It?s time for this week’s HSS Injury Report! Last week was a busy one as USA Basketball hopefuls began competition for spots on the team. See below for a breakdown of some injuries that are getting a lot of attention in the media.
To read last week’s Injury Report, click here. Check back next week for the next installment of the Injury Report!
Compound Fracture: Open, or compound, fractures often occur when the skin over the broken bone is torn, exposing the fracture to the air and external environment; this situation is more common in a high-energy injury. High-energy open leg fractures have infection rates that approach 50% and are often treated as an emergency. Infections in the setting of fracture place patients at a much increased risk of not healing the bone and soft tissue properly, requiring multiple surgeries to correct the problem. In most situations, the patient will require an emergency surgical procedure to clean the wound and treat the fracture.
Low Back Pain: Back pain often progresses and can have a major impact on one’s ability to function. Three out of every four Americans will experience low back pain at some time in their lives. Most back injuries are the result of repetitive trauma to the spine after years of bending, twisting and lifting improperly. One of the most important things you can do to treat and prevent back pain is to maintain the natural curves of your back while standing, sitting and walking. This is called good posture and body mechanics.
Hamstring Injury: The majority of acute hamstring injuries are partial thickness tears. In other words, only part of the muscle has been torn. These can most often be treated successfully with rest, ice, compression, elevation (better known as RICE), and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). Return to full activity is usually allowed when the patient is pain free, has full range of motion, and full strength. More severe injuries, such as partial tears with significant loss of strength and complete tears, lead to longer periods of rest with conservative management.
