Things parents should know about sprains, wounds
Things parents should know about sprains, wounds
By Donya Betancourt
SANUR, Bali (JP): As more and more kids and teens take part in
sport activities, there is a chance that your child might get an
injury even if she or he is careful.
The most common injury experienced by kids and teens when
performing sports is sprain.
What is a sprain?
A sprain is a stretched or torn ligament. Ligaments connect
one bone to another at a joint and help keep the bones from
moving out of place.
The most common site for sprains to occur is the ankle. Since
the ankle is made up of many small bones and ligaments, a sprain
can happen with an accidental twist, or even by taking an awkward
step while walking.
The signs of sprain are swelling, pain, bruising and
limitation of movement or stiffness.
How do I take care of a sprained ankle?
The rule of thumb is the "RICE" approach, which is Rest, Ice,
Compression and Elevation.
Rest means you need to rest your ankle completely or partially
depending on how severe it is. You should use crutches as long as
you still feel pain when standing on your foot. A healing cast
may be considered in cases of ligament injury or to speed the
healing process by preventing the bone and the injured ligament
from moving.
Ice packs will decrease swelling, pain and bruising and muscle
trauma. You may use ice for the first three days after injury.
Use the ice for up to 20 minutes at a time. When your skin feels
numb, it is time to remove the ice. Use ice treatment every two
to four hours for the first three days. By then, the
swelling will be under control.
Compression is accomplished by wrapping the ankle in an ice
bandage to avoid swelling and bruising. Wrapping the ankle will
be required for a period of two days to two weeks or more,
depending on the severity.
Elevation is raising the injury above the level of the heart
and it will help prevent the swelling from getting worse while at
the same time reducing bruising. Try to keep your ankle elevated
for about two to three hours a day if possible.
You can start using the sprained ankle again depending on how
serious the sprain is. The average downtime is between one and
three days after injury.
Medicine such as acetaminophen or ibuprofen is used to control
the pain. If you are an athlete, it will probably take several
weeks before you can start training again. Moreover, you may
still need to keep your ankle wrapped for support and protection.
At this point, athletes are often rushed into returning to their
sport before they are allowed to fully recover. In this case, my
advice is to think about the long-term effects of your decision
to play while still injured. Weak ankles and knees will last for
a lifetime after the big game and it can be prevented with proper
treatment. So, don't hurry back to the playing field if rest is
what your body needs.
Wound
The other common sports-related injury are wounds.
How should I clean a wound?
The best way to clean a cut, scrape or puncture is by running
water, or pouring a cup of water, over the wound. Use soap and a
soft cloth to clean the wound and skin around the wound, in order
to get rid of dirt. It may require tweezers to help remove all
the dirt.
Using a strong cleansing solution (such as hydrogen peroxide
or an antiseptic) may irritate wounds. But if the wound is really
dirty you may have to use it. Leaving a wound uncovered helps it
stay dry and helps it heal.
If the wound isn't in an area that will get dirty or be rubbed
by clothing, you don't have to cover it. If it is in an area that
will get dirty (such as your hand), or be irritated by clothing
(such as your knee), cover it with an adhesive strip or with
sterile gauze and adhesive tape.
Change the bandage each day to keep the wound clean and dry.
Certain wounds, such as scrapes that cover a large area of the
body, should be kept moist and clean in order to reduce scarring
and speed healing.
In Asian countries where it is humid and there is a lot of
dust, your wound should be covered unless you stay in the house.
Antibiotic ointments (such as bacitracin) help healing by
preventing infection while keeping the wound clean and moist.
Most minor cuts and scrapes will heal just fine without
antibiotic ointment, but it can speed healing and help reduce
scarring.
When you have a wound, you will develop scabs on the abrasion.
Scabs are the body's way of bandaging itself. They form to
protect wounds from dirt. It's best to leave them alone and not
pick at them. They will fall off by themselves when the time is
right.
Do you need a tetanus shot?
Tetanus is a serious infection that you can get after a wound.
The infection is also called "lockjaw", because jaw stiffness is
the most frequent symptom.
When the wound is clean and minor, you will need a tetanus
shot if you haven't had at least three doses before, or haven't
had a dose in the last 10 years.
When the wound is more serious, you'll need a tetanus shot if
you haven't had at least three doses before or if you haven't had
a shot in the last five years.
The writer is a pediatrician based in Sanur, Bali. Questions?
Contact her at drdonya@hotmail.com and
features@thejakartapost.com