With the number of sports injuries increasing due to the sunny weather, several doctors yesterday urged people not to overlook bruising and swelling of soft tissue as it can lead to more severe injuries that might impede mobility and cause chronic pain.
Shin Kong Wu Ho-Su Memorial Hospital’s Division of Orthopedics director Shih Kao-shang (釋高上) said a recent survey found that more than 80 percent of respondents work out regularly, with half of that figure exercising for at least three days per week.
“The most popular forms of exercise are jogging, cycling and playing basketball, all of which put participants at risk of sports injuries, such as those caused by collisions and falls,” Shih said at a news conference in Taipei yesterday morning.
Shih said that the number of people visiting his outpatient service for sports injuries has increased by 20 percent, with sprains and contusions being the most common types, and sports injuries accounting for more than 80 percent of all injuries.
Bruises and swelling of the soft tissue can cause sufferers to experience prolonged pain and impede their mobility if they continue to work out without treating the injuries, Shih said.
“If a ligament injury does not heal properly, it can lead to early onset of degenerative joint disease, while untreated contusions can cause tissue adhesion that can negatively affect the elasticity of muscle and result in chronic pain,” he said.
Taipei Chang Gung Memorial Hospital’s Division of Dermatology deputy director Henry Huang (黃耀立) advised people who sustained bruises and soft tissue injuries to adopt a four-step approach to healing.
“The first step is to apply a cold compress to injuries within eight hours to reduce swelling and pain. After making sure there is no open wound, one should apply ointments containing mucopolysaccharides to the injury to prevent inflammation and stimulate tissue regeneration,” Huang said.
Huang said the third step is to apply a warm compress to the injuries between eight and 48 hours after the injury.
People whose bruises and swelling have still not gone away should implement the fourth step and seek medical care to see if there are complications behind the delayed healing, such as blood diseases, Huang said.
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