Sports Injury - Treatment

Treatment

Sports injuries can be treated and managed by using the P.R.I.C.E.S... DR. ABC, and T.O.T.A.P.S regimes:

P – Protect R – Rest I – Ice C – Compression E – Elevation S - Stabilize D – Danger R – Response A – Airway B – Breathing C – Circulation T – Talk O – Observe T – Touch A – Active movement P – Passive movement S – Skills test

The primary inflammatory stage typically lasts around 5 days and all treatment during this time is designed to address the cardinal signs of inflammation – pain, swelling, redness, heat and a loss of function.

Compression sportswear is becoming very popular with both professional and amateur athletes. These garments are thought to both reduce the risk of muscle injury and speed up muscle recovery.

Although not proven some professional athletes use hyperbaric chambers to speed healing. Hines Ward of the Steelers sent his personal hyperbaric chamber,(similar to the one pictured), to his hotel to sleep in believing it would help heal his sprained medial collateral ligament he suffered in their playoff win against the Ravens. Hines went on to play in Super Bowl XLIII.