Treat and Prevent the 5 Most Common Sports Injuries. A sprain is a ligament injury that often occurs when a sudden force is applied to a joint or to a bone that forms a joint. Strains are by far the most common of all sports-related injuries, simply because we use a lot of muscles and tendons when exercising or playing. All of these moving parts are likely to stretch more than they should, or move in ways they shouldn't move, leaving them broken, damaged and in pain.
Common muscle strains include hamstring strain, groin muscle strain. Most strains are minor and heal naturally. The best way to reduce the risk of muscle and tendon strain is to warm up and stretch before doing strenuous activity. Sprains are for ligaments what strains are for muscles.
Ligaments are the tissues that connect bone to bone. When these ligaments twist incorrectly, they can pull or break. Ankle sprains are perhaps the most common type of sprain among athletes, followed closely by knee, wrist, and elbow sprains, etc. Sprains can be painful, take longer to heal than strains, and sometimes require immobilization to protect against future injuries.
Pre-workout stretches and warm-ups can help prevent sprains, as well as practice good technique in the sport you're playing. Sprains often leave the ligament weak and susceptible to future sprains, so if you have a history of sprained knee or ankle, for example, it would be a good idea to support that joint with a brace while playing. The knee is a very complicated joint and withstands a lot of impact and wear during most sports activities and, for this reason, we have given it its own category for possible injuries. Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tears are quite common, as are tears, dislocations, and cartilage fractures.
Knee injuries can be painful and debilitating, and sometimes require surgery to correct them. Again, warm-ups, stretching and good posture can reduce the risk of knee injury, along with adequate padding and reinforcement (for example, while playing contact sports). You don't need to play tennis to have tennis elbow (golf is also a common culprit). Tennis elbow is one of several “repeat injuries,” a strain of the elbow ligaments due to overuse and repetitive activity.
The best way to avoid this is to keep up. Take breaks, do other activities, and always do warm-up and stretching exercises before playing. More common in contact sports, such as soccer, a concussion occurs when a sudden impact on the head causes the brain to wobble inside the skull, sometimes damaging the tissues that hold it in place. Concussions can range from mild to severe, with symptoms ranging from headache and dizziness to drowsiness and temporary loss of consciousness.
Always seek medical evaluation from a spinal and brain specialist with any blow to the head, as sometimes more serious symptoms can occur after the fact. Never continue playing sports if there are symptoms of a concussion. Concussions usually heal naturally with rest for a week or several weeks. The best way to reduce the risk of concussion is to wear a suitable protective helmet when playing contact sports such as hockey or soccer, or when riding a bicycle or skateboard, etc.
If you have a spinal fracture, treatment depends on the type and severity of the fracture, as well as whether other structures are involved. Can fractures heal on their own just by resting? Keep reading for the answer. Serious knee injuries, such as tears of the anterior cruciate ligament or damage to the soft tissues under the kneecap, can prevent athletes from playing for several months while the affected area heals. Treatment options for knee injuries depend on the type of injury that occurs and how severe it is.
Minor injuries can sometimes be treated with physical therapy and rest, while serious injuries may require orthopedic surgery to repair or replace damaged ligaments or cartilage. Ankle and hamstring sprains are two of the most common types of sprains and strains affecting. These injuries can range from mild to severe, a minor injury can cause tenderness, pain and lameness, while a severe sprain means that the ligaments or tendons are completely torn. Pimples usually heal on their own with home treatments, such as resting, applying ice to the affected area, and taking over-the-counter pain relievers.
When shin splint pain doesn't go away with these treatment methods, it's important to have your condition evaluated. In some cases, shin splint pain could be caused by a stress fracture, which requires much longer to heal. About 55% of sports injuries occur in the knee. Knee injuries usually occur when the kneecap repeatedly grinds against the bone in the leg.
This type of movement damages the tissues of the kneecap and causes pain. Sports that require movement above the head, such as tennis, swimming, baseball, basketball, and volleyball, are most commonly associated with this type of injury. Knee injuries need to be taken seriously; without proper rest and healing, you could be left out permanently. The anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) is responsible for connecting the thigh to the tibia in the knee.
Sudden movements, such as stopping and changing direction and landing with a strong impact, can force or tear the ACL. This injury can be serious and requires immediate medical treatment. Common symptoms of an ACL tear include a clicking or crackling sound, severe pain, and swelling. If you experience shooting pain in the front of your leg, you may suffer from shin pain.
