Playing sport and doing regular exercise is good for your health, but can sometimes result in injuries. Most people will only experience minor sport-related injuries such as cuts and grazes, bruises or blisters. Pain, swelling and restricted limb movements are fairly common. Affected areas can include:
- muscles
- bones
- ligaments (thick bands of tissue that connect one bone to another)
- tendons (tough, rubbery cords that link muscles to bones)
- joints – the hips, elbows, ankles and knees
- cartilage (tough, flexible tissue that covers the surface of joints and allows bones to slide over one another)
Treatment
Massage is often used during osteopathic treatment to soften and prepare the person for manipulation. It is helpful as part of pre-event training to minimise injury, and post-event to encourage tissue repair. Massage reduces muscle tension and therefore eases pain and inflammation by stimulating blood supply to the tissues. Passive resisted stretches and trigger point release are also used if appropriate, together with advice on rehabilitative exercises.
