INJURY MANAGEMENT
Initial Injury Treatment Protocol for Soft Tissue Injuries
In the event of suffering from an injury during the game, it is essential that you manage the injured area and follow some simple guidelines that have been listed below.
These are not meant as a substitute for being seen by the medical staff but as simple effective self management techniques that can make a difference to your ability to recover from injury quicker.
Post Match: Immediately make contact with the medical staff and have your injury initially assessed. Advice will be given on management and when to see the medical team for initial assessment.
Ice: This regime must be carried out for 10 - 15 minutes every 2 hours, making sure you protect your skin from ice burns. Any longer than this time frame for ice will be detrimental to the injured site and may in some circumstances make things worse.
Compression: On initial icing make sure you keep a towel over the ice bag to apply compression. You will be given some flexi-wrap to compress the injury and this should be done during your waking hours and when weight bearing. Do not keep this on at night as it may adversely affect your circulation.
Elevation: Keep the injured area either level to or above the heart. Keep your muscles around the injured site as active as you can with simple movement exercises that will assist the muscle pump effect and further aid recovery.
Alcohol: This needs to be taken very seriously. Alcohol is a vaso-dilator and will cause an increase in blood flow around an injured site. This will definitely make things worse during the initial 48hrs. The medical staff, on initial assessment, will make you of aware of your alcohol status and this must be heeded. In short, if you are advised not to drink then do not do so!
Anti-Inflammatory Medication: This will be under the direction of the medical staff as these medications do have some significant side effects. Asthmatics need to be aware that these are not advisable unless one of the Doctors has seen you. Each case will be dealt with on its merits and appropriate medication prescribed. Don’t just shovel Brufen down you unless you are instructed on correct dosage and whether it’s appropriate or not to do so.
Follow-up: Attending the Physiotherapy Treatment Room on a Monday or Wednesday night between 1730 – 1900 for further assessment, advice and treatment is advised.
Contacts:
| Harriet Cole | Sports Therapist | 07921 480712 |
Your co-operation in this is much appreciated and will facilitate you recovering that much quicker!
To Return to Top of Page ... select here