Home REPETITIVE STRAIN SPORT INJURIES TO WATCH FOR
What are repetitive strain injuries? Repetitive strain injuries can occur from repeated movements that stress a particular muscle or tendon. These types of injuries can occur in many parts of the body and symptoms can include inflammation, pain, numbness, or a restricted range of movement around the affected area.
Symptoms can often persist for longer than other sudden injuries, especially if they are not treated. Below we review some common repetitive strain injuries associated with soccer, tennis, and golf, and tips for preventing them.
While heat illness from hot summer practices and concussions from player-on-player contact remain the most common soccer injuries to watch for, repetitive strain injuries are also a concern.
To prevent injury, it’s important to always warm up, stretch, and cool down, as well as train for the specific physical demands of tennis – although you should avoid over-repetition of any one type of shot. Some injuries to watch for include:
Golf is another favourite activity than can cause repetitive strain injuries, such as:
The most important preventive measure is a thorough warm up prior to, and a cool down after, physical activity; this allows the muscles time to adjust. Regular exercise will keep the muscles working effectively and the joints loose, and will reduce the chance of a repetitive strain injury.
If you do experience pain as a result of your favourite activity, treatment can take many forms. Sometimes simply stopping the activity, elevating the injured area, and icing it are enough, while other injuries may respond to dedicated physiotherapy or possibly pain management procedures. If your symptoms do not resolve, however, it’s important to speak to your health care practitioner about your symptoms. Diagnostic imaging, which could include X-ray, ultrasound, or MRI exams, may be ordered to help diagnose an issue.
REFERENCES
Agel, J., et al. (2007) “Descriptive Epidemiology of Collegiate Men’s Soccer Injuries: National Collegiate Athletic Association Injury Surveillance System, 1988–1989 Through 2002–2003.” Journal of Athletic Training. 2007 Apr-Jun; 42(2): 270–277.
Central Orthopedic Group (2018) “5 Common Tennis Injuries & How to Treat Them.” www.centralorthopedicgroup.com. Accessed July 16, 2021.
Newman, T. (2018) “Repetitive strain injury (RSI) explained.” www.medicalnewstoday.com. Accessed July 16, 2021.
Palacois-Jansen, K. (2009) “10 common golf injuries.” www.golfchannel.com. Accessed July 16, 2021.
American Society for Surgery of the Hand (2021) “Golf Injuries to the Hand, Wrist or Elbow.” www.assh.org. Accessed July 16, 2021.
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Computed tomography (CT) is an advanced imaging system that uses a combination of X-rays and computer technology to produce comprehensive images of your abdomen. CT scans give a much more detailed picture than regular X-rays and can identify many conditions that may escape detection on other imaging tests.
Your health care practitioners may order an abdomen CT scan to examine one of the following (or, for a more comprehensive exam, a combined abdomen/pelvis CT):
A cause of pain or swelling.
Lymph nodes or blood vessels.
The kidney or bladder.
The liver, pancreas, or spleen.
The small or large bowel.
HOW DO I PREPARE FOR MY EXAM?
WITHOUT CONTRAST: If contrast is not used, you will need to fast for two hours prior to your appointment.
ORAL CONTRAST: If oral contrast is prescribed, you will need to fast for four hours prior to your appointment and arrive two hours prior to your exam, unless otherwise specified at the time of booking.
IV CONTRAST: If oral contrast and/or IV contrast is prescribed, please arrive 15 minutes before your appointment to allow enough time to check-in with reception.
Bring photo identification and your provincial health card.
Please do not drink coffee, tea, or juice six hours prior to your exam.