Injuries are common while playing sports and it won’t be wrong to say that they are unavoidable. Besides this, the fact also cannot be denied that sports also help us stay fit and healthy. If we talk about sports like cricket, volleyball, and hockey, the chances of hand & wrist injuries are high. In this post, we are going to discuss certain hand injuries that are associated with sports.
Common Hand Injuries that Occur due to Sports
Muscle strain, tendonitis, and ligament tears are common while playing sports and the severity of the condition will depend upon the impact resulting in the injury. There could be different types of injuries that could occur in athletes and they are majorly classified as:
- Acute
- Chronic
Acute Injuries
Can also be said traumatic injuries, acute injuries are generally seen in athletes who play contact or high-impact sports like wrestling, football, & hockey. These injuries include dislocation of joints, muscle strains, fractures in the fingers, and inflammation in tendons.
Chronic Injuries
Chronic injuries most commonly occur due to overuse of a particular bone in the hand or due to a particular repeated movement. This could result in tendonitis, stress fracture, nerve injuries, and tendon dislocation. Sports associated with such hand injuries may include tennis, golf, and basketball.
Depending upon the location and severity of the injury, the surgical treatment may require the use of Hand Fracture Implants.
What are the Symptoms Associated with Hand Injury due to Sports?
Hand injuries while playing sports could be serious and to avoid any complications, it is necessary to get medical attention immediately. Some of the most common symptoms that could be seen include:
- Intense and immediate pain
- Swelling around the injured area
- Color change in hand, wrist, or finger (grayness)
- Numbness
- Clicking noise during the movement of the injured site
- Inability to use hand, wrist, or finger
If the injury is not serious, proper rest along with prescription medication could be helpful. The doctor may suggest the application of ice on the injured area plus prescribe anti-inflammatory and pain management medicines.
While on the other hand, if the condition is serious, surgery or application of a cast or splint may be required.
How the Condition is Diagnosed?
The diagnosis in the case of sports-related hand injuries needs to be quick and it most often starts with the physical examination of the injured site. The doctor will quickly assess any deformity, extent of pain, and swelling of the hand, wrist, or fingers. Based on this examination, the doctor will decide the first line of treatment, and that generally includes the application of pain-relieving spray along with consumption of pain-relieving medicine, told Dr. Brian Cable, an expert in orthopedic surgery, who practises in California and Pennsylvania. Dr. Cable graduated Magna Cum Laude from UCLA and received his medical degree from the school’s prominent David Geffen School of Medicine.He enjoys the fact that his profession allows him to work closely with patients and support them on their path to wellness. Dr Cable has collaborated and authored pieces for publications including American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, Techniques in Sports Medicine, and Orthopedics.
Now, if the doctor finds the condition serious an X-ray will be performed. X-ray examination is most commonly done in almost all cases to identify if the fracture has occurred. While if there is difficulty in assessing the condition in X-ray, the doctor may also indicate MRI or CT Scan. Other radiological tests are also performed to know the fracture pattern and identify the seriousness of the condition.
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