Sports-Induced Inflammations

This article is only about sports-induced inflammations. An inflamed achilles tendon or forearm can be pretty annoying, especially if you want to go on with your training routine. A lot of people don't take inflammations all that serious, just warm up and keep going. But an acute inflammation can turn into an a chronic (permanent) inflammation and lead to muscle atrophy (a state where muscles and tendons get weaker) and in the worst case it all ends with a bang => complete rupture of your achilles tendon or whatever. Learn more about sports injuries at sports injuries main.

Description: Sports-Induced Inflammations

  • So what is an inflammation?
    The word "inflammation" comes from "inflammare" (latin) and means set on fire. "Set on Fire" because that's what an inflammation feels like. An inflammation is actually a protective attempt by your body to start the healing process. Obviously, if you keep interrupting this process and add more and more stress to the affected area, that can't be good.
  • The biggest problem with inflammations is that they are always underestimated and just get worse and worse. Professional athletes who have to go from one competition to the next, often go on heavy medication in order to keep up their performance and never really recover. Then their inflammation turns chronic and weakens, let's say the achilles tendon over month or even years. They learn to live and perform with the inflammation, but that doesn't work forever. I personally know 5 people who had a achilles tendinits (inflammation of the achilles tendon) first and ended up with a complete achilles rupture. In all cases this was the end of a promising career.
  • Symptoms
    • Pain
    • Sometimes swelling
    • Redness
    • Weakness
  • What you can do
    • First of all, consult a sports injury specialist.
    • Rest, rest and rest
    • Apply Ice to the affected area
    • Omega 3
    • Diclofenac Creams
    • Diclofenac Tablets (consult your doctor first)
    • Reduce stretching
    • Massage therapy
    • Ultrasound treatment
    • Taping for support or plaster to avoid stress to the tendon
    • In the worst case surgery (doesn't always work)

Advice: Sports-Induced Inflammations

  • Always take pain serious. There is a reason why your achilles tendon, forearm or knee hurts.
  • Rest, rest and rest !!! If your achilles tendon is inflamed you should not do plyometric calf exercises.
  • Apply ice after activity.