Common Knee Injuries For Winter Sports
The professional athletes have been training hard for this moment to compete on the world stage and pushing themselves to take home a medal. The sport gives athletes an adrenaline rush with millions expected to watch events unfold.
The threat of injury can play on the minds of many a professional, knowing that a fall or crash can rule them out of key upcoming tournaments..
Some winter sports injuries are more common than others though there are a number of ways in which an athlete can protect themselves to minimise the risk of injury on the slopes.
Knee Injuries
The knee joint comprises of four separate ligaments in that of the ACL, LCL, MCL and PCL which are designed to stabilise the knee joint. Ligaments are the tough bands of tissue connecting the bones with a joint and allow a person to walk, run and jump by stabilising the joint during any weight bearing activity. Any damage to a ligament with the knee can severely impact on a person's ability to walk or run and from a winter sports perspective can stop them competing at the highest level.
The main knee ligament responsible for overall stability is the ACL and the most susceptible to injury on the slopes.. Over 40% of ACL injuries occur as a result of extreme or high impact sports with varying levels of severity.
Mild ligament damage is largely self-limiting and you should expect to recover following a period of rest. Ice can help to manage any inflammation whilst strengthening exercises post injury can minimise the risk of further injury in the future. For more serious injuries surgery may be required to replace the ligament followed by intensive physiotherapy thereafter.
Soft knee supports
Where mild ligament damage has been sustained and a patient simply requires additional stability and support of the joint a soft knee support can be used. The brace works in offering compression which helps to address the inflammation where the use of external strapping can offer additional stability..
Soft supports are designed to be worn post injury as they offer compression to help manage inflammation..
Rigid knee supports
A rigid support can be used from both a preventative and post-injury perspective. The main purpose of the knee support is to protect the knee joint and the ligaments from damage, typically as a result of a fall or crash. They are normally manufactured in strong but lightweight materials such as carbon fibre which offers a huge amount of protection without weighing a person down and hindering their mobility.
Final Thoughts
Knee injuries can be very painful and very severe especially where winter sports injuries are concerned. In the immediate aftermath of any injury it is important to stop what you are doing and rest to avoid any further damage being caused. A knee support can be used both as a preventative measure and post injury though in the latter it should be worn in conjunction with other treatment such as physiotherapy to ensure the ligament is strengthened as well as protected.
About the Author
Dave Regis discusses sports injuries http://www.ossurwebshop.co.uk/ and the treatment options available including orthotics and physiotherapy. The use of knee support http://www.ossurwebshop.co.uk/categories/braces-%26-supports/knee-support/ forms part of this discussion and how this can impact on the patient during recovery.
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