Introduction
Lower limb injuries are common in sports, especially when involved in jumping or running. Overusing may lead to chronic or long-term lower limb injuries. Acute lower limb injuries may also develop after sports activities due to sudden causes. Overuse lower limb injuries gradually develop and are mostly not connected to a specific incident or cause. It is caused when the lower limb structures, like tendons, bony structures, or ligaments, are overused for a prolonged period. It can be prevented by adjusting the load to a tolerable level.
What Are the Types of Acute Lower Limb Injuries in Sports?
The following are the main types of acute lower limb injuries in sports:
- Achilles Tendon Rupture: The back of the lower leg gets affected in the case of Achilles tendon rupture. It mainly develops in recreational sports like swimming, walking, cycling, etc. The Achilles tendon connects muscles in the back side of the calf to that of the heels. The Achilles tendon ruptures with a snap or pop sound followed by sharp and intense pain in the back of the lower leg and ankle. The affected individual will find it hard to walk or do routine activities. Achilles tendon rupture may be asymptomatic or accompanied by swelling and severe pain in the heel, a kicked-like feeling in the calf. The rupture of the Achilles tendon can be partial or complete, the latter being the most common.
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Strained Calf Muscle: Sudden overstretching of the calf muscle can lead to injury to the calf muscle. Calf muscles include the soleus (a lower limb muscle located deep to the gastrocnemius) and gastrocnemius (the chief calf muscle). Calf muscles are situated on the posterior aspect of the lower leg. Sports, especially ball sports, can lead to acute calf muscle strain. This mainly occurs when the player quickly extends their limb to reach the moving ball. Calf muscle strain leads to pain and swelling in the calf area. If the injured leg is subjected to more weight, it may worsen the injury and the associated symptoms.
How Does Overuse Lead To Lower Limb Injuries During Sports?
The following are the main types of overuse injuries that affect the lower limb during sports activities:
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Exertional Compartment Syndrome: When the muscle pressure increases, it leads to compartment syndrome. This decreases the blood flow to the muscle, lacking the level of oxygen and nutrients reaching the muscles. Chronic or exertional compartment syndrome is caused when engaged in sports, and the symptoms get reduced with resting. Continuous movements, like running or marching, can lead to the condition, and refraining from such activities can relieve the symptoms. Muscle bulging, numbness, and difficulty in moving the feet are the main symptoms of exertional compartment syndrome.
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Stress Fracture in the Fibula or Tibia: A stress fracture of the tibia (shin bone) or fibula (the bone parallel to the tibia) can be caused by overuse. It mainly affects sports people involved in prolonged walking or running. A weak spot in the bone is developed by a stress fracture. A stress fracture differs from a fracture that leads to the breaking of the bone. When the bone is used for activities, it repairs intermittently. In prolonged activities, the bone may not repair as required and lead to the development of weak areas in the bone, causing a stress fracture. Intense pain in doing sports or exercises, which subsides on resting, is the main symptom of a stress fracture. In advanced cases, the pain may persist even on resting.
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Shin Splints: The Shin splint is the pain along the inner part of the tibia. Shin splints are associated with running or initiating an exercise or fitness program. The tendons, bone tissues, and muscles around the tibia get inflamed, leading to a shin splint. The individuals may experience a dull, throbbing, or sharp pain. The pain aggravates on touching and occurs during and after the activity.
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Achilles Tendinopathy: Overuse or stress on the Achilles tendon leads to Achilles tendinopathy. The risk of tendinopathy increases with increased stiffness or decreased flexibility of the Achilles tendon. Severe morning pain and swelling are the main symptoms of the condition.
How to Manage Lower Limb Injuries During Sports?
The following steps can manage lower limb injuries:
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Resting and immobilizing the area helps relieve the symptoms in most cases.
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Medicines like non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) relieve pain and swelling. It can also be given as injections, rapidly reducing the symptoms.
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Surgical treatment may be required in severe cases to correct the damage to the muscle, bone, or tendon on the affected limb when the injury is not reversed by resting or other home remedies.
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The injured limb can be subjected to physiotherapy to regain functioning and strengthen the structures.
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Home remedies include applying ice to reduce pain and swelling.
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The affected individual should practice modified exercises that could not cause further injuries.
How to Reduce the Risk of Lower Limb Injuries?
The risk of lower limb injuries in sports can be reduced by the following measures:
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Choosing sports or activities that are less riskier or not dangerous.
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Avoiding prolonged repetition of the same activity.
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Doing a combination of sports or exercises.
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Staying hydrated by taking enough fluids during activities.
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Technically correcting the sports or exercises performed.
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Taking breaks or rests intermittently as required by the body.
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Giving slow initiation and increasing the intensity gradually.
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Stretching before doing the sport.
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Doing cool-down stretches after the activity.
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Wearing necessary equipment and accessories, like proper shoes, while participating in sports and exercises.
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Maintaining the condition of the shoes and other supporting accessories and changing them when required.
Conclusion
Lower limb injuries commonly occur in those individuals engaged in sports activities, exercise, or the fitness industry. The activities can lead to lower limb injuries when more pressure or stress is applied to the concerned structures, like muscles, tendons, or bones. Lower limb injuries can be acute or chronic; the symptoms may vary according to the structures involved. Mild lower limb injuries may be cured independently by resting the body part. However, in severe cases, surgical treatment may be required.
