Acute swelling from soft tissue injuries are very common especially in winter sports like soccer, netball and football, or summer sports like walking down the stairs in the dark. A soft tissue injury includes an injury to any of the connecting tissue that surrounds bones (muscles, ligaments or tendons). The most common are ligament sprains, muscle strains and direct blows (aka contusions or corks).
Early management is essential for soft tissue injuries
Early management is essential for soft tissue injuries in order to decrease rehabilitation time, achieve a good outcome, and return to sport sooner. Seeking early treatment can allow for an accurate diagnosis and can focus on restricting further tissue damage.
Until you are able to get to your physiotherapist, it is best to follow the R.I.C.E.R. method:
Do no H.A.R.M.
Also, you need to remember in the acute phase (72 hours) it is important to follow the do no H.A.R.M. protocol:
Christie Gardner is a Physiotherapist in our Penrith practice. She is a very talented baseball player and has had more than her fair share of injuries.