All of us who enjoy sports, either as professionals or amateurs, have at one point experienced an injury, since it is an unavoidable part of practicing any sport. Apart from the pain that we feel, such injuries often make us take a break from doing any physical activity for a few days, weeks or even months.
One of the problems is that injuries often occur through no fault of your own. You can easily find yourself at the receiving end of a punch or kick and suffer the consequences. That means that all you can do is do your best when it comes to warming up properly and wearing protective clothing and gear. In order to prepare yourself well and know what to look out for, you should know what the most common sports injuries are.
ACL Tear or Strain
The ACL, anterior cruciate ligament, is one of the most important ligaments that stabilises the knee. If you change your direction or speed, it can easily be strained, or even torn. If your knee is swollen and you feel unstable when walking or turning corners, you have most probably torn your ACL.
If you’ve only strained it, you might get away with some rest and ice. On the other hand, a torn ACL requires surgery and several months of recovery, including physical therapy, before you are ready to return to action.
Shin splints
This type of injury affects mainly runners or athletes taking part in activities which require a lot of running. Pain in the lower leg bone is typical of shin splints, which usually occur when athletes increase activities or mileage too quickly.
In most cases, the treatment includes rest and icing, before you can gradually get back to your activities. In order to lower the chances of suffering from shin splints, you should definitely choose quality shoes, which provide good arch support. Such footwear is also recommended in the rehabilitation process.
Concussion
One of the most dangerous injuries is most certainly a concussion, which is a consequence of a blow to the head that jars or shakes the brain. The symptoms of concussion include headache, confusion, nausea and sensitivity to light.
Recovery usually takes a lot of time and has to be carefully monitored by a medical professional. During this time, the person who suffered the concussion has to get a lot of rest and be exposed to as little mental and physical stress as possible.
Dental injuries
These may occur more often than you think, even in sports where you wouldn’t expect such a thing. Using custom sports mouth guards significantly reduces the chance of injuring your teeth, jaw and tongue and it also acts as a shock absorber, which lessens the impact of a blow to the face.
Hamstring strain
Hamstring muscles are prone to straining, especially if you don’t stretch properly before doing any physical activity. Symptoms include bruising in the back of the thigh or the knee, while the treatment usually consists of rest and icing. Some more serious injuries require physical therapy.
Tennis elbow
One of the most infamous sports injuries is definitely tennis elbow. People who practice sports such as tennis and golf, where there are a lot of gripping activities, often end up with inflamed tendons in the forearm, which makes wrist and hand motions rather painful. Also, they feel a lack of grip strength, which makes it impossible for them to pursue their favourite activity. Treatment usually consists of taking anti-inflammatory medication, or even a brace in case of a more severe injury, followed by physical therapy, which should gradually rebuild strength.
Knowing what the most common sports injuries are should help you take all the necessary steps to prevent them or protect your body. Although no-one can ever guarantee that you won’t get injured, you should at least minimise the chances of getting injured and side-lined for weeks or even months.
About the Author:
Diana Smith is a full time mom of two beautiful girls interested in topics related to home improvement, DIY and interior design. In her free time she enjoys reading and preparing healthy meals for her family.
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