If you are an athlete, you strive to make your body a fit, disciplined, well-oiled machine! But, unfortunately, even the strongest athletes get injured. When you sustain a sports injury, you always hope that some ice and an ace bandage will make it all go away. But sometimes, you will need surgery to be able to get out there on the court or field again. Here are some injuries that commonly require surgery.
Muscle Tears
Whether you need surgery for a torn muscle depends on how bad the tear is. Mild tears generally only need you to rest the muscle until it heals on its own. For moderate tears, you will likely need rest and some physical therapy to get your full range of motion back. However, severe tears do require surgery. These can take months to heal fully. If you listen to your body, it will usually tell you what to do. For serious pain, it’s time to have a doctor check you out. And as much as you hate it, don’t resume your sport until you have full range of motion with no pain.
Broken Bones
Usually, a broken bone simply needs to be set in a cast or brace, and you are good to go. However, if you break it badly enough, your broken bone might need surgery. This is necessary when a bone is too damaged to fuse back together without the help of some kind of bonding agent, such as metal rods, pins, screws, or plates. It is common for athletes to lose teeth or even break their jaw for the glory of the game. Surgery is often needed for jaw fractures. An oral surgeon will use dental implants to restore your jaw, so breaks like these can mean big fixes.
Torn Connective Tissue
Ligaments and tendons are fibrous tissues that do not heal well on their own. A torn tendon or ligament is generally cause for surgery to repair. Common trouble spots for athletes are the ACL (anterior cruciate ligament), the meniscus located on your knee, and the rotator cuff on your shoulder. Generally, you will know if you have torn any of this connective tissue. Pain is severe and motion is seriously limited. If this happens to you, have your parents take you to a doctor right away.
As annoying and upsetting as injuries are, it is still critical that you get them taken care of. In the short term, you may lose out on some playing time, but with the proper medical care, you will be able to spend the rest of your life doing the things you love.
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