It takes years of hard work and determination for a sportsperson to take the long run up to the international arena, but it takes only a few seconds for that dream to come crashing down. Over the years injuries have shaken the world of sports, from rookies to stars – they have twisted their ankles or torn a ligament. While the stars can afford to spend their way out of injuries, the rookies are often not that lucky.
 |
| Dr. Harindu Wijesinghe |
The Sri Lankan sports circuit has seen a lot of young sportsmen give into their injuries and not be able to make a comeback. While post injury treatment is imperative, equal importance should be given to injury prevention, says Dr. Harindu Wijesinghe, Consultant in Rheumatology and specialist in Sports Medicine. “There are a lot of injuries that can be prevented, and injury prevention is a role that should be played by sports doctors and fitness trainers,” he stresses.
Having captained the Royal College Rugby team, as well as being a part of the medical team of the ‘West Harbour Pirates’ – the New South Wales rugby team, Dr. Wijesinghe is well versed in the field. Having pursued his further studies in Australia under Prof. Siri Kannangara, he states that proper education and knowledge is the epitome of sports medicine.
“The first 72 hours after an injury is called the ‘Golden hours’,” he explains, warning that if a player is not properly treated within this time, there is a great possibility of injury recurrence. The accepted on-the-scene treatment for any injury is called the RICE procedure.
Rest – The player should take proper rest and the injury should not be aggravated. It is believed injuries heal much faster if the injured take time to rest.
Ice – Immediately apply an ice pack to the injured area. Ice the area for about 15 minutes at a time, without direct exposure to the skin. Repeat every two hours. Crushed ice can be placed in a plastic or in a wet wash cloth, if you do not have an actual ice pack. Dr. Wijesinghe says a common mistake is that players only apply ice once, however it is imperative that the procedure is repeated every two hours.
Compression - Adding compression to the injured area can help keep swelling down. This is done by wrapping an elastic bandage around the area. This also can help prevent, or stop, internal bleeding. Be sure not to apply the bandage too tight, as it can cut off circulation.
Elevate - Elevate the injured area so that the blood has a chance to run back to the heart and out of the injury. The injured area needs to be at a higher level than the heart, so laying down is ideal.
“We should probably add another R to the procedure which stands for Refer – refer to a doctor,” quips Dr. Wijesinghe. If the player shows little signs of recovery he/she should be referred to a doctor immediately.
The doctor may treat the injury with a steroid injection -not a banned substance, but rather a method of delaying inflammation. Inflammation is an automatic process initiated by the body to keep the injured area warm, but it is counter-productive and delays the healing process. By effectively using a steroid injection, inflammation can be delayed. “MRI scans are then done subsequently and show up any damages to tendons, muscles and ligaments,” adds Dr. Wijesinghe. This is done as opposed to X-ray scans since they only show bone damage.
The doctor will then decide whether surgery is needed or not, after which a customized fitness schedule is prepared for the player. “Sports medicine is not about giving tablets and hoping for instant cure, it’s more intense and focused,” he explains. The treatment plan is prolonged and the main objective is to get the player back to playing strength or even better.
“Injury treatment as well as prevention is a team approach, with the fitness trainer, coach and doctor being the main players in the team,” he adds. This means fitness trainers as well as coaches should be well-equipped. “Being educated is the most important pre-requisite, and they should make use of all the seminars and presentations on sports medicine and keep themselves updated.”
Injury prevention looks at these basic principles says Dr. Wijesinghe: Agility, Strength/Power, Nutrition, Psychology, Skills and Proper footwear. While the physical attributes of a player are the main focus, the mental make-up is equally important. A player should be mentally fit to be devoid of injuries and also to recover fast in case of one.
Periodization is important and a player should break the year into three seasons pre-season, in-season and off-season. Of the three, off-season is the best time to focus on injury prevention and this is when the players should start their training sessions. “The common mistake in Sri Lanka is that players focus on the game throughout the year and don’t allocate enough time to rest and build up fitness.” The off-season should be used to treat past injuries, and to get the player geared up for action.
He advises that children ahould be involved in many sports at a young age. “At the early ages of 11 and 12, kids should take part in as many sports as possible as this leads to ‘cross fitness’, which means that they develop and tone all the muscles of the body,” he says, citing the example of Jonty Rhodes, who was a multi-international for South Africa, playing both cricket and hockey at the international level. “Many South African and Australian children are trained to partake in as many sports as possible before choosing their path and that’s why they have very little injury worries.”
“Acquiring the right skills is also crucial in injury prevention – skills could make or break you,” he adds. “A rugby player should know the proper tackle and the fall, while cricketers should know not to land on their elbows.” Skills and technique training should be given priority and players should be groomed in order to be fit in the long run. Skills that sports people acquire within the ages of 18 and 19, which are their formative years, will decide their future in the sport.
Sports drinks, Dr. Wijesinghe mentions, should only be taken after the player is topped up with the right nutrition. It serves the purpose of re-hydration but dependence on sports drinks is not the best for a player’s fitness in the long run. Players should also be aware of the ‘Prohibited list of the World Anti-doping Agency’; the 2012 list already up on the site for referral. All players should know about it and inform doctors of their sports commitments before prescription, he says.
“Proper education, proper skills, team approach and continuous assessment will undoubtedly lead to a healthier and more competitive sportsperson,” Dr. Wijesinghe concludes. |
E-mail
