Injuries: What You Don’t Know Will Hurt You

The National Institute of Health provides this short explanation of sprains and strains. The facts are not very detailed, but you’ll get an easy-to-understand overview.

MedlinePlus offers this slide-show introduction to sprains and strains. Simple and comprehensive, it begins with the anatomy involved, and then goes into what fractures and sprains are, the treatment, precautions, risks, and complications associated with them, and then a summary. The information is written as well as narrated, and it is accompanied by pictures.

The Mayo Clinic has a section differentiating mild, moderate, and severe sprains and strains, so you know exactly what you are dealing with. The treatment section is also a bit more comprehensive than the previous links.

The National Athletic Trainers’ Association has this comparison chart that, unlike the other sites in this section, includes contusions in addition to sprains and strains. The site also suggests the acronym “R.I.C.E.” to help you remember what to do for a mild injury: rest, ice, compression, and elevation.

The New York Times offers an article titled “Personal Health: Sprains, Strains and Other Motion Ailments” in its Health section. It avoids the dry format of the health organizations and hospitals, and uses some anecdotes to illuminate exactly what these injuries entail and how to diagnose and treat them.

E-MedicineHealth has an introductory section on symptoms of strains and sprains. Click through to the next page of this article and you’ll learn when to seek medical attention as well as tips to help you treat your injury at home.

The Columbus Children’s Hospital site has descriptions of sprain and strain injuries to specific body parts—ankle sprains and lower back strains, for example—and not strains and sprains in general.

HealthWorld Online explains treatment and prevention for sprains and strains. Explore the list of general safety measures used to avoid injuries such as those sustained when clearing icy walkways when it snows. The list of “Don’ts,” which includes not bending at the waist when reaching down to pick up something, might help you avoid some injuries (if you can avoid the advertisements).

MedicineNet.com offers this description of sprains and strains. The treatment and prevention section is particularly useful. You’ll learn how to reduce initial swelling and pain and how to go about rehabilitation. The prevention section includes useful tips for protecting yourself from injury, such as running on even surfaces.

The State Compensation Insurance Fund of California provides specific tips (such as how to lift heavy objects) to help workers steer clear of injuries on the job.

The University of Maryland Medical Center points out some herbs and supplements you can use to aid recovery from a strain or sprain. The site lists four treatment options—arnica, comfrey, horsetail, and stinging nettle—with a lengthy description of each and how to use each one.

eVitamins.com focuses on supplements and herbs to treat sprains and strains. Although this site provides more variety than the University of Maryland Medical Center, it is a less credible medical resource.

Merck has an Online Medical Library that provides a detailed account of fractures. The section on symptoms mentions certain complications fractures can cause that many other sites forgo, such as a potential pulmonary embolism or compartment syndrome. Take a look at the chart in the middle of the page to get a quick overview of what each type of fracture is and how to identify it.

MedicineNet.com covers other more common types of fractures, and mentions the causes and diagnoses associated with them. Here, you will also learn about stress fractures and shin splints.

The University of Virginia Health System does a good job covering the causes, symptoms, and diagnoses associated with fractures. The site tells you what type of pain to look out for, and then fleshes out the diagnostic procedures: x-rays, MRIs, and CAT scans.

The Mayo Clinic provides a first aid guide to follow in case someone breaks a bone. This very short, bullet-pointed article makes for an easy-to-use reference in an emergency situation.

The International Society for Fracture Repair is based in London, and works to bring together the best science in the world related to fractures. Because the organization is in touch with cutting-edge developments, this page excels in its description of treatment options, and how to protect against broken bones.

The National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases directs this page to those over 50 years old, who may be more prone to osteoporosis. There is a wealth of information and advice here, such as how to safely exercise to prevent fractures and how to get bone density checked so you know if you may be at risk.

Merck has a comprehensive overview on burns, including information on smoke inhalation. There are also photographs for the various burns, and a graphic showing how doctors estimate the extent of a burn on the body.

WebMD explains the different types of burns and how you should deal with each one. It not only mentions first-, second- and third-degree, but touches upon heat, electrical, chemical, radiation, and friction burns. There is also a section on children and burns.

