injuries | Health And Wellness Tips

Sprains and Strains in Adolescents

Sprains and strains are among the majority of the injuries caused while playing sports. Sports injuries can be caused by small trauma which involves ligaments, muscles and tendons including bruises, sprains and strains. The body part which is most commonly involved in spraining or straining is the ankle. The 3 ligaments that are involved during ankle sprain or strain include anterior talofubular ligament, posterior talofibular ligament and calcaneofibular ligament.

An injury caused to the soft tissue as a result of a direct force like fall, kick and blow is called a contusion or a bruise. A sprain is nothing but a ligament injury which is wrenched or twisted. Sprains usually affect knees, wrists and ankles. On the other hand a strain is an injury caused to a tendon or muscle which usually results from force, stretching and overuse.

Sprains/Strains are usually diagnosed by a physician after a physical examination. The physician asks for thorough medical history of the adolescent and asks various questions that lead to the cause of the injury. Various diagnostic procedures are also available which also helps in evaluating the problem. X-ray is one of the oldest and common diagnostic tests done to know the extent and exact location of the injury. An x-ray uses electromagnetic waves to get photos of internal tissues, organs and bones onto a film. MRI scan is one of the recently evolved diagnostic procedures which also help in evaluating a physical injury. This procedure actually called Magnetic Resonance Imaging makes use of bug magnets, computer and radio frequencies to get detailed pictures of structures and organs inside the body. Another diagnostic procedure called Computed Tomography Scan or CT scan is also used to evaluate the extent and location of injury. This procedure uses a blend of computers and x-rays to get cross sectional pictures in horizontal and vertical alignment. It shows thorough pictures of any part of the body like muscles, bones, fat and organs. They provide more information than conventional x-rays.

There are various symptoms of strain and sprain depending on each teens physical condition and they may vary accordingly. One of the symptoms includes pain in and around the area injury. There could also be a swelling around the injured area. Some teens also experience difficulty when they use or move the area of the body that is injured. Some teenagers also undergo bruises or redness in the area that is injured. Many times the symptoms of sprains and strains may look similar to other medical conditions and a doctors advice is the best option in this scenario.

Depending on various factors the treatment of sprains and strains will be prescribed by the teenagers physician that include teenagers age, overall health of the teenager, and medical history of the adolescent. To what extent the teen is injured is also a factor in determining the nature of treatment. A teenagers level of tolerance to certain medications, therapies and procedures is also taken into consideration before opting for a particular method of treatment. The treatment also depends of what expectations one has and also preference and opinion.

Various options available for treatment include things like restriction of the activity after the injury, application of cast/splint on the injured spot, crutches or wheelchair, physical therapy which involves stretching exercises to give strength to the muscles, tendons and ligaments that are injured and last but not the least is the surgery which is opted for in worst case scenario.

In the long-term scenario bruises, sprains and strains heal pretty quickly in kids and teenagers but it is important that the adolescent sticks to the restrictions imposed during the treatment and healing process like restriction of activity and regularly attending physical therapy sessions if any. It is noted that majority of the sports related injuries results either due to traumatic injury or excessive use of muscles and joints. But, they can be avoided and prevented with right training, by wearing right protective gears and by using right equipment for training.

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Carbohydrates the Essential Energy Source

Most athletes know and realize just how important it is to get the proper nutrients however many athletes are being drawn into the idea of using low carbohydrate diets as a way to help control weight. Needless to say, the sports medicine field is quite alarmed at this recent trend. The number of athletes that are starting to use low carbohydrate diets is alarming in recent years. Even scarier is the fact that these diets can cause harsh long-term complications such as making weight loss even harder.

Carbohydrates are the essential energy source that all athletes need in order to maintain the stamina to work out. Without this vital energy, it is much easier for injuries to occur from exhaustion as well as body strain. This is never an advisable outcome, but sadly, it occurs much more often in recent years. A proper diet for an athlete involves consuming quite a few carbohydrates.

Typically, the amount of carbohydrates that are required to be consumed by athletes is much higher than the amount required for people who are sedative. The proper amount of carbohydrates that each athlete needs varies greatly with some requiring much more than others. To determine the exact amount of carbohydrate consumption that you should personally aim for it is important to talk to your sports medicine doctor.

There are times when athletes are especially encouraged to increase their carbohydrate intake, this is especially common during tournaments, competitions and if you are engaging in more than one sport at the time. This is to ensure that your body has enough energy to handle the rigors that you are placing upon it during especially strenuous activities. In addition, there are other times when your doctor may recommend cutting back carbohydrate consumption, however all serious adjustments to your diet should be carefully monitored by your sports medicine team to ensure that you are getting the proper nutrients.

As the number of fad diets appearing on the markets increases, it is especially important to listen to what your doctor says about your diet. Athletes are recommended to store as much as 15 grams per kilogram of body weight in the form of carbohydrates. This translates into as much as 15 grams for every 2.2 pounds. For an average 180-pound athlete this translates into as much as 1227 grams of carbohydrates.

In terms of how carbohydrates are related to calories, it is easiest to use the following conversion. One gram of carbohydrates translates into four calories of energy. This means that for our example of the 180-pound athlete, the 1227 grams of carbohydrates they should consume would equal as much as 4909 calories. This is an enormous number for most people; however, there are some athletes that would require higher calorie intake while other would be able to handle much lower intake levels. Ultimately, it is up to you working with your doctor to determine the best level for your individual needs.

