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Review
. 2006 Jun;52(6):727-31.

Approach to injuries in active people

Ian Shrier  1
Affiliations
Review

Approach to injuries in active people

Ian Shrier. Can Fam Physician. 2006 Jun.

Abstract
in English, French

Objective: To review the basic principles underlying treatment of injuries in active people.

Sources of information: Basic science texts and reports of observational and randomized trials on treatment of musculoskeletal injuries were retrieved during previous exhaustive systematic reviews published by the author on a variety of musculoskeletal injury topics.

Main message: After an injury, further damage or re-injury can be prevented either by decreasing the stress on the tissue or increasing the stress the tissue can withstand. Regardless of the type of injury, clinicians should aim to restore function; aim to increase activity without increasing pain; recommend that patients start slowly and increase activity gradually; revisit diagnosis and treatment if patients are not responding; and treat the patient, not the condition.

Conclusion: Most musculoskeletal injuries in the general population can be managed effectively by family physicians. Management should follow the basic principles of exercise training.

OBJECTIF: Faire le point sur les principes fondamentaux qui sous-tendent le traitement des blessures chez les gens actifs.

SOURCE DE L’INFORMATION: Différents textes de sciences de base et rapports d’études d’observation et d’essais randomisés colligés par l’auteur lors d’une précédente revue systématique exhaustive portant sur divers sujets concernant les lésions musculo-squelettiques et ayant fait l’objet d’une publication.

PRINCIPAL MESSAGE: Pour empêcher qu’une blessure s’aggrave ou récidive, on peut soit diminuer les contraintes sur le tissu ou augmenter la résistance du tissu au stress. Quelque soit le type de blessure, le médecin devrait chercher à rétablir la fonction; promouvoir une augmentation d’activité sans augmentation de la douleur; recommander au patient de débuter lentement et d’augmenter graduellement l’activité; remettre en question le diagnostic et le traitement s’il n’y a pas d’amélioration; et traiter le patient, et non le problème.

CONCLUSION: La plupart des blessures musculo-squelettiques dans la population générale peuvent être traitées adéquatement par le médecin de famille.

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Conflict of interest statement

Competing interests: None declared

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