Sports-related injuries

We do sports because we like it, we enjoy it, and if we can’t do it, we watch it, get involved and sometimes fight with rival fans. Oh yeah, as if the team and players give a hoot if some of their fanatically passionate supporters decide to do manual facial reconstruction to each other.

At some point in time, we had all experienced the pain and unpleasantness of some form of injury. Yes, even the weekend warrior types and occasional athletes are not exempt. Injuries vary from head to toe, either thru lack of preparation, fatigue or simply just being unlucky.

Because of body structure, people in the know say that women are more prone to injury than men. They generally have lower bone mass, lower muscle and tissue density and changing levels of estrogen. Therefore they have to be extra careful and cautious when engaging in sporting activities. Men should also have known by now that hormonal changes had made God’s greatest gift to us more delightfully and intriguingly complicated. And yet, adding to the mysteries of life, we eternally adore them.

Experts had always advised that before we engage in any form of exercise or sports, there is a need for medical clearance from our favorite doctor. After we do get the ok, there is a need for a warm up. It increases blood flow and warms our muscles and likewise boosts our breathing. Cold and tight muscles make us more prone to injuries. They also advised that it is best stretch muscles after an exercise because they are already pumped up and will stretch easily.

Most sports-related fatalities are from head injuries. Bicycling, be it sport or recreational is the top cause of head traumas. Experts say that more than 80 percent of cycling-related head injuries could have been prevented with the proper use of helmets. But many times we have heard of pro cyclists meeting their untimely demise because of a crash, yes, even with helmets on. Helmets could be cumbersome and a chosen few simply don’t like to wear them because they don’t look cool. Well, we could be stiffer and colder than cool if we’d find ourselves lying still in a thinly cushioned box with lighted candles and flowers around us. We just can’t compromise safety over looks.

Long term wear and tear and sports-related falls are known causes of torn rotator cuffs. These are a group of muscles and tendons on the shoulder. Usually, it can be treated thru anti-inflammatory drugs, therapy and ice packs but in extreme cases could need surgery. The scripted world of pro wrestling is awash with shoulder problems

The PBA’s Bernie Fabiosa had this injury when sometime in the late 80s, he was pushed to the sidelines by Philippine basketball’s legendary butangero Sonny Jaworski and crashed on the railings where he dislocated his shoulder. It got worse when well-meaning teammates tried to pull it back in place.

Common among weightlifters, golfers and batted sports athletes are lower back injuries. Too much weight and twisting can injure disks between vertebrae. Slipped disks or ruptured disks happen and in worst cases, surgery will be required.

Remember Eugene Tejada in 2006? Then playing for Purefoods, he had become an important role player but a freak accident ended his promising career. Red Bull’s Mick Pennisi landed on his back which fractured his vertebrae and paralyzed him from the waist down. He never returned to play and after a long rehab in the US, was able to walk again.

Runners, dancers, aerobic instructors and to some extent cheerleaders, because of repeated stress on the knees and legs are prone to irritated cartilage and inflammation of muscles, tendons and tissues on the kneecaps and shin bone. These are called runners’ knee and shin splints, caused by repeated pounding of the legs on the surface, in other words, overuse. Rest and cold compress usually solves the problem.

The most injured body part is the ankle. It has the largest tendon in the body which connects the calf muscle to the heel bone. Achilles tendinitis happens when tendons become inflamed due to repeated stress and when microscopic tears on the tendons develop, it becomes tendonosis. Usually, therapy, rest and ice packs treat both injuries but if tendons get ruptured, it could require surgery. Because my feet are flatter than a flat iron, I’m prone to twisting my ankles and since we’re already half past fifty, recovery takes some time as there are instances when arthritis takes over on the problem foot.

Related to ankle injuries are plantar fasciitis. The connective tissue along the bottom of the foot is called the plantar fascia and constant pressure on the foot causes the injury. June Mar Fajardo skipped joining Gilas in 2015 because of this injury to both feet. He also had an assortment of leg injuries and his most recent was a troubled calf which delayed his participation to this year’s FIBA Asia Cup. The Kraken recovered and still remains as San Miguel’s pillar of strength.

Talking about injuries from the knee down, three players from the NBA come to mind. Shaun Livingston’s knee in 2007, Paul George’s leg in 2014 and just 5 minutes into the game on opening night, Gordon Hayward’s ankle. The NFL’s Odell Beckham, Jr. recently had surgery on a broken ankle and likewise JJ Watt, coming from a back surgery last season, now has a fractured leg operated on.

Ginebra big man Greg Slaughter is back on the court stronger and better after a season-long layoff from knee issues and has earned his first-ever Best Player of the Conference award. His efforts were valuable in his team’s return to the Finals.

Going back to Hayward, what he had is the literally and figuratively the real “ankle breaker”. He has gone under the knife for a dislocated ankle and fractured tibia and is in for tedious rehab that the Boston Celtics did not issue a timetable for his recovery. Hopefully, he gets back to form and just be like Livingston and George who had gone great after suffering horrific injuries.

Sports, be it professional or recreational are fun, are stress relievers. But there will be times that misfortune makes an unwelcome entry. Let’s take and observe all necessary precautions and enjoy what we like without the pain and agony of injury. Surely, being a sedentary TV sportsman lessens the risk of injuries but inactivity hastens the aging process that getting up from the sofa to fridge already requires maximum effort.