Remember, cutting back on carbohydrate levels can be quite damaging to the body. If your body is not consuming enough carbohydrates, then the body starts using protein as energy. This can be dangerous because protein is designed to help fuel your muscles and provide the muscle mass for the body, rather than simply providing energy for the body. The end result for many who are not consuming enough carbohydrates is an overall weakened condition and less energy to actively engage in the sport of their choice.

An important consideration is who is giving you the advice on your dietary needs. Many coaches do not always know the most up to date nutrition information. This makes it highly risky to simply take a coaches word about how much you should be consuming each day in calories and carbohydrates. In order to achieve the best results possible you can consult with your coach as well as your doctor to work out the best possible solution that has both your fitness goals, athletic goals and your health goals in mind.

Keeping your own personal health as the top priority is vital to ensuring you are as healthy as possible. Remember, it is sometimes necessary to adjust your carbohydrate consumption however; it should always be done with a doctors supervision to ensure that you are not potentially damaging your body or your overall health. Your physical safety is a much greater consideration that reducing your carbohydrate intake.

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What the Future of Sports Medicine Holds

As sports medicine has developed over the years, the ideas of how to study and analyze both the athletes and their injuries has increased as well. As time progresses even further, this study is increased as new advances in medicine, training methods and even treatment options are further explored. What seems like science fiction now can very well become a real treatment in the future.

The idea of sports medicine is very unlikely to waiver. The primary reason being sports are such an integral part of life that most people simply cannot imagine their lives without them. This creates the need to continuously improve upon treatment options for injuries, and also leads to even further research and development required to help reduce the number of injuries that are experienced. While many forms of medicine are simply studying the treatment options heavily, and relying less on preventing problems sports medicine is focused on the long term commitment to athletes by reducing the risks of injury overall through proper training and fitness.

Continuously working to improve fitness and training techniques has ensured that regardless of the treatment options offered, sports medicine has secured itself a very safe home in the medical field. With thousands of new athletes each year starting sports there are always new injuries, as well as new considerations to take into account. These differences can often be a huge aspect when compared to the age of the athlete. Children tend to have more injuries at times, which is due to underdeveloped bones and muscles, while adults tend to have more serious injuries and take much longer to fully heal.

Combining all of the current research with the developments in surgery, fitness, and dietary fields allows sports medicine to continue to grow and encompass the majority of the athletes life. The desire to play sports for many is not simply a hobby, so selecting a doctor that views it as merely a hobby is unwise. Doctors in the sports medicine field are usually highly dedicated to their work. Putting forth diligent effort to reduce the amount of time to treat injuries, and helping improve the body following an injury are all continuous processes that undergo essential development.

Some of the biggest breakthroughs of recent sports medicine will eventually be classified as obsolete and new, exciting techniques and principals will replace them. Deciding how to carefully advance the research is in the hands of the well-trained doctors who have made it their lifes work to help each and every athlete improve their overall health and fitness levels.

From studying exercises to make small adjustments for a positive impact on the entire body, to making slight changes in the way surgery is performed to allow faster recovery times, to even increasing the effort put forth to ensure all athletes are following a healthy diet there is plenty of room for improvements and advances.

In addition to studying the body of the athlete themselves, sports medicine is starting to encompass the rules and structure of games themselves. For example, after a recent study of softball it was determined that breakaway bases should be used to help protect the players. This one small change was estimated to help reduce athlete injuries by as much as 90%. As you can see, sports medicine is encompassing so much more than simply traditional medical aspects as it moves towards the future.

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Arthritis and Joint Pain: Causes, Symptoms, Home Remedies

Arthritis and Joint Pain: Causes, Symptoms, Home Remedies
AyurvedicCure.com

Arthritis is an inflammation of one or more joints caused by the
wear and tear injury or any infection. This inflamed condition
of the joints is mostly seen in the elderly people. It comes
from two Greek words, athron meaning joints and itis meaning
inflammation. It affects almost half of the population of the
world. About 50 million people in the United States suffer from
one or the other type of arthritis. It is more common than
cancer and heart problems. In brief we can say that it is the
condition that affects the health of the bone joints in the body.

Arthritis refers to the more than 100 distinct diseases that
cause pain and swelling, and limit movement in joints and
connective tissue . The common types of arthritis are-

Osteoarthritis

Rheumatoid arthritis

Gout

Osteoarthritis results from the loss of bone tissue from the
joints and is also known as degenerative arthritis. It mostly
occurs with the preceding age. Rheumatoid arthritis affects the
people above the age of 40. It is more dangerous than
osteoarthritis as it affects the ligaments and tendons that join
the bones and muscles. Gout mostly affects men who are above the
age of 40 years and is caused by the excess accumulation of uric
acid in the spaces between the joints causing intense pain and
inflammation of the joints.

The various symptoms of arthritis are:

Joint pain

Swelling of joints

Limitation of movement

Swelling of joints

Stiffness of the joints

There are many types of arthritis and each of them has a
different cause of occurrence.

The common causes of arthritis are:

Obesity and overweight

Preceding age

Heredity factors

Hormonal changes