Back in the Game: Understanding Sports Injuries

(Sabeena Faiz NP, pictured above)

Key Points

• Sprains, strains, and fractures can cause similar pain and swelling.
• A focused exam helps determine whether an injury may need supportive care, an X ray, splinting, or additional follow up.
• Getting back to sports should depend on improving movement, strength, and stability, not just less pain.

Sprain, Strain, or Fracture?

A sprain affects a ligament. A strain affects a muscle or tendon. A fracture involves the bone. Because these injuries can feel similar, our providers focus on how the injury happened, exactly where it hurts, swelling, movement, stability, and whether the patient can comfortably use the injured area.

Does Every Injury Need an X Ray?

No. An X ray is most useful when the exam raises concern for a fracture or another bone injury. Many sprains, strains, tendon injuries, and muscle injuries do not appear on a standard X ray. The physical exam helps determine whether imaging is likely to be useful.

From the Exam Room

When our providers evaluate an injury, we try to understand function as much as pain.Can the patient walk on it? Can the joint move normally? Is there significant swelling or tenderness over the bone? Does the joint feel stable? Those details help us decide whether the patient may need imaging, support such as a splint, activity modification, or additional follow up.

The goal is not simply to make the pain better. It is to understand the injury and give the patient a sensible plan for recovery.

Rodion Levin, MSN, APRN, FNP C

When Should an Injury Be Checked?

Consider evaluation when there is significant swelling, persistent pain, difficulty walking or bearing weight, limited movement, weakness, numbness, or concern for a fracture. Major trauma, obvious deformity, uncontrolled bleeding, loss of consciousness, or other serious injuries should be evaluated in an emergency department.

Getting Back to Play

Less pain does not always mean an injury is ready for full activity. Movement, strength, balance, and stability should also be improving before returning to sports.

Back in the game starts with knowing what you are dealing with.

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