PRACTICES AND PITFALLS OF CORTICOSTEROID INJECTION

Corticosteroid injection is a valuable adjunct for treating sports-rel ated inflammation. Unfortunately these agents are not without toxiciti es and side effects. It's important, therefore, to choose a corticoste roid appropriate to the patient, the condition, and the size of the af fected joint: For example, less soluble agents are generally better fo r longer-term injuries. Avoiding pitfalls may simply mean heeding the well-known contraindication of injecting into a tendon. Or it may mean monitoring blood glucose in a patient who has diabetes, immobilizing an extremity after injection, or avoiding subcutaneous injection befor e the target area is reached.