{"id":9702,"date":"2016-02-29T13:59:22","date_gmt":"2016-02-29T03:29:22","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.tennis.com.au\/sa\/?p=9702"},"modified":"2016-03-02T16:12:52","modified_gmt":"2016-03-02T05:42:52","slug":"march-first-aid-tip","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.tennis.com.au\/sa\/news\/2016\/02\/29\/march-first-aid-tip","title":{"rendered":"March First Aid Tip"},"content":{"rendered":"
First Aid Focus \u2013 by Ross Smith, Australian First Aid<\/strong><\/h5>\n
Sprains & Strains<\/strong><\/h5>\n

Prevention is always better than cure. To help prevent incidents of sprains\u00a0and strains it is vital to warm up before the game. Gentle stretching; warming\u00a0of muscle and increasing blood flow to other soft tissue is the best way to\u00a0assist in preventing sprains and strains. Well warmed up joints, ligaments and\u00a0muscles have less chance of injury than cold starts to a game.<\/p>\n

What is a Sprain or Strain?<\/strong><\/h5>\n

Sprains<\/strong> are joint injuries that involve damage to ligaments or a joint capsule,\u00a0and commonly occur at the wrist, ankle or thumb.<\/p>\n

Strains<\/strong> are injuries to muscles, or to the tendons that connect muscles to\u00a0bones. They often affect the calf, hamstring or groin.<\/p>\n

Signs & Symptoms<\/strong> (a sign is what you can see, a symptom is what the\u00a0injured person feels)
\nSigns & Symptoms of sprains and strains may include:
\n\u2022 Pain
\n\u2022 Stiffness
\n\u2022 Swelling of the affected tissue
\n\u2022 Reduced function of the affected tissue
\n\u2022 Bruising may also be present.<\/p>\n

First Aid Treatment<\/strong><\/p>\n

In first aid we use the acronym RICER to treat sprains and strains.
\n1. Rest<\/strong> \u2013 stop the activity and rest the injured area, trying to \u2018run out\u2019 a\u00a0sprain or strain can cause further damage and potential long-term\u00a0injury.
\n2. Ice<\/strong> \u2013 place covered ice or ice pack onto the affected area (ensure you\u00a0never put ice directly onto skin, it can stick and cause cold burns) 15 to\u00a020 minutes application, repeat every 2 hours. If possible wrap cling film\u00a0firmly over the ice\/area to apply some compression before taking it off.
\n3. Compression<\/strong> \u2013 remove ice and apply a firm but not tight elastic\u00a0compression bandage over the injured area.
\n4. Elevate<\/strong> \u2013 the limb or injured area (if possible) during treatment, this\u00a0helps reduce blood flow thus reduces swelling.
\n5. Refer<\/strong> \u2013 see a Doctor if the injury becomes worse, or you suspect a\u00a0fracture, or experience numbness to the injured area.<\/p>\n

Continue RICE every 2 hour for 24 hours, or until the person sees a doctor.<\/p>\n

View the YouTube clip to follow First Aid Treatment for sprains and strains;<\/p>\n