According to " Anybody's Sports Medicine Book " by James Garrick. M.D. and Peter Radetsky, Ph D, the following signs warrant for immediate medical attention.

1. Joint Pain     Joint pain, particularly in the joints of the knee, ankle, elbow and wrist, should never be ignored. Because these joints are not covered by muscle, there is rarely a muscular origin. Joint pain that lasts more than 48 hours requires a doctor's diagnosis.

2.Tenderness At A Specific Point    If you can elicit pain at a specific point in a bone, muscle or joint, by pressing your finger into it, you may have a significant injury. If the same spot on the other side of the body does not produce the same pain, you should probably see a doctor.

3. Swelling    Swelling is usually quite obvious, and can be seen, but occasionally you may feel swollen without outward signs. Swelling is always a sign of a sports injury and should never be ignored. Often, swelling within a joint will cause pain, stiffness, or may produce a clicking sound as the tendons snap over one another because they have been pushed into a new position due to swelling.

4. Reduced Range Of Motion    If swelling isn't obvious, you can usually find it by checking for a reduced range of motion in a joint. If there is significant swelling within a joint, you will lose range of motion; the limb will only go so far in each direction. Again, compare one side of the body with the other to identify major differences. If there are any, you have an injury that needs attention.

5. Comparative Weakness    Comparing one side to the other for weakness is often hard to do, but can be a good clue to identify significant injury. One way to tell is to leave the same weight with the right and left side and look at the result. Often the therapists will test comparative weakness manually or with special equipment.

6. Numbness and Tingling    Never ignore numbness or tingling. Often related to nerve compression , these warning signs may indicate serious injury and should always be seen by a doctor.

When you have any one of the above six signs, get to a doctor for proper diagnosis. .