Sports Injuries and Long-term Effects - Research Paper Example

Sports Injuries Sports injuries occur during play or exercises. They can be caused by poor training, accidents and improper protective gear. In some cases, they can arise from secondary health effects, particularly chronic conditions. Lack of warm-up exercises before playing can also cause injuries. Concussion Concussion refers to a minor form of traumatic brain injury that is caused by blows, pumps, or jolts to the head. It can also be caused by heavy blows on the body that can make the head shake rapidly. It triggers an immediate loss of consciousness that is accompanied by amnesia. Although most people do not lose their consciousness, there is a tendency to forget events prior to or immediately after concussions. In some cases, individuals sustaining concussions simply feel confused. A concussion may not be life-threatening, but it can have very serious effects on an individual’s health (Cornell University). Symptoms The symptoms of concussion are rare to notice. In most cases, it is difficult to tell if someone has sustained concussion especially if there are no bruises on the head. However, there are some signs that manifest in most patients who have sustained concussion. Some of the physical signs include nausea, vomiting, persistent headaches, dizziness, high sensitivity to light, blurred vision, tiredness, and balance problems. Some of the emotional signs include sadness, anxiety, bad mood, and unusually high temper. Young children with concussions can develop prolonged headaches, cry more than usual, change the way they act or play, develop sad mood, and lose interest in their usual activities. They can also lose new skills such as toilet training. In addition, they can have trouble while walking or even lose their balance. Moreover, they can easily be upset or lose their tempers (Cornell University). Long-term Effects The long-term effects of concussions depend on the severity of the injury, subsequent treatment, and the age of the athlete. Concussions caused by severe injuries often take very long periods to heal. Similarly, untreated symptoms of concussions may take a long period to subside. Additionally, very young athletes take more time than adults to recover from concussions (Cornell University). Second impact syndrome occurs mostly in young athletes, particularly the ones under the age of 18. It usually arises when an individual sustains a concussion before recovering completely from a prior brain injury. The second concussion interrupts cerebral blood flow, subsequently triggering vascular engorgement, herniation of the brain, and increased intracranial pressure. The syndrome has a mortality rate of 50%. A less understood aspect of the syndrome is that it can occur even after minor blow on the head (Cornell University). Post-concussive syndrome arises when the symptoms of concussion persist for a long period, usually between a few months to several years. The persistence of the symptoms depends on the severity of the concussion. In most cases, the syndrome impairs the social or occupational functioning of the victims. Indeed, most victims are unable to do their day-to-day activities without help from other people. Although it is possible to predict the recovery time frame, engaging in physical or mental exertions increases the persistence of the symptoms beyond the expected recovery period. It is believed that exertions increase the metabolic demand of the brain, subsequently slowing the brain’s recovery (Cornell University). Isolation and withdrawal is one of the long-term effects of concussions. It arises when an athlete gets isolated from team members. Athletes bond with their teammates; if athletes are with their teammates, they feel as part of a family. However, during recuperation, athletes with concussions are often isolated from their team mates in order to allow them adequate time to heal. This is the time when the symptoms of isolation and withdrawal start developing. If an athlete ends their career at this point due to severe effects of concussion, they feel more isolated and withdrawn. In this case, they do not treat themselves as part of a group. The condition can persist for many years after retirement (Caron et al. 172). Emotional turmoil is another long-term emotional effect of concussion. In most cases, it accompanies isolation and withdrawal. The victims are often confused, stressed, and depressed. In the initial stages, anxiety and emotional disturbance occur due to uncertainty surrounding the athlete’s career. Athletes are often worried about the future of their careers. Confusion arises when the athlete is not aware of what is happening to them. Severe cases of emotional turmoil especially after many years often lead to suicide (Caron et al. 172). Recovering from Major Injuries and Resuming Sport Recovering from a severe concussion and returning to play is a six-stage process. First, athletes are always advised to avoid extreme physical or mental activities from the moment they sustain injuries until the period when the symptoms subside. Secondly, athletes are supposed to take light aerobic exercises such as stationary cycling or walking. In the third stage of recovery, athletes are supposed to perform sport-specific exercises such as running drills or skating. However, they are supposed to avoid any head impact activities. Next, athletes perform non-contact training drills, which begin with light exercises before progressing to resistance training. After that, athletes can engage in full contact training especially after obtaining medical clearance from a physician. Lastly, the athlete can return to competition (Collins et al. 5). Torn ACL Torn ACL refers to one of the injuries sustained when the anterior cruciate ligament is strained or broken. It mostly happens to athletes who participate in straining sports such as football, rugby, and basketball. The condition causes a swelling of the knee, often after a few hours. If the knee is strained or subjected to some load, a painful sensation is felt. The pain hampers the functionality of the knee, potentially preventing an individual from performing basic exercises such as standing, walking or running. Recovering from the condition always depends on the severity of the injury. Minor injuries to the ligament often take a few days to heal. However, very serious damages on the ligament may take longer periods to heal. In some cases, surgery can be performed to repair the damaged ligament (Kiapour and Murray). Symptoms One of the major symptoms of torn ACL is swelling. It mostly occurs within 24 hours after injury. The swelling can heal on its own even if there is no treatment administered. The second major symptom is limitation on the range of knee motion. The limited motion of the joint occurs because of a painful sensation that is felt when the knee is stretched beyond a critical point. The third major symptom is discomfort that is felt while walking. It is caused by the impact of the body weight on the injured ligament. Lastly, tenderness occurs along the joint line (Kiapour and Murray). Long-term Effects The