Sports injuries, in the widest sense of the term, mean the types of injuries that arise most commonly while exercising or at the time of sports activities. Although almost any area of your body may be injured at the time of exercise or sports activities, the term is generally restricted to musculoskeletal injuries, which include the bones, muscle and cartilage as well as other related issues. Traumatic injuries of the spinal column or the brain are comparatively rare while exercising or during sports activities. Let us now discuss some of the commonest sports-related injuries.
Muscle strain
It is among the commonest sports injuries that occur when a muscle suffers a tear or gets stretched beyond limits. Generally, muscle strains can affect areas like:
Shoulder
Groin
Lower back
Calves
Quadriceps
This type of strain can be cured with physiotherapy, ice therapy and rest.
Torn ACL
An anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) assists in making the knee joints stable and helps them stay together. When this ligament is torn, the ability to walk is affected. The injury can occur due to an abrupt change in direction, improper landing, and direct hit to the knees. It may be cured with reconstructive operation after physiotherapy treatment sessions.
Shin Splints
This is one of the common sports injuries that impact runners and results in the damage inside of the shin or lower leg region. The injury results from overuse and the athletes having a flat foot are more prone to this kind of injury.
Stress Fracture
It is also categorized as an overuse injury. It can occur when the muscles cannot take the pressure anymore and can lead to a fracture. Stress fractures can have an impact on the feet and the lower leg in the majority of cases.
Plantar Fasciitis
This is a swelling of the plantar fasciitis ligament that connects the front area of the foot with the heel. The main causes for such sports injuries involve the exertion of a lot of strain and stress on the heel bone. It can be generally cured with:
Stretching exercises
Anti-inflammatory medicines
Ice
Rest
Sprained Ankle
Sprains in the ankle occur due to too much stretching of the ligament, which supports the joints when one steps on an uneven surface because of rolls and twists. Ankle sprains can heal with:
Elevation
Compression
Ice, and
Rest
However, more acute sports injuries might require a cast for healing within a few weeks.
Groin Pull
It is also referred to as groin strain. The groin muscles pass to the inner thigh from the upper-inner thigh. These types of muscles pull together the legs and are frequently injured due to absence of flexibility and/or fast sideways motions. Athletes who are injured can note:
Problems with lateral motions
Bruising in the inner thigh or groin
Getting in/out of scars, etc.
Sciatica
This is back pain radiating to the feet/back of the leg. It can also be related to:
Tingling sensations down the leg
Burning
Numbness
It is possible to observe Sciatica in athletes in a flexed forward position, such as athletes performing a lot of trunk rotation in tennis, golf and other swing sports activities, cyclists, etc.
Tennis Elbow
It is an injury caused due to overuse and impacts the tendons that are situated on the outside elbow. Racket players and cricketers are more prone to such an injury. This type of injury may be cured with enough rest and anti-inflammatory drugs. However, surgery might be needed in severe cases of sports injuries.