Rugby Club Issue 67 | Page 6

First aid advice FOLLOW US ONLINE TWITTER.COM/RUGBYCLUBMAG First aid advice for sports related injuries Playing sport is a great way to keep fit and healthy but it can often lead to sports related injuries. Leading first aid charity St John Ambulance has issued some advice on the best ways to deal with sporting injuries. Sports injuries can be caused by a number of factors including a fall, heavy blow, not warming up properly before exercising or pushing yourself too hard. Almost any part of the body can be injured, including the muscles, bones, joints and connective tissues (tendons and ligaments). It’s important to take care when exercising and essential to know how to reduce further injury. First aid advice for sports injuries 1. Sprains & strains Strains and sprains are common injuries which affect the soft tissues around joints – the muscles, tendons and ligaments. They happen when the tissues are stretched, twisted or torn by violent or sudden movements, for instance if someone changes direction suddenly, or falls and lands awkwardly. What you should do: • Help the injured person to sit or lie down comfortably, with some padding underneath their injury to support it. • Cool the area with a cold compress/ ice pack to help reduce the swelling and pain • Apply comfortable support to the injury, by placing a layer of padding over the cold compress and securing it in place with a bandage • Support the injured part in a raised position if possible • If the pain is severe or they are unable to move the injured part, arrange to get them to hospital 6 Issue 67