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“This information is meant only as a guide to help you understand and your treatment options. It is not a substitute for a consultation with a specialist Orthopaedic Shoulder Surgeon. We strongly recommend a thorough discussion with your surgeon about the most appropriate treatment about your problem.” 

Sports Injury Treatment

Sports Injury

Sports injuries are injuries to your body which occur during exercise or while playing sports. They may involve muscles, tendons, ligaments, bones and joints. They can occur in the upper limb, spine and lower limb. In this section, we will focus on injuries of the shoulder.

Some common sports injuries around the shoulder are:

  1. Rotator cuff tears (please visit our section on rotator cuff tears for more information)
  2. Shoulder dislocations (please visit our section on shoulder dislocations for more information)
  3. Labral tears (SLAP tears)
  4. Rupture of the biceps tendon: proximal (at the shoulder) or distal (at the elbow)
  5. Pectoralis major tendon rupture.

How to prevent sports injuries?

  • Warm up properly before exercise with dynamic stretching and light cardio
  • Have proper form and technique
  • Wear the right gear
  • Do not push yourself too hard
  • Cool down with static stretching
  • Take proper self care and rest to treat minor injuries
  • Seek medical attention if pain is severe, or it does not settle down with simple measures

Sports Injury Symptoms

Pain and swelling are the most common symptoms. The severity of pain may vary from mild discomfort in specific positions, to severe, relentless pain. In severe cases there may also be an obvious deformity.

If you experience any of the symptoms above, we recommend to book an appointment with our sports injury specialist doctor and visit us.

Sports Injury Causes

Racquet sports (e.g. tennis, badminton, squash, etc.), sports which involve overhead activities (bowling in cricket, volleyball, etc.) and weight lifting in the gym are more prone to cause shoulder injuries.

Contact sports and martial arts (boxing, wrestling, etc.) can also cause shoulder dislocations and fractures. 

Sports Injury Diagnosis

History and Physical examination. Sports injury doctor will take a thorough history and then examine the injured shoulder. This is the most important step in making an accurate diagnosis. 

X-rays: These will demonstrate any fractures or dislocations.

CT scans: They reveal bony anatomy in a lot more detail. They are especially useful in complex fractures and dislocations.

Ultrasound examination: A well performed ultrasound can show rotator cuff injuries.

MRI scan: They are good at picking up the soft tissue injuries like SLAP tears, rotator cuff tears, tendon injuries, etc. 

Sports Injury Treatment

Rest, icing, compression and elevation of the injured part is usually the first line of treatment. An easy way to remember this is the acronym “RICE”. Mild sprains and strains usually settle down with this. 

Medication: You my also need some anti-inflammatory painkiller medication to help out during the early days after the injury. 

If your injury does not get better in a few days, make sure you see a specialist. Some of the symptoms which you should watch out for are: 

  1. Severe or persistent pain
  2. Abnormal swelling or deformity
  3. Crunching, creaking or popping sounds in the joint
  4. Weakness of the shoulder 
  5. Instability or dislocations of the shoulder.

Physiotherapy: Your surgeon will usually recommend a physiotherapy regime for sports injury treatment. 

Surgical treatment: Depending upon the type and severity of your injury, surgery may be required. For Sports Injury Treatment – There are different types of operations- for example arthroscopic (key-hole) surgery, or open surgery.

Please make sure you have a detailed discussion with your shoulder surgeon about the pros and cons of each, and  which sports injury treatment is best for you. 

Looking to learn more about Shoulder Fractures, Shoulder Arthritis, Shoulder Dislocations, Frozen Shoulder, Subacromial Impingement, Rotator Cuff Tears . Take a look at our Patient education guide

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