Health & Safety Resources

Pain or Problem?

You just finished a great game and on the way home you start to get a little sore. Most of us would choose to ignore it and go about the rest of our day.  How do you really know if you should ignore it or not?  How do you know if it is just soreness, or is it an actual injury?

Most of the time you get a little sore during your activity and it goes away within minutes, other times you notice that it occurs much later.  Muscle soreness can occur anywhere from immediately up to 48 hours later.  This gradual soreness is known as delayed onset muscle soreness. Delayed onset muscle soreness is caused by lactic acid build up.  You tend to feel very tight, tender to the touch, and sore with movements. This is normally muscular and you will not feel pain in the joints. Light activity will usually make you feel better as it helps move the lactic acid build up out of the muscle tissue.  As long as you can maintain normal mechanics (e.g. a limp) it is safe to participate with delayed onset muscle soreness.

Injuries are often from traumatic events, but not always.  Many times you don’t notice your soreness or symptoms until a few days later.  So, how do you know what to ignore and what to treat?  General soreness that goes away within a week can be treated at home with ice and rest.  Returning to activities with some mild soreness is all right as long as there is no increase in pain symptoms and you can perform your sport without altering your mechanics (e.g. a limp).  Most symptoms should disappear within 2 weeks and not cause any changes to your daily routine.
True injury can occur to muscles, bones, and joints.  Pain in any of these areas should be monitored for certain signs and symptoms.  An injury will often show swelling and discoloration of the skin in the area of pain, as well as tenderness to touch.  Range of motion will start to decrease and become painful.  Basic activities like walking or lifting an arm may become more difficult and could eventually become unbearable.  You may also get painful catching or giving way sensations, along with feeling weak.

If you are showing any of these symptoms, treat with what is known as R.I.C.E. immediately.  The “R” stands for resting the body part. “I” is for using ice on the area of pain for twenty minutes several times per day. Use “C” as in compression wraps, if able, to control swelling. Finally, “E” for elevation of the body part to decrease swelling.  See the Certified Athletic Trainer at your school or make an appointment with a sports medicine physician as soon as possible before these symptoms become unbearable or the injury worsens.  If you are still really unsure, be cautious and make the appointment anyways.

For further information on this article or for priority appointments for sports injuries please contact Henry Ford Center for Athletic Medicine at 313 972-4216.

Henry Ford Health System’s Center for Athletic Medicine offers a comprehensive approach to sports medicine, including surgical and non-surgical care, sports rehabilitation, injury prevention, and performance enhancement programs.  The HFHS treatment team includes sports medicine fellowship trained orthopedic surgeons, sports medicine fellowship trained primary care physicians, as well as certified athletic trainers and physical therapists.  These health care professionals are supported by the HFHS nationally recognized bone and joint research facility, including the prestigious Herrick Davis Motion Analysis Lab.  HFHS is proud to be health care providers to the Detroit area’s premier sports programs including professional, collegiate, and high school athletes.