Bruises are one of the most common injuries in the world. They can happen to anyone, but they’re especially common among athletes and people who work in physical activity. And for good reason: bruises happen when your skin is hit by a hard object.
But what do you know about bruises? Here are some interesting facts about them that you may not have heard before.
Why do bruises hurt
Bruises hurt because they’re located on your skin, which is a very sensitive organ. it has nerves that are connected to your brain, so when you get a bruise, the nerves in your skin can’t transmit the pain signals very well. this is why bruises hurt and make you feel like you don’t want to touch your sore skin.
What Are Bruises?
- Bruises are caused by blunt impacts, like getting punched or hit with a baseball bat or golf club, but those types of injuries don’t have as much impact as direct blows do, so they’re less likely to cause bruising.
- Bruises are common among athletes and people who work in physical activity, but they aren’t dangerous if they aren’t serious enough to be dangerous for your health or safety.
- Bruises are caused by the same type of injury that causes broken bones and sprained muscles: blunt impact to the skin and tissue beneath it.
- Bruises can make you feel like you can’t play your sport anymore–like you can’t run fast or throw a ball hard enough–but it usually isn’t serious.
- You should have a sports massage after getting a bruise on your skin so that the skin can heal and the bruise will go away faster.
What Causes Bruises?
Bruises can occur from a variety of things, but the most common cause is a hard hit. When someone is hit in the face, neck, or head, their skin will be bruised. This will create a red and swollen area on the skin. Because bruises happen so quickly, it’s important to get medical help as soon as possible.
- Most bruises happen because of a direct blow.
- A direct blow is when the object hits you with its force on your skin.
- This force causes the blood vessels to dilate, so they can carry more blood to the injured area.
- The dilated blood vessels cause a bruise which appears red and purple because of the increased blood flow to that area.
- Bruises are also caused by blunt impacts, like getting punched or hit with a baseball bat or golf club, but those types of injuries don’t have as much impact as direct blows do, so they’re less likely to cause bruising.
- Bruises are caused by blunt impacts, like getting punched or hit with a baseball bat or golf club, but those types of injuries don’t have as much impact as direct blows do, so they’re less likely to cause bruising.
- Bruises are also caused by indirect blows that happen when an object strikes your skin, but not directly on it.
- The force of the indirect blow causes the blood vessels to dilate, so they can carry more blood to the injured area.
- The dilated blood vessels cause a bruise which appears red and purple because of the increased blood flow to that area.
How Often Do Bruises Happen?
Bruises happen to everyone, but they’re more common in people who are active and use their skin a lot.
- Most bruises happen when you’re young.
- About 3 out of 10 children have a bruise by the age of 6.
- Most adults don’t get a bruise until they’re in their 30s or 40s, but this is changing as we get older.
- If you get a bruise, it probably won’t last for more than 2 days, and most people who get them can go back to work within 2 days of getting one, although the next day can feel stiffer than usual because of the increased blood flow from the injury.
- Bruises take about 4 to 5 weeks to heal completely and usually don’t hurt anymore after that time has passed.
What Can You Do To Prevent Bruises?
- If you’re playing sports, avoid collisions with other people and equipment.
- If you’re in a gym, wear protective gear like elbow pads and knee pads.
- Wear shoes that are appropriate for the sport you’re playing.
- Don’t go barefoot when you play sports, because this can lead to a broken bone (called a stress fracture) or an injury to your foot that looks like a bruise but isn’t one (called an avulsion fracture).
- Try to be careful when you do have contact with other people and equipment in sports, especially if it hurts or if it is painful for the person who was hit by someone else in the game or practice session.
- If you get a bruise from playing sports, try not to let it get too big or too painful so that it doesn’t interfere with your ability to play or practice your sport as well as you want to.
- If you’re getting a bruise from playing sports, try to take a few days off from the activity and see how it feels.
- If you have a bruise that doesn’t go away after 2 days, call your doctor because it might mean that there’s something wrong with your body, like an infection or blood clot.
- You can also get a bruise if you have an injury from your sport or practice session, like when you break or tear a bone in your body (called a fracture), or if you get an injury to your head (called a concussion).
- Bruises can happen if you do too much exercise too quickly (called exertional compartment syndrome), and they can also happen when there is bleeding in your brain (called a subdural hematoma) which causes bruising around the brain area where the bleeding occurs.
How Long Does It Take For A Bruise To Heal?
- Most bruises take about 4 to 5 weeks to heal completely, but this can be shorter or longer depending on the injury.
- Bruises that are more severe may take a little longer to heal, but not much.
- Bruises that are bleeding will usually take a little longer to heal because they’re more serious and need more treatment than bruises that don’t bleed.
- If a bruise is large and it’s been around for more than 2 days, then you should see your doctor about it because it might be infected or something else is wrong with it that needs treatment.
Is It Safe To Play Sport Again After A Bruising?
- Most bruises heal within a few days.
- Bruising can make you feel like you’re not able to play your sport anymore, but it’s usually not serious.
- You should have a sports massage after getting a bruise on your skin so that the skin can heal and the bruise will go away faster.
- You should also ice the area after getting a bruise so that it doesn’t get any worse because of swelling or bruising.
- It may take more than one day to recover from a bruise, but more than one week is unlikely to happen unless you have an injury that continues for longer than expected like a broken bone or torn ligament in your knee or ankle.
- Bruises are common among athletes and people who work in physical activity, but they aren’t dangerous if they aren’t serious enough to be dangerous for your health or safety.
Are There Any Other Types Of Injuries That Can Occur From A Hard Fall?
- Broken bones happen when the force of a fall is enough to cause a fracture.
- You may not see broken bones because they’re hidden by bruises, but they’re still there and can cause you pain if you land on the wrong or move them in the wrong way while you’re trying to get up or walk around.
- You may not see broken bones because they’re hidden by bruises, but they’re still there and can cause you pain if you land on the wrong or move them in the wrong way while you’re trying to get up or walk around.
- Tumors are tumors that form from cells that have turned abnormal from cancerous growths, but that doesn’t mean that everyone who gets bruised has a tumor growing in their body!
Conclusion
bruises are one of the most common injuries, and they can cause a lot of pain and bruise. If you are concerned about whether or not you can play sport again, please speak with your doctor or sports therapist. There are a number of different ways to prevent bruises, and depending on the severity, it might take a few days or a few weeks for the bruise to heal. Keep in mind that bruises can happen even if you are not injured, so always be cautious when playing sport.