Super Bowl Fans: Avoid Common Football Injuries

Super Bowl XLVIII is just around the corner, and fans across North America are gearing up for the sport season's most watched game. This year, the Super Bowl is being held at the MetLife Stadium in New Jersey where players will face off in the pursuit of the highly coveted Vince Lombardi Trophy.

Any competitive game comes part-and-parcel with a call for the stretcher. The most common football injuries are to the ankle, leg, knee, and head.  Some of our favourite players have either suffered these injuries in the past or are likely to sustain such an injury in the future. And those pros aren't the only ones on the field susceptible to a football injury. So here are some tips on how to treat injuries inflicted by football.

Ankle – sprains. These injuries are most often the result of the ankle being twisted inwards, causing soft tissue damage around the ankle joint. Bracing or taping the ankle for added support can help to lessen the likelihood of these injuries. Once sustained, rest and icing is important, and seeking rehabilitation to strengthen a weakened ankle is critical.

Leg – hamstring strains. This injury happens when hamstring muscles are forcibly stretched beyond their limits, tearing the muscle tissues, and leading to pain.  A warm-up can help to avoid a hamstring sprain because it readies the muscles and makes them more flexible. Depending on the severity of the strain, ice and rest can work to alleviate the pain, but visiting a sports medicine specialist for physiotherapy is also a smart idea.

Knee – ACL tear. There are a few different ways to injure the ACL, including direct impact or when the knee is twisted or landing on an over-extended knee.  Prevention can be difficult, but proper training can be beneficial to helping you avoid a painful ACL injury. As far as treatment goes, an ACL injury should be looked at by a specialist.  Treatment and rehabilitation may include physiotherapy or custom knee bracing.

Head – concussion. Most often caused by a strike to the head, concussions can be difficult to diagnose, especially because many consider simply passing out as confirmation that one has been sustained (but many concussions don’t even cause the person to lose consciousness). A helmet can be instrumental in concussion prevention too.  Regardless, if someone does suspect a concussion, diagnosis and treatment by a sports injury clinic experienced in concussion management should take place as soon as possible.

If you have sustained a football injury, don’t just suffer through it and try to endure the pain. Get the help and treatment necessary to living pain-free.

For more information about treating football injuries contact Athletic Edge Sports Medicine by calling 1 (416) 800-0800.