouri.edu/ortho/trauma/docs/Heat&Cold.pdf [Accessed 20 February 2013]
ROSSMANN, R. (2012) Heroin use in the county is on the rise [WWW] Available from: https://www.pressdemocrat.com/article/20121208/ARTICLES/121209622?p=2&tc=pg&tc=ar [Accessed 20 February 2013]

Page Reference

If you quote information from this page in your work, then the reference for this page is:

BEDFORD, L. (2013) Sporting Injuries and Pain [WWW] Available from: https://www.brianmac.co.uk/articles/article122.htm [Accessed

About the Author

Lily Bedford is a freelance writer.


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Training for personal fitness and sport is a fulfilling and healthy activity, but the risk is like most life activities. Sporting injuries can be unpleasant and inconvenient for athletes, from professionals to people just looking to have some fun. Injuries like this can occur due to overexertion, such as suddenly starting a high-powered exercise regime, or only through the accidents which can happen to anyone. It can be tempting, especially for committed athletes, to undergo training being are injured. An essential part of dealing with an injury is understanding and handling the pain, allowing the body to fix the damage and living with the injury while it heals. It is essential to stop and let the damage the time it needs to heal and get medical attention if the damage is severe. The athlete can handle some injuries but see a physician if the pain worsens or swelling does not subside. Traditional Pain-Killers A common way athletes can deal with the pain from an injury is to take prescription painkillers, such as Ibuprofen. This can be a safe and effective way of dealing with discomfort. However, drugs, especially pain-killers, are powerful chemicals and have specific dosages to ensure that they are used safely. It is essential to obey the proper dosages as stated on the packaging and comply with other relevant instructions (such as not drinking alcohol, for example). Pain-killers can make it so that an athlete can manage the discomfort, but they must remember that the injury is still there even though they feel less pain - taking care not to cause more damage by forgetting that they are injured. Non-Pharmaceutical Options Some athletes may wish not to take drugs or may not be able to due to a condition. Fortunately, many available options help them deal with the discomfort. One of the most straightforward options of this type is to cool the injury^[1]. Athletes can do so with an ice pack or a packet of frozen vegetables wrapped in a towel. Frequently sporting injuries (such as sprains) involve redness, swelling and inflammation, which can be very painful - applying cold will soothe the discomfort and reduce the swelling. Another useful non-medicinal treatment for pain is exercise. Exercise releases endorphins in the brain, which are natural and effective pain-killers. These chemicals are released at times of stress and emergency (among other occasions) and enable people to keep going longer and deal with their pain. Running is one of the best ways to stimulate this effect. Of course, the athlete must choose a form of exercise that will not affect their injury, either by moving the affected area carefully or avoiding it. This form of therapy has many other benefits, such as maintaining fitness and encouraging sleep - exercise is known to help people sleep, and poor sleeping patterns can exacerbate pain and discomfort. Avoiding Illegal Drugs Recently there has been a rise in the number of people who fall into using hard drugs[2] to deal with the pain from a sports injury. Some athletes suffer from a particularly severe injury that causes chronic and intense pain, and opiates are sometimes used to quell the discomfort they feel. Unfortunately, some turn to heroin to deal with an injury's pain and become addicted. Heroin is one of the most addictive substances associated with numerous direct and indirect health problems: from collapsed veins due to frequent injections to overdose risks. The withdrawal symptoms from heroin are extreme, which is why so many addicts find it impossible to give up. Symptoms include flu-like joint pain, vomiting and bowel problems. Users who wish to give up often find that the anti-addiction drug methadone is useful in dealing with these withdrawal symptoms. Methadone treatment centres make this drug available to those who need it. However, all these complications can be avoided by taking pain-relief advice from qualified physicians only - hard illegal drugs may seem like a quick fix, but the associated risks are massive. Dealing with the pain of an injury can be an arduous task, but with sticking power and medical advice, athletes can conquer the pain and carry on with their life while their injury heals. Prescription drugs are the most popular way of handling discomfort, but exercise therapy offers the athlete the chance to have fun while they act against their pain. By keeping calm and getting the best information, it is usually possible to alleviate the discomfort without causing further problems to the injury - enabling the individual to get back to their activities as soon as is possible. References University of Missorri (2001) Use of heat and cold for pain relief. [WWW] Available from: https://medicine.missouri.edu/ortho/trauma/docs/Heat&Cold.pdf [Accessed 20 February 2013] ROSSMANN, R. (2012) Heroin use in the county is on the rise [WWW] Available from: https://www.pressdemocrat.com/article/20121208/ARTICLES/121209622?p=2&tc=pg&tc=ar [Accessed 20 February 2013] Page Reference If you quote information from this page in your work, then the reference for this page is: BEDFORD, L. (2013) Sporting Injuries and Pain [WWW] Available from: https://www.brianmac.co.uk/articles/article122.htm [Accessed About the Author Lily Bedford is a freelance writer.