Sports injuries are conditions that commonly occur when exercising or engaging in sports. Children can be more susceptible to these types of injuries, especially when they’re involved in sports and outdoor play. However, this is not only limited to athletes. It can happen to individuals who are active and involved in strenuous tasks, like factory workers and gardeners.
There are two types of sports injuries, namely acute and chronic sports injuries. Acute injuries are the ones that occur suddenly, such as when a person falls, receives blows, or twists a joint. On the other hand, chronic injuries result from overuse of one area of the body and then gradually develop over time.
Determining the severity of your sports injury and learning more about it can help in your recovery process. With this, consulting a sports injury doctor in Singapore, like OrthofootMD, can be your first step to getting back on your feet.
Causes of Sports Injuries
Sports injuries can happen due to several reasons. In our sports injury clinic in Singapore, the most common causes of injuries we come across are the following:
- Overuse of a Certain Area of the Body - This not only happens to athletes or those who exercise regularly. It can happen to individuals who work in manual labour. Overexerting a certain area of your body without sufficient breaks can lead to chronic injuries.
- Improper Techniques - Proper form is essential when conducting any strenuous task, whether it’s exercise or manual labour. Improper posture or exercise technique can lead to accidents or strain that can gradually turn severe over time if not addressed right away.
- Lack of Conditioning - Starting a new exercise programme or increasing the physical activity that your body is not accustomed to can put you at risk of sports injuries. To avoid such, you must condition your body gradually to execute these exercises or activities, so your body is in its optimal shape to perform them.
- Lack of Safety Equipment - For some tasks, exercises, or sports, safety equipment is provided for a reason. It’s important that you have the proper equipment to perform your physical activity or that the safety equipment you use is fully functional.
- Accidents - In some cases, unwanted accidents may happen when performing physical activity. Falls, a common cause of sports injuries, could lead to acute injuries. Should you be experiencing extreme symptoms from the accident, it’s advised that you have it checked by a doctor in Singapore as soon as possible.
- Collisions - Athletes who engage in contact sports, such as football and basketball, are at risk of sports injuries caused by collisions. With this, athletes are advised to wear proper gear and take extra caution when partaking in these types of sports.
Common Sports Injuries We Treat in Our Singapore Clinic
Ankle Fractures
This is usually caused by traumas in the ankle when engaging in sports or other physical activities. Often, medical conditions and repetitive forces, like running, can put you at risk of fractures as well. Symptoms of ankle fractures include ankle pain or tenderness when touching the ankle bone. An ankle fracture specialist can examine the severity of your ankle and provide the necessary treatment to help you get back on your feet.
Achilles Tendonitis
This is a common sports injury where a lot of strain is put on the Achilles tendon, which results in its wear and tear over time. Runners or individuals who engage in physical activities that involve a lot of running are at risk of developing this sports injury. Common symptoms include inflammation of the Achilles tendon, resulting in swelling, pain and irritation. When experiencing severe symptoms, it’s recommended that you get Achilles tendonitis treatment in Singapore right away.
Repetitive Strain Injury
Also known as RSI, these are injuries that occur because of repetitive movements or overuse of a particular part of your body. Patients in Singapore who engage in manual labour or sports with excessive sports can be at risk of developing repetitive strain injury on the back or other areas of the upper body. Common symptoms of RSI include pain, numbness, tingling, or limited range of motion in the affected area.
Ankle Sprains
When the ligaments that support the ankle joint are stretched or torn due to the rolling or twisting motion of the ankle, this results in an ankle sprain. Ankle sprains have three degrees: Grade I is the least severe condition where there are only small tears in the stretched ankle. Grade II is when the sprains are moderate where there are only partial tears in the ligament. On the other hand, Grade III sprains are the most severe sprain, which happens when there is a complete tear of the ligament. When this happens, immediate sprained ankle treatment in Singapore must be provided.
Meniscus Tear
The meniscus is a cartilage in the knee that’s responsible for cushioning and stabilising your knee joint and protecting your bones from wear and tear. When you forcefully twist or rotate your knee from exercise or physical activity, this may result in the injury or tear of one of these pieces of cartilage. Though athletes are at a high risk of experiencing Meniscus injury, this can occur in anyone, especially those who constantly kneel and lift heavy objects.
