Ask the Trainer
Published on October 27, 2007 under American Basketball Association (ABA) News Release
Question: How are sports injuries treated?
Answer: Most often sports injuries can be treated conservatively without surgical intervention. There are a few basic principles that should be followed when dealing with an athletic injury.
1. Rest. Avoid any painful activity or sports and only return when you have obtained clearance from a sports medicine professional. Returning to your activity may take only several days or it may require several weeks or months depending on the severity of the injury.
2. Ice. Ice may help with an acute injury. Apply the ice for 15-20 minute periods with at least an hour in between sessions to allow the body to warm-up. Do this several times a day for the initial 48-72 hours following an injury. Ice may decrease the amount of swelling and inflammation in the injured area as well as provide analgesic effects to help help diminish pain.
3. Maintenance of Fitness. While you are recovering from injury be sure to maintain your fitness to the best of your ability. Choose an activity that does not place stress on the injured area, i.e. stationary cycling, upper body ergometer, etc. This will help to reduce fatigue as you start your "comeback."
4. Rehabilitation. Once you have injured a body part it becomes weaker than previously, thus making it easier to injure again and while you rest other areas of your body may become deconditioned. Physical rehabilitation is an important part of recovery. You should consult a physical or athletic trainer to see what type of exercises you can and cannot perform in order to expedite your return, as well as identify and address any underlying cause of dysfunction/injury.
5. When to Call the Doctor. Some injuries more serious and should be seen by a physician as soon as possible. However, I would suggest that if pain and/or dysfunction persist you should consult your physician to get on the road to recovery.
For more information or if you have a question, email chart@corechicago.org or call 773 697 7029 or email www.abalive.com.
Note: OurSports Central no longer actively covers the American Basketball Association (ABA) as a professional league due in part to its inability to publish and play a schedule and the transitory nature of many of its teams. For information on professional minor leagues, please see OSC's basketball section.
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The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.