long-term effects of torn ACL depend on the severity of the rapture, and the treatment administered. Minor raptures on the ligament do not develop long-term complications. However, major ruptures such as breakage of the ligament can develop long-term effects on the affected joint. On the other hand, the type of treatment administered can determine the complications that can occur after some time. For instance, surgical treatments have fewer mobility complications compared no non-surgical treatments (Kiapour and Murray). Osteoarthritis is one of the major long-term effects of raptured ACL. It mostly affects patients that have undergone non-surgical treatments of torn ACL. Severe effects of the condition can occur after 10 or 20 years. Normally, surgical reconstruction of damaged ligaments is done on young athletes who still want to participate in competitions. However, for athletes in the final years of their careers, non-surgical treatments can be administered. This is because such athletes may not participate in strenuous physical activities, which can cause further rupture. The problem with this treatment lies in its likelihood to increase an individuals chances of getting osteoarthritis (Wong et al. 297-98). Recovering from Major Injuries and Resuming Sport The treatment of torn ACL focuses on the restoration of joint function and the prevention of long-term complications. Early intervention is the primary idea to successful treatment of torn ACL. An athlete who sustains a ligament injury but intends to return to competitions immediately can undergo a goal-oriented rehabilitation program. The program usually begins three days after surgery. It starts on an outpatient basis whereby the athlete concentrates mostly on ambulation-oriented activities. In these activities, the primary goal is to maintain knee extension and flexion of 90o. The athlete may occasionally subject the joint to appropriate weight in addition to increasing quadriceps activity (Kiapour and Murray). On day ten after surgery, the athlete is supposed to return to the surgeon for evaluation. In this stage, wall side-squats can be introduced. In some cases, a stationary bike can be used especially if the athlete can tolerate it. The athlete can also practice crutch ambulation especially in a controlled environment without an immobilizer. This will enable the athlete to attain maximum knee extension and about 100o fluxion. After three to four weeks, the joint immobilizer can be removed. Advanced activities such as swimming, loaded squats, and stair stepper can be introduced. In this stage tendonitis of the quadriceps can develop. In order to prevent this, the therapist should apply ice to the joint after every session. After six weeks, the athlete can participate in vigorous exercises such as bicycling or jogging. Bicycling is crucial for athletes with degenerative joint diseases. Although it is relatively safe for the athlete to engage in vigorous activity, care should be taken so as to prevent further injuries arising from falling. The athlete can return to their normal activities after three months. Most patients do not require bracing at this stage of rehabilitation. However, due to occasional discomfort, bracing may be applied. Rotator Cuff Tendinitis It refers to inflammations on the tendons of the rotator cuff muscles of the shoulder. It is essentially caused by repeated movement of the arm, which damages the tendons of the rotator cuff. In sports, the condition arises from an overuse of the arm in activities that involve the movement of the arms overhead. Excessive movement of the arm makes the rotator cuff to contact the outer end of the shoulder blade at the point where the collarbone is attached. In the process, the rotator cuff gets inflamed and swollen. When swelling occurs, the rotator cuff gets trapped under the acromion, eventually inflaming the bursa (Sian). Symptoms The major symptom of rotator cuff tendinitis is pain in the arm. It occurs when an individual does any activity that involves an overhead movement of the affected arm. A similar pain can also be felt at night particularly when one is lying on the inflamed shoulder. General weakness of the arm can also occur especially when an individual attempts to reach for raised objects. Severe conditions of rotator cuff tendinitis may limit the range of motion of the arm (Sian). Long-term effects The major long-term effect of rotator cuff tendinitis is stiffening of the shoulder joint. The effect arises when an individual attempts to treat the condition by immobilizing the joint. Although immobilization reduces pain and enhances quick recovery, it can encourage a distorted growth of joint tissues. Immobilization requires regular exercises on the affected joint. However, if this is not done, a distorted growth of tissue would take effect, potentially limiting the motion range of the arm. In the process, the entire joint supporting the arm becomes stiff (Sian). Inflammation of the shoulder is the second major long-term effect of rotator cuff tendinitis. It occurs after repeated strain on an already inflamed joint. Applying strenuous force on an already-injured joint tears the tendons. In some cases, the tendons may detach from the bone. If this happens, an individual loses much control of the arm. In the process, daily activities such as raising objects become problematic. Recovering from Major Injury and Resuming Competitions A major injury that is associated with rotator cuff tendinitis is tendon breakage. It occurs after prolonged injury to a joint. In some cases, it can arise due to rapid jerking of the joint, particularly when lifting heavy objects. It can happen to athletes who lift heavy objects or play strenuous games such as tennis (Sian). A broken tendon does not heal on its own. It requires surgery. Athletes incurring such injuries undergo acromioplasty, a minor surgical operation. They can also undergo open surgery especially if the tissue is severely damaged. After the surgery, rehabilitation can start immediately depending on the athlete’s response to treatment. In most cases, it can start after the first week. At this stage, the athlete adheres to strict recommendations of exercises from the surgeon or therapist. The exercises are aimed at increasing the range of motion of the arm and building muscle strength. Since elbow surgery can take several months to heal, athletes usually use light weights and rubber bands to flex the joint (Sian). Works Cited Collins, W. Michael, Lovell R. Mark, Iverson, L. Grant, Cantu Robert, Maroon Joseph, and Field Melvin. “Cumulative Effects of Concussion in High School Athletes.” N.p., n.d. Web. 10 March 2015. . Kiapour, A.M. and Murray, M.M. “Basic Science of Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injury and Repair.” N.p., 2013. Web. 10 March 2015. . Sian, W. Ong. “An Update on the Pathogenesis and Treatment for Common Tendinopathy.” N.p., 2012. Web. 10 March 2015. . Wong, James Min-Leong, Khan Tanvir, Jayadev Chethan, Khan Wasim, and Johnstone David. “Anterior Cruciate Ligament Rupture and Osteoarthritis Progression.” The Open Orthopaedics Journal. 6.2 (2012): 295-300. Read More