Musculoskeletal injuries are common and can happen even if you exercise regularly. The incidence of these injuries can increase with competitive sports and intense exercise. Two-thirds of sports related injuries involve the legs, with the knee being the most commonly injured joint.
Most injuries can be cared for with simple measures. Remember the acronym PRICE (Protection, Rest, Ice, Compression and Elevation).
Please refer to the link on how to treat sports injuries published by HARVARD MEDICAL SCHOOL as a guide to help address simple injuries.
If your pain persists despite simple measures, or if you cannot bear any weight on an injured extremity, please call us for an appointment and evaluation.
Common Sports Injuries
While musculoskeletal injuries are common, some sports injuries tend to occur more frequently than others. The injuries you may be most susceptible to depend on a variety of factors, such as the type of activities you participate in, your physical fitness, and your age.
Although certain factors influence how vulnerable you might be to suffer a sports injury, it’s wise to be familiar with the most common injuries so you can take measures to guard against them. Here is a description of some of the most common sports injuries and the things that are often responsible for them:
Repetitive Movements
Activities that require you to repeat certain movements over and over again can result in sports injuries, such as tennis elbow, tendonitis, and shin splints. It’s not unusual for avid runners, swimmers, and tennis players to suffer sports injuries related to the repetitive movements their respective activities require.
Sudden Stopping and Twisting
Sports like basketball, hockey, and gymnastics often require athletes to stop and twist suddenly. As a result, people who engage in these activities are vulnerable to knee and ankle injuries as well as other joint injuries, such as torn cartilage in their shoulders.
Falling
Falling is a constant threat even if you’re not participating in a sport of any kind. Whether they’re playing a sport or casually strolling down the sidewalk, many people will try to lessen the impact with the ground by extending their hands. This action typically forces your wrists to bear your weight, something than can tear or overstretch a ligament.
Inappropriate Equipment
Using the right equipment when you engage in a physical activity is essential to preventing an injury from occurring. If you use a baseball bat that’s too heavy for you, you may strain your lower back or arms when you swing it. If you jog with sneakers that don’t fit properly, you may develop plantar fasciitis, a painful condition which causes the shock absorber for the arch in your foot to become inflamed.
Increased Intensity
If you increase the intensity of your exercise regimen too quickly, it can result in a sports injury. While cramps are a frequent result of increasing the intensity of your workout too soon, increasing your activity level can also cause other injuries, such as a strain in your lower back.
Tired Muscles
When your muscles are tired, they are more susceptible to pulls. It’s critical for you to allow your muscles to rest between activities to avoid pulling them.
No Warm Up
Just like you need to allow your muscles to rest between activities, you need to prepare your muscles for the physical activity you’re about to participate in. If you don’t warm up before you workout or participate in a sport, you may experience cramps and muscle pulls as a result.
Hard Impacts
If you’ve played football on both grass and artificial turf or you’ve run on pavement as well as a treadmill, then you know firsthand how different surfaces take their toll on your body. In general, hard surfaces have a more jarring effect on your body every time you come into contact with them. It’s this jarring effect that can cause injuries to your feet, legs, and back.
If you’re suffering from a sports injury of any kind and can’t find relief, please contact Comprehensive Ortho to make an appointment for an evaluation now.