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Sport is a great way for children and adults to stay active, healthy, and have fun. From school sports and weekend matches to running, cycling, gym sessions, and outdoor activities, sport is part of everyday life for many people.

However, sports can also lead to injuries. While most sports injuries are not serious and can be treated with rest and basic first aid, some injuries require urgent medical attention. Knowing the warning signs can help you get the right help quickly and avoid more serious problems.

Stay Calm and Assess the Situation

If someone is injured during a sporting event, try to stay calm.

Before helping, make sure the area is safe. Look out for moving vehicles, other players, sports equipment, or anything that could cause further injury.

Check if the person is awake and able to respond. If so, ask what happened and where they feel pain. If they seem confused, are struggling to breathe, have severe pain, are bleeding heavily, or cannot move normally, treat the situation seriously and get help immediately.

Head Injuries Should Never Be Ignored

Head injuries can occur during contact sports, cycling, running, skateboarding, gym activities, or even a simple fall.

A person may appear fine immediately after a knock to the head, but symptoms can develop later.

Seek urgent medical help if the person:

• Loses consciousness, even for a few seconds.
• Seems confused or disoriented.
• Vomits more than once.
• Has a seizure.
• Complains of a severe or worsening headache.
• Struggles to stay awake.
• Has weakness, numbness, or trouble walking.
• Has bleeding or clear fluid coming from the nose or ears.
• Has neck pain or difficulty moving their neck after the injury.

Anyone with a suspected concussion should stop playing immediately and should not return to sport until they have been medically assessed.

Broken Bones and Serious Joint Injuries

Falls, collisions, awkward landings, and tackles can cause fractures or dislocations.

Warning signs include:

• A limb that looks bent or out of place.
• Severe pain.
• Rapid swelling.
• Difficulty moving the injured area.
• Inability to stand or walk.
• Numbness or tingling.
• A visible bone.

Do not try to straighten a broken bone or push a joint back into place. Keep the person still and seek urgent medical assistance.

Heavy Bleeding Requires Rapid Action

Cuts and scrapes are common during sports, but sometimes an injury can cause serious bleeding.

If someone is bleeding heavily, use a clean cloth, towel, or item of clothing to apply firm pressure to the wound. Keep pressure on the area and try not to keep checking the injury, as this can make the bleeding start again.

Call for emergency help if the bleeding does not stop, the wound is very deep, or the person starts feeling weak, dizzy, confused, or appears unusually pale.

Breathing Problems Can Be Serious

Struggling to breathe during or after sport should always be taken seriously.

Call for emergency help if someone:

• Is finding it difficult to breathe.
• Has severe wheezing.
• Complains of chest pain.
• Collapses or faints.
• Cannot speak properly because they are short of breath.
• Has lips, skin, or fingernails that look blue or grey.

Breathing problems can happen for many reasons, including asthma, an allergic reaction, heat illness, or an injury to the chest. If you are unsure how serious the situation is, it is always safer to get medical help.

Heat Exhaustion and Heatstroke

Sport in hot weather can increase the risk of dehydration and heat-related illness.

Warning signs include:

• Dizziness.
• Headache.
• Muscle cramps.
• Weakness.
• Nausea or vomiting.
• Confusion.
• Fainting or collapse.
• Very hot skin.

In such situations, move the person to a cool area, loosen unnecessary clothing, and help cool them down. Only give small sips of water if they are fully awake and able to swallow safely.

If symptoms are severe or the person becomes confused, unconscious, or collapses, seek emergency medical help immediately.

How the iER App Can Help

When a serious sports injury occurs, getting help quickly can make a big difference.

The FREE-to-use, award-winning iER App enables users to send an emergency alert directly from their phone when urgent assistance is needed. Once the alert is activated, the Live Tracking feature automatically shares the user’s live location with control room agents and emergency responders. This helps emergency teams find the injured person faster, especially at sports fields, parks, cycling routes, or outdoor events.

The Safety Squad feature helps families stay connected by allowing trusted friends and family members to view live locations. This can provide extra peace of mind when children are travelling to sports matches, attending training sessions, or taking part in outdoor activities.

Whether it is a school sports day, weekend match, or training session, the iER App helps put emergency support and family safety at your fingertips.

Conclusion

Most sports injuries are minor, but some can quickly develop into serious emergencies. Head injuries, breathing difficulties, severe bleeding, broken bones, collapse, confusion, and worsening symptoms should never be ignored.

Getting help quickly can make a significant difference and may prevent further complications.