If an injury is played on before it is fully healed, or if it occurs at the end of the season and receives no treatment, because the pressure is off, a player may be more likely to injure the same area next season, and this can be the initiation of a recurrent injury cycle.
The reason for this is that when any injury occurs, be it a dead leg, muscle or ligament injury, micro trauma will occur to the cells at the site of injury, an inflammatory reaction then occurs while fluid and waste products from cells are released into the surrounding tissue causing swelling. If the injury is not properly managed and the swelling promptly removed healing will occur in the form of an adhesion (internal scar) which binds the fibres of a muscle together, causing an area of reduced elasticity and hence reduced function.
The end result will be that when you try to build up muscle bulk, speed and strength there are fewer healthy mobile muscle fibres to strengthen and there will be a resultant weakened less flexible area within the muscle.
So sporting ladies and gentlemen, don’t leave that last injury just because the season is over.
Treat the injury with the respect it deserves or it will come back to haunt you!
And don’t forget ‘Prevention really is better than the cure’