How Sports Injuries Are Diagnosed
Sports injuries are diagnosed by learning about your medical history through a series of questions and a comprehensive physical examination. This is to fully understand the cause of your condition and determine the appropriate treatment plan to help you recover and improve your body function. In some cases, our sports injury doctor in Singapore will recommend tests like ultrasound and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to further examine the severity of your injury.
Treatment for Sports Injuries
Treatment will depend on the severity of your injury. For minor injuries, you can go for conservative treatment, such as:
- RICE - This stands for Rest, ICE, Compression, and Elevation, a technique that’s recommended for soft tissue injuries. Rest means avoiding the use of the injured area. That way, you can let your soft tissue rest and avoid any strenuous activity. Ice packs help in reducing pain and swelling as the cold temperature helps in constricting the blood vessels and limits circulation. Make sure not to put the ice pack directly on the skin as this may cause a burn. Compression means wrapping the injured area with an elastic bandage for supporting the injury, as well as reducing blood flow and inflammation. And lastly, elevate the affected area above the level of the heart to limit swelling.
- Prescription Oral and Topical Anti-Inflammatory Medications - These medications can be taken to relieve short-term pain and reduce swelling in the affected area.
- Immobilisation - This often helps in preventing further damage to the affected area by limiting its movement. At the same time, it can reduce swelling, muscle spasms, and pain in the affected area. Splints, casts, and wraps can be used to help in the immobilisation of injured legs while it heals.
For severe cases, you may be required to undergo a specific treatment plan or surgery to help you regain your ability to physically function.
Why Choose OrthofootMD for Your Sports Injuries?
When your sports injury is left untreated, this can affect your performance in the long run. Additionally, it can lead to severe conditions and affect your overall quality of life. OrthofootMD is a sports injury clinic in Singapore that offers consultations and treatment for sports injuries and other orthopaedic conditions.
Our sports injury doctor, Dr Gowreeson Thevendran, specialises in orthopaedics and trauma surgery, providing you with a treatment plan that will suit your condition and promote recovery. We strive to help you get back to doing the sports or exercises that you love while also preventing the possibility of re-injury or severe conditions long-term.
Dr. Gowreeson Thevendran - Sports Injury Doctor
Our specialist, Dr. Gowreeson Thevendran, is an orthopaedic surgeon with a specialist interest in lower limb orthopaedic injuries. He also works on trauma and fracture surgery of both upper and lower limbs. Dr. Gowreeson studied medicine at the University of Bristol and acquired his basic surgical training at the Royal Free Hospital in London, United Kingdom. Afterwards, he was able to attain higher orthopaedic surgical specialty training on the London North West Thames rotation. He is also a Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons in Edinburgh and the Academy of Medicine in Singapore. His qualifications for sports medicine include being a Diplomate Faculty of Sports and Exercise Medicine for the Royal College of Surgeons in Edinburgh.
Get Sports Injuries Checked at Our Clinic in Singapore
For consultations and treatment, book an appointment with OrthofootMD for a consultation. We work to provide your patient-focused treatment that will help you regain your ability to physically function and as much as possible, enable you to do the various physical activities that you love.
Frequently Asked Questions About Our Sports Injury Clinic in Singapore
Clinic Location
OrthofootMD@Novena
- Mount Elizabeth Novena
38 Irrawaddy Road #05-42 Mount Elizabeth Novena Specialist Centre Singapore 329563
OrthofootMD@Mount Alvernia Hospital
- (Mount Alvernia Hospital)
820 Thomson Road #01-01/02 Mount Alvernia Medical Centre A Singapore 574623
Dr Gowreeson Thevendran is currently an orthopaedic surgeon with Island Orthopaedic, a one-stop care centre for orthopaedic health under Healthway Medical Group. He specialises in treating lower limb orthopaedic conditions, as well as trauma and fracture surgery of both the upper and lower limbs. Prior to establishing his private practice, Dr Gowreeson was Chief of Foot & Ankle Surgery at the Department of Orthopaedics at Tan Tock Seng Hospital (TTSH). Today, he continues to serve the Orthopaedic Department at TTSH as a visiting consultant.