windfreaks - injury and exercise
It is fair to say that I know less about looking after my body than I do about kite surfing. So I thought I should seek a little help with this page. So I contacted the nice people at Body in Motion who have kindly written this article
At Body in Motion we see plenty of kite surfers with muscle strains, ligament tears, dislocated shoulders and neck and back pain. Kite surfing is a demanding sport, which requires strength, control, coordination and plenty of practice!
The following guide will help you through the most common injuries. As a general rule if you have pain or injury, the symptoms should ease by themselves in 1-2 days. If pain or swelling continues, get some professional advice. We often see athletes 4-5 months after an injury still hobbling thinking the pain would "go away by itself".
Muscle strains
No athlete is a stranger to muscle ache/strain and kite surfing is no different. Muscle tears are classified in 3 groups: grade 1, 2 and 3. Grade 1 and 2 tears are partial tears that should heal quickly if managed well. Always follow the RICE principles. Rest, Ice, Compression and Elevation. A grade 1 tear should heal by itself in a few days to a week. As it heals start stretching it gently and then gradually return to sport. A grade 2 tear is fairly serious and will take 4-6 weeks to heal. It is important to get advice and treatment as if there is delayed healing or poor healing will result in weakness through the muscle and is likely to tear again. A grade 3 tear is a complete rupture and will require surgical intervention and a good rehab programme.
Ligament Tears
The most common ligament problems occur in the ankle, knee and shoulder. A ligament holds 2 bones together and can be very painful when torn depending on the severity of the injury. You will notice swelling and pain to touch the area. The best thing to do is follow the RICE principle of Rest, Ice, Compression and Elevation. Ice is very important for the first 48 hrs to get the swelling right down. It is important to rest the area to allow the torn fibres to heal as quickly as possible. Different grades of tear require different management. If it is only a simple strain, it should heal by itself in a few days to a week. If it is more complex, you may require physiotherapy to speed up to healing process, advise you on rehab exercises and advise you on your return to sport. In the worst case a complete tear will require surgery, immobilisation and a full rehab programme of physiotherapy, restoring movement, strength and function to the joint.
Fracture/Dislocation Fracture/Dislocation
The most common fracture sites are the ribs, shoulder, wrist and ankle. The most common reason for fractures is inability to detach from the harness. Most fractures will need surgery and/or weeks in plaster followed by a thorough rehab programme for regaining strength, movement and control.
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