Participating in sports is a great way to stay active and healthy, but it also comes with a risk of injuries. Here are some of the most common sports injuries that athletes and fitness enthusiasts may encounter.
Sprains and Strains
Sprains and strains are the most common sports injuries. A sprain refers to an injury to a ligament, which connects bones to each other. A strain, on the other hand, is an injury to a muscle or tendon. These injuries typically occur from overstretching or overuse and are common in sports like football, basketball, and track events.
Fractures
Fractures involve a break in a bone and can range from minor cracks to complete breaks. Stress fractures, which are tiny cracks in the bone, are common in athletes and often result from overuse or repetitive activities like running or jumping.
Dislocations
A dislocation occurs when the ends of your bones are forced out of their normal positions. This injury is most common in contact sports like football and hockey, or in sports where falls are common like gymnastics or skating.
Knee Injuries
Knee injuries are common in sports and can range from mild (like runner's knee) to severe (like a torn anterior cruciate ligament, or ACL). Sports that involve quick changes in direction, like soccer or basketball, carry a higher risk of knee injuries.
Shin Splints
Shin splints cause pain along the inner edge of the shinbone and are common in runners, dancers, and military recruits. They're usually caused by repeated stress to the shinbone and connective tissues that attach muscles to the bone.
Concussions
In sports, concussions often occur due to collisions with other players, falls, or impacts from a ball or equipment. Athletes participating in high-contact sports like football, rugby, hockey, and even non-contact sports where falls are common, like cycling or skiing, are at an elevated risk.
Symptoms of a concussion can be immediate or may not show up for several hours or even days after the injury. Immediate symptoms often include confusion, memory loss (particularly regarding the event leading to the concussion), dizziness, blurry vision, headache, nausea, or balance problems. It's worth noting that loss of consciousness only happens in a minority of concussions, and is not a definitive indicator of the injury.
Tennis or Golfer's Elbow
These are overuse injuries that occur from the repetitive motion of the arm and wrist. Tennis elbow affects the outside of the elbow, and golfer's elbow affects the inside. Despite their names, these injuries can occur in any sport that involves repetitive arm movement.
For treatment for your sports injury, reach out to a local clinic, such as Voytik Center Orthopedic Care.
Every person is different, which is why the medical issues you may have are completely different than what might plague a friend or family member. Fortunately, medical specialists such as orthopedists can make your life a lot better. From helping you to understand and resolve a condition to working alongside you to help you to enjoy a better life, doctors can play a big role in helping you to feel like yourself. When you have issues with your bones, arms, or legs, orthopedists can help. Check out these posts to find out more about how to manage and resolve medical issues related to the skeletal system.