Sports-related pains and accidents
Sports and body signals
Muscle pains: They often appear in the aftermath of an unusual muscular effort, even if of limited intensity. A moderate recovery, a little rest and a balanced diet are enough to eliminate the pain.
Cramps: Occurring during or after exertion, this involuntary and painful contraction of a muscle is a sign of too long and too intense exertion. To relieve it, just gently stretch the muscle and maintain the stretch for a few seconds.
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The stretching: Occurring during the effort, this exaggerated traction on a tendon, a ligament or a nerve, requires the immediate suspension of activity and rest until the pain subsides.
Tendonitis: Frequent in the elbow, wrist or knee, this painful inflammation of the tendons is due to the repetition of a gesture, often performed poorly. It requires the suspension of physical activity until the pain subsides, a cautious and progressive recovery, and also the modification of the gestures performed.
The twinge in the side: This sharp and spontaneous pain can occur on the occasion of prolonged uncontrolled effort. There is no point in stopping, it is better to continue the effort at the same pace: the body adapts and the pain disappears more or less quickly.
Sports accidents
The strain: Due to a wrong movement, this slight sprain of the ligaments causes severe but momentary pain.
The tear: This rupture of the muscle fibers causes, immediately, a very intense pain and, subsequently, the functional inability of the damaged muscle. It requires complete rest.
Tendon rupture: This painful injury is caused by a violent muscle pull associated with a blow to the tendon. It requires rest.
The retort: Frequently, this sprain - or even rupture of the ligaments - causes severe pain and swelling of the affected joint. Again, complete rest.
Dislocation: Very painful, this injury corresponds to the dislocation of the joint. It manifests itself with a deformation at the level of the joint and with the inability to make it work.
The fractures. A crash, intense pain, deformation of the limb: these are the usual signs. It often occurs after a blow, fall, or twisting of a locked limb. Any movement that could worsen the fracture should be avoided by immobilizing nearby joints (with a cast).
The rules of risk-free sport
- Possess adequate "equipment for the sport practiced, for one's morphology and one's level.
- Warm up, for about 15 minutes, globally (running, jumping ...) and locally (flexing / stretching / lengthening of the muscles most affected by the activity).
- Drink regularly and in sufficient quantity. In case of dehydration, performance and attention decrease, the muscles no longer eliminate waste.
- Adapt your efforts to your training level. Don't jog for hours if you've never run in your life!
- Go step by step. In cold weather, accidents are more frequent. The intensity of the activity should be gradually increased.
- Stretching allows you to remedy many injuries to tendons or muscles.
- Massaging, or being massaged, facilitates the elimination of toxins contained in the muscles, which are responsible for cramps and pain.
- Assess the risks, especially in outdoor activities.
