Doctors zero in on some common sports injuries which may crop up at the Youth Olympic Games and the treatment needed for each. POON CHIAN HUI reports
 Hamstring tear
Sports that involve powerful acceleration, such as sprinting, may result in hamstring strains or tears, said Dr Kevin Yip, a consultant senior orthopaedic surgeon at the Singapore Sports and Orthopaedic Clinic. Such movements can cause the hamstring muscles, which run along the back of the thigh, to lengthen while under tension. This is also known as an eccentric contraction. Ice and a compression bandage should be applied to the spot to give immediate relief. If possible, the leg should be raised too, he added. Recovery usually takes two to four weeks, depending on whether the tear is a partial or a complete one, said Dr Yip. Shoulder joint dislocation This can happen when the shoulder is hit with a heavy force, such as from a fall or a tackle in contact sports like rugby, said Dr Roger Tian, an associate consultant sports physician at Changi Sports Medicine Centre and Singapore Sports Medicine Centre. First aid includes using a shoulder splint to immobilise the joint. If trained personnel is available, he may perform a reduction manoeuvre to put the shoulder back in place, said Dr Tian, who will be on duty at the Youth Olympic Games. The injured athlete cannot play on and may later require an X-ray to determine if there are any fractures, which may accompany such dislocation injuries, he added. Anterior cruciate ligament tear
A soccer player pivoting on his foot to change direction could tear an anterior cruciate ligament in the knee, said Dr Jason Chia, a consultant sports physician at Tan Tock Seng Hospital, who will be on duty at the Youth Olympic Games. “There may be a loud pop sound when the knee gives way and one is usually unable to continue playing,”
he added. Immediate treatment includes applying ice and a splint to avoid further movement of the injured leg. Mild or partial tears may take three weeks to heal, but if the entire ligament is torn, recovery may take up to three months. Dr Chia said that should surgery be needed to repair the ligament – which does not regenerate – the athlete
will have to abstain from sports for about nine months. Head, neck injuries
These are the most severe types of injuries sustained by athletes. “While such injuries rarely occur, sportsmen in boxing or gymnastics events may be at a higher risk. They may fall badly and injure their spine or suffer blows to the head resulting in concussions,” said Dr Jason Chia, a consultant sports physician at Tan Tock Seng Hospital, who will be on duty at the Youth Olympic Games. On-site medical personnel will have to first check if the athlete has neck pain or if he has trouble moving his limbs. If so, the spinal cord may be injured. The athlete will be strapped to a spinal board to limit head and neck movements and the athlete has to be taken to hospital for further tests. For concussions, medics quiz the athlete to ensure that he is oriented and does not have amnesia before he is allowed to return to the game, said Dr Chia. Fracture
Contact and collision sports such as martial arts often involve blows to the body and may cause bones to fracture. When a fracture occurs, ice is applied to provide pain relief and a splint will immobilise the limb, said Dr Roger Tian, an associate consultant sports physician at Changi Sports Medicine Centre and Singapore Sports Medicine Centre. The injured athlete is unlikely to be able to continue with the sport and has to be taken to hospital for an X-ray. In some situations, surgery may be needed to realign the displaced bones, said Dr Tian. Upper limbs take four to eight weeks to heal, while lower limbs take eight to 12 weeks, he added. |