Playing sports is enjoyable and beneficial to everyone’s health. It may be an important part of your life if you play in a team or just like to have fun playing on the weekends. Despite that, no one wants to get harmed while playing, yet there are several frequent sports injuries that doctors see on a regular basis. So, if you play sports, there’s always a possibility of getting hurt.
Sports injuries can happen when you’re exercising or playing any sports game. These injuries are more common in children, although they can also happen to adults. Today, in this article, I’ll discuss the most common sports injuries and how to avoid them, so let’s get started.
Most Common Sports Injuries
Here is the list of most common sports injuries:
Strains
Strains are one of the most common types of sports injuries. Strains occur when the tolerances of a muscle or tendon are exceeded. This can potentially cause a tissue tear that is quite painful. The hamstrings, hip flexors, groyne, ACL or tear, and quads are the most commonly strained muscles. Fortunately, the majority of strains are usually miner and heal naturally with rest in a few days.
Sprains
Unlike Strains that happen in the muscles, sprains occur in the ligaments. Ligaments are the bands of rough tissue that bind bones together. Sprains are more painful than strains, take longer to heal, and sometimes require immobilisation to prevent further injury. Sprains are commonly caused by landing in a bizarre posture after jumping or by tearing caused by fast pivotal motions. When you have a sprain, you’ll probably hear a “pop” sound at the time of the injury and have painful swelling and bruising in the affected area.
An ankle sprain is the most frequent type of sprain, in which the three ligaments on the outside of your ankle break or strain as a result of abnormal movement. While a slight sprain may not necessitate immediate medical attention, major sprains may necessitate surgery to fix the entirely torn ligaments. Sprains frequently leave the ligament weak and vulnerable to future sprains, so if you’ve sprained a knee or ankle before, it’s a good idea to use a brace to support that joint while playing.
Knee injuries
The knees are one of those joints of the body that is more subjected to stress. Apart from helping you to walk, go up and down on the stairs, and transport heavy goods, the knees bear four times the weight of the body. It might be even more startling to the body when you perform sports or engage in rigorous exercise. Knee injuries can be excruciatingly debilitating and painful, necessitating surgery in some cases.
Fractures
A fracture is a full or partial crack in a bone induced by high-force impact in contact sports. Fractures are most common in the legs, arms, and feet, all of which can be painful, require weeks of rest to recover, and sometimes require surgery to cure. Fractures are most likely to happen following a fall. You’ll experience pain right away and swelling when you have a fracture, and you won’t be able to move the affected area.
The bones are designed to bear enormous forces of impact, but age can affect their ability to do so. Because children and the elderly have weaker bones than the average adult, they are more vulnerable to fractures. So, if you have children who participate in sports, always try to ensure that their association follows best practices for safe play while practising and in the play.
Tennis elbow
Tennis elbow, often known as golf elbow, is caused by repetitive action in the wrist or arm, which causes the tendons in the forearm to strain due to overuse. Pacing is the greatest approach to avoid it. Take breaks, engage in other activities, and always warm-up and stretch before playing. Sports like golf tennis demand the player to repeat the same actions over and over again, which can cause muscle strain and tendons rips.
Tennis elbow can also affect people who work in jobs that demand them to use their hands actively to perform repetitive tasks. Tennis elbow is not a major ailment, but it can be avoided by taking breaks and pacing yourself appropriately during your activities.
Shin splints
Shin splints are inflammation-induced pain in the lower legs, specifically the shin bone (tibia). Shin splints are most common in runners, joggers, soccer and basketball players who have to start and stop running frequently. Tenderness, pain, and soreness are some of the main symptoms of shin splints, which can be cured by rest and stretching. If the pain persists for more than a few days and ice and pain relievers do not relieve the discomfort, contact a doctor.
Back injuries
Every time you participate in a sports activity, you are vulnerable to the danger of injuring your back. Back injuries are very prevalent among avid exercisers and sports persons because the spine is subjected to a significant amount of stress from physical activities. Inflammation builds up around the vertebrae and back muscles, causing the discs in the upper and lower back to be injured. Acute back injuries heal in about 90 percent of instances in less than three months, but more severe cases may necessitate surgery and a longer recovery period. If the pain spreads to your legs, lasts more than two months, or you notice any changes in your bowel motions or balance, seek medical care.
Dislocations
A dislocation happens when a joint is forced out of its natural position and becomes immobilised. The shoulders and fingers are the most common dislocation injuries in sports, and they usually occur as a result of a fall. The joint will most likely be noticeably swollen, out of place, and possibly discoloured. High-impact sports such as gymnastics, soccer, basketball and hockey are the most common sports that can cause dislocations. After a dislocation, you’re more likely to injure the area again, resulting in even more issues such as nerve damage or torn muscles around the joint. To begin the recovery process, get medical care as soon as possible.
How Can You Avoid Sports Injuries?
You can take a variety of actions to keep yourself healthy and off the bench by avoiding sports injuries. Here are some of the most effective ways to avoid injury.
Warm Up
Stretching is a vital part of warming up and loosening up your muscles before engaging in physical activity. Static and dynamic stretching are the two types of stretching. Toe touches and holding stretches are examples of static stretches, which are performed in position with little movement. Jumping jacks is an example of dynamic stretching in which you move numerous muscles at once.
Improve Your Physical Health
Professional athletes understand the importance of being in peak physical condition prior to participating in sports. For instance, baseball players do not simply go out and play the game once or twice a week. They are always working out to stay in the greatest physical form possible. Weekend players or irregular players are the ones who are most prone to get injuries. It’s critical to acquire some extra exercise throughout the week in order to remain in good physical form for play.
Cross-train With Other Sports
You may believe that the greatest method to improve at a sport is to practise it more frequently. On the other hand, cross-training by participating in different activities may help you develop and avoid overuse injuries. Different sports target different muscle groups and make you stronger. Cross-training can provide many of the same health benefits as traditional exercise.
Never Ignore The Early Signs Of Injury
When you discover early indicators of injury, the worst thing you can do is keep playing as if nothing is wrong. Continuing to play after seeing a problem, even if the symptoms are small, such as a muscular twinge, might lead to a more serious injury. It’s not a good idea to attempt to be tough at this point. Therefore, if you notice that you’ve pulled your shoulder, turned your ankle, or otherwise feel pain in some part of your body, stop playing. Take some time to rest and apply the RICE principle: rest, ice, compression, and elevation.