Sick! V1 explains the main facts you should know about burns. This site can be particularly useful because it has a section entitled “Burns and Scalds: Words to Know,” and it has a graphic of the skin, so you can see which layers of the skin are affected by each degree of burn. The bottom of the page lists some books and organizations you can contact for more information. Take note that the links at the top of the article are ads.

The National Institute of General Medical Sciences presents this fact sheet listing the national statistics in the U.S. associated with burns. The fact sheet details forms of trauma, which includes burns. There is also a section just for burns, noting facts such as this one: about 10,000 Americans die each year from infections associated with burns.

SixWise.com details “The Top 10 Causes of Serious Burns to People and Pets in the Home,” which include curling irons and radiators.

eMedicine.com reviews the symptoms associated with chemical burns. The site notes that chemical burns might appear small, but they might actually cause severe damage to tissues.

Brigham and Women’s Hospital reviews what exactly an electrical burn is, explaining causes, treatments, and prevention.

Advances in Wound Care provides this piece about a different method for diagnosing burns other than the first-, second-, and third-degree standard. The article covers the spectrum of diagnostic options, such as the Rule of Nines and the Lund and Browder Chart. The article settles on using the thickness of burned skin to diagnose severity.

The Mayo Clinic provides a first-aid guide for treating a burn. It is short enough that you can memorize the general guidelines in the case of an emergency. The Mayo Clinic tells you what to do for first-, second-, and third-degree burns.

Kids Health has similar information to the Mayo Clinic but it is geared toward parents who need to watch over young children. This also goes into first-, second-, and third-degree burns, and covers more specific situations, such as flame, electrical, and chemical burns. For prevention, there is a helpful section suggesting what parents should do to make the bathroom, kitchen, dining room, and car safer. 

The University of Maryland Medical Center sheds light on a number of different burn treatments. You’ll find general information about burns, but if you scroll to the “Treatment” section, you’ll see information about medications such as ointments and antibiotics. There is also information on surgery, nutritional supplements, herbs, acupuncture, massage and physical therapy, homeopathy, and “mind-body medicine,” such as hypnotism.

Children’s Hospital of the King’s Daughters has this bullet-point list of what you should do to prevent fires or any potential burns. There are about 30 suggestions here, including lowering the water-heater temperature to 120˚F, and teaching children to wear shoes during the summer.

The American Association of Neurological Surgeons provides an overview of concussions in this guide. Besides teaching about the symptoms, treatment, etc., the site also has a good amount of information dedicated to athletes.

The New York Times published an article in late May 2007 revealing the results of a study by the University of North Carolina’s Center for the Study of Retired Athletes about the effect of concussions on retired NFL players. The study did find a correlation between the number of concussions suffered and the prevalence of depression among the athletes.

MedlinePlus provides a lengthy list of Web sites to find information on eye injuries. Eye injuries might entail minor abrasions to the eye, or possibly losing all sight. Use this directory for guidance.

The Mayo Clinic has this first-aid guide for taking care of someone who is suffering from severe bleeding. There are seven easy-to-follow steps.

Yahoo! Health offers these instructions for tending to a person who has lost a body part. You will learn how to help the person and stop the bleeding before medical care arrives, and you will find out how to save the body part.

The Virtual Sports Injury Clinic is a great place for anyone, not just athletes, to visit for discussing injuries. It is easy to find the forum you are looking for, as everything is easily organized into injury types: foot pain, elbow pain, etc.

ASMI Sports Medicine Forum is a place for those who have injuries can exchange ideas. In 2005–2006 the forum received the inSCOPE Orthopedic Fellowship Award for "demonstrating originality and innovation to advance knowledge in orthopedics.” You can find a forum by injury or by sport.

The PhysioForum is a wide community, not only for injury sufferers, but injury sufferers certainly take up a bulk of it. Like many of the previous forums, you have to become a member to access most of the features, but registration is free. You can engage in standard chatting, take part in polls, watch videos, and more.

The Orthopedic Forum lets people with back, bone, or joint pain and injuries ask questions and air their thoughts and emotions.