Soft Tissue injury treatment
Injuries to the soft tissues are known as soft tissues injuries. Muscles, tendons, ligaments are the soft tissues that are often prone to injuries due to excessive usage, strain, stress and repetitive movements of the joints such as shoulder, elbow, ankle and foot joints. In most of the cases, sudden injury or pain may result due to sudden abnormal or awkward movement of joints.
What is a stress fracture?
Excessive pressure, strain, force and usage may result in a stress fracture. It is a small crack or fracture in the bone. It mostly occurs in the weight bearing bones of the body – such as feet, legs, hip joint and knee joints. These are the weight bearing bones of the body. People who involve in excessive physical activity, sporting activity or any other type of physical work or laborious work are prone to stress fractures.
Stress Fracture (Soft Tissue Injury Treatment)
To address this type of fractures, one must stop the activity that causes the fracture, elevate the affected area, use pain medication and apply ice. The other treatment modalities that can be continued until you get relief may include minimizing pressure, force and stress on the affected joint, ceasing weight bearing activity, using shoe inserts, braces, casts and taking rest. In some cases, carelessness may lead to full blown cracks and fractures if small and simple crack progresses to a complete break. If this happens, surgery may be required.
What is bursitis?
There is a shock-absorber between the bones and the joints that connects two bones, muscles and tendons. It is a fluid-filled sac. Any injury, inflammation or infection of this cushion like sac may cause inflammation. It is known as Bursitis. It mostly happens due to overuse injury or direct injury to the joint. Bursitis mostly affects Hip, shoulder, knee (most commonly), elbow, foot and ankle.
What is tendonitis?
A band of soft tissues that connects muscles to bones are called tendons. Tendonitis is the most common type of soft tissue injury. It occurs when there is an injury or inflammation in the tendons. In other words, it is an inflammation of the tendons. The soft tissues – such as tendons when subjected to repetitive motion due to overuse – tendonitis may result.
Repetitive motions in sports such as badminton, shuttle, tennis, golf and others may trigger injury and inflammation. The tendonitis is thus named after the sports that trigger it – such as jumper’s knee, Golfer’s elbow, swimmer’s shoulder, and tennis elbow. Tendonitis commonly affects wrists, hand, elbow, knee, hip, shoulder, ankle and foot.
Soft Tissue Injury Treatment (Tendonitis)
If you have inflammation, pain and swelling, then you should first apply ice. You can do this immediately after the injury. Even cold compresses, elevating the affected joint, using anti-inflammatory medicines and taking rest can help in alleviating joint pain and inflammation. Orthopedic doctors recommend you to see a physiotherapist for stretching and strengthening exercises to prevent further injury to the joint. In some cases, if the pain becomes unbearable, doctors may give steroid injections. If a tendon is completely torn, surgery may be recommended.
Soft Tissue Injury Treatment
The first line treatment for getting relief from inflammation and other symptoms is taking anti-inflammatory medicines to relieve pain and reduce inflammation. Orthopedic doctors prescribe pain-relieving medicines and recommend application of ice to reduce swelling. Surgery is very rarely recommended. Physicians also suggest taking rest, keeping the affected joint elevated and using compressions as the first treatment modality. Doctors also prescribe antibiotics if they get a clue of infection in the affected joint.
Bottom Line
Both non-athletes and athletes share many similarities in soft-tissue injuries. If you have severe pain, swelling and inflammation due to a soft tissue injury then meet Dr. Praharsha Mulpur for a prompt and effective treatment.
