Archive for Injuries
Common Sports Injury – Groin Pull
Posted by: | CommentsThe groin is part of the body that is used to pull the legs together as well as stabilizing the hip area. Getting this type of injury can be painful and is usually followed by swelling and slight bruising. It can also be sensitive to the touch.
This type of injury happens when the muscle on the inside of the upper thigh become stretched further than normal. The muscle fibers can pull apart and even tear under the right circumstances.
This type of injury is very common in athletes that start and stop suddenly as well as change direction often.
The injury can be painful so you will need to rest it once a pull happens.
Players and coaches ask me how they can prevent this type of injury in their players and I usually give the same advice. I tell them to make sure they have a good stretching regimen to their daily workout or practice to ensure the groin is loosened up before any type of strenuous activity.
Stretching the Groin:
- You want to set on the floor in a straddle position with your legs in a “Y” position out in front of you.
- Make sure your legs are as far out as possible but don’t let them turn inward as this can put a lot of stress on the knees.
- Now lean over to one side and hold a stretch over the leg. Then repeat to the other side.
- Make sure both legs stay straight and the knees points to the sky or ceiling.
- Your back should be straight as well.
- Once you have stretched over both legs, you want to do the same in the middle between the legs.
- Walk your hands out as far as you can between the legs. Make sure your legs stay on the ground and remain straight up. Push your lower back down into the ground the best you possibly can.
Treating the injury:
Once you get a groin pull it’s time to do a little treatment but remember just like any injury you need to seek medical advice from your doctor. The Youth Baseball Insider and it’s coaches can only give you information on how this has been treated in the past and is not equipped to provide any medical advice. Every situation is different so it’s best you consult a doctor.
We have found the standard RICE treatment works well. For those of you not familiar with RICE, it means Rest, Ice, Compression and Elevation. When a pull like this occurs you need to rest the injury by avoiding walking, running or other exercise. You will also want to avoid stairs as this puts even more stress on the effected area.
We have found that icing it for about 15 minutes, 4 or 5 times a day will help. You should repeat this for the first 4 days after the injury.
You might want to compress the injury by wrapping it with an ace bandage to help stabilize the area and keep swelling down; however make sure you are not wrapping it so tight it’s cutting off circulation as that can cause many other more serious issues. Again, it’s best to discuss this with your doctor.
You can also try elevating the effected area above your heart level. You can do this by laying flat on your back and putting some pillows under the leg. You should try to do this a much as possible.
You really need to take a couple of weeks off and make sure you avoid any stretching of the muscle during this time. Once you do get back to work make sure you pay extra attention to the area because once it’s been pulled it will be easier to do again. You might also want to continue regular ice treatment for a period of time to keep any swelling down. Any stretching should be very light and try to avoid sudden change in direction of quick starting and stopping. The muscles should be fairly well healed in 4 weeks, but as always consult with a doctor.
R.I.C.E: Dealing with Strains and Sprains
Posted by: | Comments
If you or your children get involved in sports there will come a time when an injury will occur so you should know how to handle the basic first aid necessary to limit recovery time. One of the most common injuries that will occur is getting a sprain of some kind and I get questions all the time regarding how to deal these simple but common problems.
Over the years there have been many methods and opinions in dealing with such a common injury; however this coach feels you should look no further than the following principle when dealing with sprains.
It’s called the R.I.C.E. principle which stands for “rest”, “ice”, “compression” and “elevation”. We will examine each part of the principle below.
R (REST): It is extremely important for you to allow the injured area to rest, especially in the first 24-48 hours. This is critical for quick improvement of the injury. Once you get past this 48 hour period it is completely fine to use the effected area but caution should be used to ensure there is no extreme pain. It could be necessary to use a splint or crutches to stabilize the injured area.
I (ICE): You should ice the injured area for 20-30 minutes 3-4 times a day. Do not ice the area any longer than this as it could cause tissue damage which could make the situation even more serious. It is extremely important to ice the area for the first 48 hours. Obviously there are many ways to ice an injury; however this coach has found that using a bag of frozen vegetables can work the best since the bag can continually be refrozen and used again.
C (Compression): Compressing the injury is important when you are not icing the area. Wrap the injury with an ACE bandage but make sure not to wrap it so tight that it cuts of the circulation to other areas. The wrap should be snug.
E (Elevation): You need to make sure the injured area is elevated above the heart level as much as possible. You can elevate your arm or leg at night while sleeping by using pillows underneath the injured area.
In summary, remember the RICE acronym when dealing with sprains and you will be ahead of the game.
This article is a guideline and is not meant to take the place of proper medical care. When in doubt always seek out a trained Medical Doctor for help.
