Sports injuries happen. Pro sports injuries are almost inevitable. Do you need a professional sports injury lawyer?
If medical treatment is not administered timely or the athlete doesn’t take his injuries seriously – he is putting his body and career at risk. If the doc says, rest, you rest. Healing takes time. Even a mild sprained ankle should be taken seriously. Here are some common sports injuries.
“If medical treatment is not administered timely or the athlete doesn’t take his injuries seriously – he is putting his body and career at risk."
A concussion is a brain injury caused by a sharp blow to the head which can happen with any sport. A concussion can hurt the brain at the site of the blow or cause the brain to jolt away from the blow and hit the inside of the skull. The player can be confused or dizzy and may lose consciousness. Evaluation should involve CT scans, MRIs, and X-rays to detect whether there is any damage to the brain, skull, or spine. Treatment ranges to simple painkillers and overnight monitoring (in which the player is awakened every few hours to make sure there are no further symptoms).
A stinger usually happens when a player receives a hit or lands on his head and shoulder. This causes the nerves coming out of his spine and passing toward his arm to suddenly stretch or compress, which sends a burst of nerve messages streaming down the arm. The arm may feel burning, numb, weak, and/or tingly. While the pain tends to go away soon, the weakness may persist for years. Protecting the arm, resting it, taking anti-inflammatory meds or pain relievers, and using ice can help alleviate the pain and swelling. A cervical collar might be used to prevent more nerve injury. Persistent pain is treated with cortisone shots around the nerve root. Most stingers heal by themselves and do not require surgery.
The groin pull is a stretch or muscle tearing that connects the thigh to the pelvis. It might occur if a player pushes the muscle too far, or breaks into a run from a standing position without warming up. The player will experience pain in the inner thigh or groin. Usually, treatment is rest, ice, compression, elevation and possibly crutches. Minor groin pulls can heal within a couple of weeks. More serious groin pulls may take eight weeks. Groin pulls should completely heal before going back into the game.
A torn ACL is a type of knee injury. The anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) connects the upper and lower leg bones around the knee helping to stabilize the leg during movement. But if a player twists his knee or the knee gets hit, the tendon can be torn or disconnected from the bone. A player might feel a pop and his knee might give out. Rest, ice, compression, and elevation are standard treatment, but surgery may be required, especially in active patients. A torn ACL can keep a player benched for a few months.
A dislocated shoulder is pretty common but still painful injury that could happen after a full or collision. A specialist should realign the bone and get it back into place. Afterwards, the player must ice the shoulder and keep the arm in a sling. Rehabilitation might take two to three months. Dislocating a shoulder once increases the risks of it happening again. Some players need surgery to prevent further problems.
The hamstring is actually a group of three muscles behind the thigh. Stretching or tearing any of these thigh muscles is called a hamstring pull. A player might pull his hamstring if he suddenly shifts speed when running or sprints from a standing position. Although common, pulled hamstrings are hard to treat. Usually, treatment is rest, ice, compression, and elevation. If the muscle is completely torn, surgery may be needed. Healing can take from one to 10 weeks. Players tend to understand their needs; it's important to stay off the field until completely recovered.
A sprained ankle occurs when one or more ligaments in the ankle get stretched or torn. Ligaments are tough tissues that join together different bones. A sprained ankle is painful and causes swelling. Rest, ice, compression, and elevation are standard treatments along with painkillers for moderate sprains. More severe sprains may require surgery. Recovery from a sprained ankle can take three to six weeks.
A separated shoulder happens when a sharp impact to the shoulder from another player or the ground can stretch or tear the ligaments that connect the bones in the shoulder. Treatment depends on how bad the injury is. Icing the area and keeping the arm in a sling is part of the treatment. Recovery can take as little as seven to 10 days for minor injuries or up to three months for more severe shoulder separation cases.
The knee ligaments which hold the bones together can be stretched or torn by a sudden twist; this is known as knee trauma. It might happen when a player suddenly changes direction. Falling, banging into someone, or sliding can also result in torn ligaments, tears of the cartilage, and fractures to the bones of the knee. Treatment depends on the injury and severity. In some cases, surgery is necessary to prevent chronic instability.
Turf toe is an irritation of the joint at the base of the big toe. Turf toe happens when the toe is forcefully jammed against the ground or bent backward. The result is pain and swelling, which hampers the athlete, especially when walking. The injury can be diagnosed by a physical exam and an X-ray. Turf toe is usually treated without surgery, using ice, pain/anti-inflammatory medication, and elevation of the foot. If the patient has bone spurs and needs surgery, he is likely will have to wear a cast.
Most athletes will suffer one of these sports injuries during their careers. Some athletes will suffer these injuries repeatedly or suffer from more than one injury. If you’re suffering from a sports injury and wondering what to do about it – contact Ned Ehrlich, professional sports workers compensation attorney. Tell him what’s going on and find out how he can help you. He serves professional athletes who play for the NY Jets, the Philadelphia Eagles, and Arena Football in NY, NJ, and PA.