Sometimes they are the result of a stress fracture in the bone. This injury is commonly seen in runners, people who have increased exercise intensity too quickly, and people who play sports such as skiing that put pressure on the bones of the lower leg. Minor shin pain can be cured with ice, rest, stretching, and proper shoes. It's important for a physical therapist to see a more painful shin splint to make sure it's not a stress fracture.
The muscles of the inner thigh, or groin, are used to help bring the legs together. A pull injury to the groin usually occurs when you change direction suddenly. Athletes who participate in hockey, soccer, basketball and soccer are more likely to suffer these types of injuries. Symptoms of a groin strain include acute pain, swelling, and bruising of the inner thigh.
Sciatica refers to pain anywhere along the path of the sciatic nerve. This nerve branches from the lower back through the hips and buttocks and goes down. This injury can be caused by improper stretching and is more likely to occur in athletes who participate in cycling, running, golf, and tennis. Sciatica usually only affects one side of the body.
Back spasms can be treated with rest and anti-inflammatory medications, while sciatica and bulging discs require immediate medical attention and can also be treated by visiting a physical therapist. Resting and applying ice to the area can treat minor tears. As the tear heals, your stability and strength will increase. It is important to allow the tear to fully heal before returning to sports.
A severe or more complete tear may require surgery, months of rest, and physical therapy for total healing. Rest with your leg elevated and place ice on the damaged knee to reduce swelling and increase healing. Prevent future sports injuries by performing exercises that strengthen your thigh and calf muscles to provide better knee support. If you are following physical therapy, a medical professional may prescribe a brace or ask you to bandage your knee with adhesive tape for additional support.
It's important to rest after receiving a concussion diagnosis. Your doctor can determine the severity of your condition and recommend how long you should stop playing sports. You may need to take your time to return to the same level of activity as before the concussion. Just Another iHealthSpot WP02 Site Read on for the 5 Most Common Sports Injuries and How Doctors Treat Them.
Sprains are injuries that involve damage to soft tissue. The most common area to suffer a sprain is the ankle. However, it could also affect the knee and wrist. Athletes often experience this condition because of their need to change direction quickly.
This condition rarely requires surgery to treat it. Recovery from sprains can take days to months, depending on the severity of the injury. The knee is made up of tendons, ligaments, a joint and muscles. Injuring any part of it is practically inevitable in sports.
Different Knee Injuries Have Different Causes and Recovery Times. Treatment interventions for different knee injuries depend on the evaluation of your sports medicine doctor. Fractures are partial or complete breaks in the bone. They can occur due to falls or a direct blow to the area.
You can also suffer fractures due to diseases that weaken bones, such as osteoporosis. They are also called compound fractures. As the name suggests, this type of fracture causes an opening in the body through a rupture. Open fractures involve bones that go through the skin after the fracture occurs.
These fractures require surgery to reattach the bones. They are also called simple fractures. This condition involves a broken bone, but the skin is intact. Some fractures are the result of repetitive and overuse of bones.
Fractures are commonly seen in athletes, especially in athletes who participate in high-impact and contact sports. A joint can dislocate or fall out of place due to a collision, accident, or direct blow of any kind. When dislocations occur, they are painful and can cause temporary immobilization until the bones are back in place. More serious dislocations may require surgery to realign bones.
The need for surgery is rare, but it can occur if the injury that caused the dislocation damaged bones. The hands and fingers are the areas most commonly affected by this type of injury, but dislocations can also occur in the shoulders, knees, hips and elbows. You can avoid common sports injuries by taking precautions, such as using the right equipment and techniques for each sport. Shin cramps are a common sports injury among runners, especially when running on concrete or other hard surfaces.
That said, the risk of injury obviously shouldn't deter you from playing sports, but by being aware of some of the most common sports injuries, you can take steps to prevent them or at least reduce the risk of injury. Let's look at eight possible common athletics-related injuries and possible preventive measures you can take. While some common sports injuries are minor, others can be serious enough to keep you from playing for weeks or even months. Knee injuries are especially common in sports such as soccer, basketball, soccer, and baseball because of the strain placed on these joints from running, jumping, kicking, or from a sudden impact.
It's important to learn about some of the most common sports injuries so you can spot if something goes wrong while you're on the field. At higher levels of basketball, with bulky people over six feet exhibiting high amounts of torsion through the body, it's not uncommon to see stress fractures in the feet. . .