Content courtesy of Dr. Vic Goradia, MD

Question: My 15 year old son comes home from two-a-day football practices with various aches and pains. How do I know when it is more serious and I need to take him to a doctor?

Answer: When evaluating injuries of the arms and legs, I like to separate them into 3 main categories: bone, muscle or joint injuries.

If there is soreness over a bone, it is most often a bone bruise that will heal with time. Bone bruise symptoms of pain and mild swelling can be treated with ice and over-the-counter pain relievers. If your son has difficulty putting weight on the bone or if there is any deformity then you need to take him to a doctor to make sure there is not a fracture.

Muscle injuries can be either contusions or strains. A contusion is a bruise to the muscle tissue but severe contusions can cause significant bleeding within the muscle. Most mild to moderate muscle bruises should be treated with compression (e.g. an ACE wrap), ice for 24 to 48 hours and then heat. If the muscle contusion causes a large amount of swelling and/or muscle spasms and is preventing your son from being able to bend or straighten the joint(s) on either end of the muscle, then you should take him to a sports medicine specialist. The bleeding associated with a severe contusion can cause calcium deposits to form within the muscle.  A physician will take x-rays, begin physical therapy and prescription medications to try to prevent the calcium formation. A muscle strain on the other hand is often called a “pulled muscle” but can generally be treated similar to a contusion.

Ligament sprains and cartilage injuries are two main types of joint problems. If your son has fluid in his joint, difficulty moving a joint or severe weakness then you should take him to a sports medicine doctor. Mild sprains will generally heal with rest, ice and over-the-counter pain relievers. Moderate sprains may require bracing and physical therapy. More severe injuries are best evaluated by a specialist and may require further testing with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).

Fortunately most high schools have certified athletic trainers that can evaluate injuries and recommend when you need to take your son to a doctor. However, if you are ever concerned, it is always safest to see a doctor instead of waiting too long. With advances in diagnosis and treatment, a sports medicine specialist can often customize a treatment program that can get your son back in the game as soon as possible.

Good luck and hopefully your son will have a safe football season without ending up in my office!

Dr. Goradia is a Sports Medicine Specialist with Go Orthopedics. Get an answer to your question at his weekly blog.