Steps to Take for Minor Injuries

Living an active life can lead to the occasional injury—it’s just part of the game. But what can you do to help yourself heal when an injury occurs? Whether you’re a competitive athlete, a weekend warrior or just like to keep things moving, there are steps you can take when a minor, common injury tries to slow you down. And it’s good to know you can access experts if your injury is more severe.

For people in the Minneapolis/St. Paul area, Summit Orthopedics’ sports medicine specialists diagnose and treat the common injuries that come with active lifestyles. If you’re dealing with a minor injury, we can provide the expertise you need to treat it at home. If your injury is more serious, trust our experts to help you move like you again. We partner with our patients to design personalized treatment plans to safely accelerate recovery so you spend less time in the doctor’s office and more time getting back out on the field, court, or backyard.

The Most Common, Common Injuries

Injury can happen to any part of the body, from foot to head. Accidents, poor training practices, improper gear or just plain bad luck can be the culprit. And if you’re not in good physical condition, or don’t warm up or stretch enough, you can be more prone to injury.

Ankle sprains are among the most common injuries in the United States, regardless of age or activity level. Sprains and strains to ligaments, muscles or tendons are some of the most frequent sports injuries.

Minor Injuries You Can Treat at Home

It is safe to treat some injuries at home, especially if they are not too painful and do not limit your mobility. Use the following strategies to relieve pain and inflammation and to speed healing:

• Rest. Limit use of the injured joint or limb for 24 to 48 hours.
• Elevation. To help limit swelling, try to keep the injured joint or limb above the level of your heart for the first 48 hours after you injure it. For instance, you could prop your foot up on pillows.
• Ice. Try applying an ice pack to the injured area for no more than 20 minutes at a time, four to eight times a day. To avoid cold injury and frostbite, wrap a towel around the ice pack to protect your skin.
• Compression. Snugly wrapping the injured area may help reduce swelling, but avoid tight pressure that cuts off circulation.
• Heat. After the initial day or two, use heat to relieve muscle tension and promote relaxation.

When Your Injury Needs Expert Care

Many strains or sprains will get better with time. Still, some injuries need medical attention sooner rather than later. If you wait too long, the injury could get more serious and cause long-term damage. If you continue to have pain and swelling after 48 to 72 hours and you’ve already tried the basic treatment measures of compressing, icing, elevating and resting, it’s time to see the experts at Summit Orthopedics.

Other things to think about when deciding whether to seek treatment:

• Is the area visibly deformed (changed in shape)?
• Is the pain particularly severe?
• Is there serious bruising, discoloration or swelling?
• Do you find it impossible to put weight on the area?
• Do you find it difficult to keep training through your pain?

If you answered “yes” to any of these questions, you might have an injury that could benefit from an expert’s perspective.

Expert Care When You Need It

If you’ve recently been injured or are concerned about ongoing pain, Summit Orthopedics sports medicine specialists can evaluate your discomfort and develop a personalized plan to help you get back in the game quickly and safely. Whatever the injury or condition, our team of experts provides innovative treatments—from setting a bone to physical therapy—for patients looking to relieve pain, promote healing and improve mobility.