by Dr Siow Hua Ming

Women are increasingly involved in sports for various reasons. Most do it to keep fit, some for fun and others are happy to let sports become the means through which they can bond and share time with friends and family. In addition, the women of today have greater sporting options as compared to a generation ago, and the development of youth sports ensures that the future trend for sports involvement is going upwards.

With this increase in sports participation, there will also be a corresponding increase in the volume of sports injuries. Heavy involvement in sports may also result in a disorder known as the “Female Athlete Triad”. This consists of eating disorder, irregular or absent periods and osteoporosis. This triad of conditions can result in long-term health problems and risk of fragility fractures from weak bones later on. Advice on nutrition, training and counselling will help with resolving the above issues.

Common sports injuries can be divided into acute and chronic injuries. Acute injuries which are not treated adequately and promptly may result in chronic injuries.

Acute injuries include:-

Bruising - This results from direct impact onto the skin and underlying muscle. It commonly occurs during falls or contact sports. They generally resolve within 1-2 weeks and rarely cause any serious problems, unless there is an underlying medical condition or medication which affects the blood vessels.

Cuts - These occur in a similar fashion to bruising, but are more common when the skin comes into contact with a sharp edge from a sports equipment or terrain. Small cuts require washing of the wound and pressure bandaging. Larger cuts are best treated with stitching by a doctor. The wound has to be kept clean and antibiotics may be useful to prevent infection.

Sprains - The ligaments around joints are susceptible to injury by stretching, and sprains are usually caused by an indirect force. Sprains in general can be treated by RICE, or Rest, Icing of the joint, Compression from bandaging, and Elevation of the affected limb. Minor sprains will recover in 1-2 weeks, while more serious sprains may take a few months to recover. A torn ligament usually results in instability of the affected joint and usually requires surgery for the recovery of the function.

Strains – These are similar injuries to sprains, but they occur in the muscles. The treatments are broadly similar.

Dislocations - When the bones in a joint move out of their normal position relative to each other, it is known as a dislocation. This occurs when an indirect force is large enough to injure the capsule and ligaments around a joint. The joint may relocate back to its normal position after the injury or it may remain dislocated. All dislocations need to be   adjusted back to their normal positions; otherwise the joint will not be able to function. Common examples include shoulder and patella dislocations. Surgery is required for recurrent dislocations or instability of the joint. 

Chronic injuries include:-

Stress fractures - These occur from repeated stresses placed on bones which are beyond the ability of the bones to repair. They may occur in army recruits or participants of endurance events with a vigorous training schedule. Treatment is by resting and decreasing the training intensity.

Joint damage – This can occur if the stabilising or cushioning structures of the joint are permanently injured, and are not treated adequately. It can be prevented by proper diagnosis and treatment of the underlying condition.

While the above may cause apprehension in those who wish to take up sports, the truth is that such injuries are uncommon and can be prevented by proper warm-up exercises and the right equipment for the sport.

Dr Siow Hua Ming is a Consultant with the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery in the KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital.  His areas of specialization include Sports Medicine and Arthroscopic Surgery and Adult and Paediatric General Orthopaedic Surgery.  Dr Siow can be contacted at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .