What Are the Principles of Rehabilitation After a Sports Injury?
Rehabilitation after the injury takes a team effort of players and the sports medicine team to get back to playing healthy and fit. Proper and time-effective rehabilitation becomes crucial for sportsmen to return to lucrative perks attained by elite-class playing. The diagnosis and management, hence, require the multidimensional attention of physical therapists, orthopedists, trainers, and coaches.
The principles on which the rehabilitation is based are
1. Diagnosis-
The first and foremost step after the injury is the exact recognition of the point and type of damage. If the proper diagnosis is attained, nearly half of the rehabilitation is already done.
Vague diagnoses such as leg pain, ankle injury, and foot injury do not help. A proper knowledge of anatomical structure is very important to treat the exact sport. Medical and personal history helps in establishing the diagnosis. Knowing the intensity of pain, the training type, usage of any new equipment, and identifying the goal of training may help to attain the diagnosis.
The medical history is followed by a clinical examination, which is done by the physician for any swelling, bleeding, or pain when touching any particular sport. Some of the injuries cannot be differentiated when stable or immobile; in such cases, the physician may also look for signs making the patient walk, flex, or throw. The clinical examination is then followed by a radiographic examination to support or confirm the clinical findings. Radiographs or other imaging techniques are confirmatory measures to reach a proper, exact diagnosis of the injury.
2. Stop the Swelling or Inflammation -
A minor amount of inflammation is considered in response to injury, but an excessive, prolonged, or huge swelling is often a sign of deterioration of tissue or structure. Hence, controlling the swelling is the main aim of treatment. The immediate approach after injury is followed by RICE- Rest, ice, compression, and elevation.
The concept is, however, changing to PRICEMM, which adds the prevention and medication prior to and after the injury. The aim of rest is to avoid any further damage to the injury site due to mobility that will further lead to swelling and pain. The rest is followed by cooling of the area and elevation to reduce the swelling. The modalities and medications like corticosteroids and NSAIDs act as adjuncts to treatment to reduce inflammation and pain. This phase leads to better healing after the inflammatory changes are halted. In a runner or a soccer player, an injury in the knee can lead to cartilage tear if it is subjected to further mobility and devoid of rest to the knee. If the time to heal the initial knee injury is not spared, it can deteriorate the injury, leading to cartilage tear. Rest is crucial to prevent further damage, and the application of ice helps reduce swelling and numbs the area to alleviate pain. Compression through bandaging can also assist in controlling swelling, while elevation aids in reducing fluid buildup at the injury site. Medications such as corticosteroids and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) may be used to complement the treatment by further reducing inflammation and pain. However, a modified treatment regimen can work in this scenario. For example, in such cases, a runner or soccer player can try activities like swimming.
3. Take Time for Healing Before Starting Over Again:
Taking adequate time for healing is a critical aspect of injury recovery in the realm of sports medicine. It's a common misconception that the absence of pain signifies successful healing, often misleading athletes into prematurely resuming sports activities. While measures to control inflammation may offer temporary pain relief, they don't necessarily address the underlying healing process. The risk of returning to sports too soon without proper healing is substantial and can lead to poor rehabilitation outcomes, significantly increasing the chances of recurring injuries. In this context, the expertise of sports physicians becomes paramount. Seeking professional guidance is essential for a thorough evaluation of the extent of healing and receiving expert advice on the appropriate timing for a safe return to sports. The sports medicine team plays a crucial role in ensuring the restoration of injured tissue to its normal state. This involves a comprehensive approach, integrating rehabilitative exercises and cardiovascular conditioning.
Collaborating with skilled professionals such as physical therapists or certified trainers is integral to the rehabilitation process. These specialists work closely with athletes to design tailored exercise regimens that focus on gradually strengthening tissues, improving flexibility, and addressing any imbalances or weaknesses that may have contributed to the initial injury. The goal is not just pain management but the holistic restoration of the body's functionality.
4. Increase the Fitness:
The patients before the injury have above-normal strength and the endurance to play the sports. After injury, it becomes important to return to the same above-normal level of energy and strength. To attain the same, the inclusion of fitness training and neuromuscular retraining exercises (exercises that combine sport-specific and basic movements like balance, dynamic resistance, strength, and stretches) rehabilitation.
A sportsperson is advised to return to the field only after pain-free neuromuscular movements are attained otherwise it can arise as an injury. Such rehabilitative exercises help the athlete to return to the pre-injury state of neuropsychological stimulus and the ability to sense movement, action, and location, which is very important in sports.
How to Prevent From Recurrent Injury?
The injury site is highly susceptible to reinjury after rehabilitation if proper care is not taken. The occurrence of reinjury can be checked by controlling the force load. This can be done by modifying the internal factors as well as the external factors. The external factors that can prevent re-injury are the usage of braces or tape on the injured part, modifying the techniques of training, and reducing the intensity as well as the duration of training. A properly equipped sports gear may also help.
Conclusion
After achieving pain-free movements and motions, showing 90 percent of muscle strength and endurance, a spokesperson is said to be rehabilitated completely. Yet, this does not confirm the ability to return. The fact that the player is able to do specific activities after rehabilitation is still questionable. Another factor in returning to activity is the psychological factor of whether the player is mentally ready to join back or not.
Furthermore, the role of surgical interventions after the injury and the medication is also the need to rehabilitate. Another criterion in rehabilitation is nutrition and supplementation, along with psychological intervention. The collective effect of all these factors will lead to the return of sportspeople with full confidence and vigor. A proper guidance during rehabilitation is very crucial for timely recovery. An athlete along with the team of sports medicine staff can return to the field with proper fitness.
