If you’ve injured yourself, you may have immediate pain, tenderness, swelling, bruising, and restricted movement or stiffness in the affected area. Sometimes, these symptoms may only be noticeable several hours after exercising or playing sports.

Stop exercising if you feel pain, regardless of whether your injury happened suddenly or you’ve had the pain for a while. Continuing to exercise while injured may cause further damage and slow your recovery.

You should see a doctor or call First4Therapy directly if the injury causes severe pain, swelling, or numbness.

Signs to look out for:

• You can’t put any weight on the area

• An old injury hurts or aches

• An old injury swells

• The joint doesn’t feel normal or feels unstable.

If you do not have these signs, use the PRICE (Rest, Ice, Compression, and Elevation) method to relieve pain, reduce swelling, and speed healing. Follow these four steps right after the injury occurs and do so for at least 48 -72 hours.

Information on the PRICE method

Yes. Treatment will be aimed initially at reducing pain and swelling with electrotherapy and soft tissue treatment. Strengthening and stretching exercises and taping will be added as appropriate.

We also provide an assessment of your sporting action and strengthening the appropriate muscles and advice regarding activity or footwear modification may help prevent a recurrence.

Prevention is better than cure!