Most Common Sports Injuries
Whether you’re exercising just to stay fit or you’re a professional athlete, there is the potential to sustain a sports injury regardless of your athletic ability. Read on to learn more about the most common injuries that affect athletes at any level.
Sprains and Ligament Tears
One of the most common types of injuries for people to experience during physical activity is a sprain. Sprains happen when there is an overstretched or torn ligament, which typically helps to support the joints throughout the body.
Most commonly, people experience sprains to the wrists, ankles, and knees. While symptoms may vary with the severity of the injury, common symptoms that suggest a sprain include:
- Pain
- Bruising
- Swelling and inflammation
- Instability of the affected joint
While more mild sprains can be effectively treated using the RICE method, more moderate to severe ligament damage may require physical therapy and even surgery to heal correctly.
Strains
While many people use the terms sprain and strain interchangeably, they are different injuries despite their similar-sounding names. Strains are injuries that occur when you overstretch a muscle or tendon rather than a ligament.
More often than not, athletes experience strains that affect the hamstrings, especially if they participate in sports that involve quick starts, sudden directional changes, or jumping.
Symptoms of a strain typically include:
- Pain
- Muscle spasms
- Muscle weakness
- Swelling and inflammation
- Cramping
Shin Splints
Shin splints usually occur when there is a sudden increase in physical activity, especially when it comes to running. This overuse injury is characterized by the inflammation of the muscles, tendons, and bone tissue around your shin bone.
You may also be more prone to developing shin splints if you have flat feet, rigid arches, or wear worn down shoes during physical activity.
Symptoms of shin splints usually include:
- Sharp pains.
- Dull or throbbing pain.
- Pain that happens during or after activity.
- Shins are sore to the touch.
Concussions
Concussions are a type of traumatic brain injury (TBI) that happens when the head experiences a direct impact or a jolt from the body being hit, causing the brain to move back and forth rapidly. Although concussions are considered mild brain injuries, they are still serious and can even result in more extensive brain damage if they are not appropriately handled.
Signs and symptom of a concussion can include:
- Appearing dazed, stunned, or confused.
- Slow to answer questions or respond during conversation.
- Losing consciousness.
- Forgetting instructions.
- Trouble concentrating.
- Forgetting recently learned information.
- Headaches.
- Nausea or vomiting.
- Dizziness.
- Blurred or doubled vision.
- Feeling sluggish or foggy.