8 Most Common Sports Injuries

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8 Most Common Sports Injuries
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• Participating in one or more sports is a vital
  part of a healthy, active lifestyle good for
  the heart, good for the respiration, good for
  building and maintaining muscular strength, etc.
  In a perfect world, only good would come of
  playing sports but of course, this is not a
  perfect world. People move in the wrong ways,
  people trip and fall, people make sudden contact
  with the ground and with each otherand sports
  injuries commonly occur as a result.

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• That said, the risk of injury should obviously
  not deter you from playing sports, but by being
  aware of some of the most common sports injuries,
  you can take steps to prevent them or at least
  reduce the risk of getting hurt. Lets look at
  eight common possible athletic-related injuries
  and possible prevention measures you can take.

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1. Strains

• Strains are by far the most common of all
  sports-related injuries simply because we use so
  many muscles and tendons when we exercise or
  play. These moving parts are all susceptible to
  stretching farther than they should, or moving in
  ways they shouldnt move, leaving them torn,
  damaged and in pain. Common muscle strains
  include pulled hamstrings, pulled groin muscles
  and strained quads. Most strains are minor and
  heal naturally with rest. The best way to reduce
  the risk of strained muscles and tendons is to
  warm up and stretch before engaging in strenuous
  activity.

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2. Sprains

• Sprains are to ligaments what strains are to
  muscles. Ligaments are the tissues that connect
  bone to bone. When these ligaments turn in a
  wrong way, they can pull or tear. Ankle sprains
  are perhaps the most frequent type of sprain
  among athletes, followed closely by knee sprains,
  wrist and elbow sprains, etc. Sprains can be
  painful, take longer to heal than strains, and
  sometimes require immobilization to protect
  against further injury. Pre-workout stretches and
  warmups can help deter sprains, as well as
  practicing good technique in the sport youre
  playing. Sprains often leave the ligament weak
  and susceptible to future sprains, so if you have
  a history of spraining a knee or ankle, for
  example, it would be good idea to support that
  joint with a brace while playing.

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3. Knee injuries

• The knee is a very complicated joint, and it
  endures a lot of impact and wear during most
  sports activities and for this reason, weve
  given it its own category for possible injuries.
  Tears of the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) are
  quite common, as are cartilage tears, dislocation
  and fractures. Knee injuries can be painful and
  debilitating, sometimes requiring surgery to
  correct. Again, warm-ups, stretches and good
  posture can reduce the risk of knee injuries,
  along with proper padding and bracing (for
  instance, while playing contact sports).

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4. Fractures

• Impact and contact sports often lead to fractures
  of the bone (mostly arms, legs and feet), all of
  which can be painful, take weeks of
  immobilization to heal and may sometimes require
  surgery to correct. Fractures are an inherent
  risk with most strenuous and/or contact sports,
  but you can reduce the risk by wearing the
  appropriate padding, warming up, working out to
  keep muscles strong and flexible, practicing good
  technique, etc. Also, dont play through the
  pain, as sometimes the pain is a sign of a
  strain or sprain that left untreated can make the
  bone vulnerable to fracture.

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5. Tennis elbow

• You dont have to play tennis to get tennis elbow
  (golf is also a common culprit). Tennis elbow is
  one of several injuries of repetition a
  straining of the ligaments in the elbow due to
  overuse and repetitive activity. The best way to
  avoid it is to pace yourself. Take breaks, do
  other activities, and always warm up and stretch
  before playing.

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6. Plantar fasciitis

• Weve grouped these together also as injuries of
  repetition because they are both related to
  overactivity of the feet and legs, combined with
  a lack of proper support. Plantar fasciitis is an
  inflammation of a tendon in the arch of the foot,
  causing sharp pain with every step. 

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7. Back injuries

• Your back and spinal column undergoes some level
  of stress with almost every sports activity. Over
  time, this stress may accumulate into
  inflammation around the vertebrae and back
  muscles, sometimes causing injuries to the discs
  and frequently causing upper or lower back pain. 

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• Sometimes a sudden jarring impact may also cause
  an acute injury to the back. Back treatments vary
  widely depending on the condition, ranging from
  rest to physical therapy to surgery. The best way
  to reduce your risk of back pain and injury is to
  keep your back muscles strong and flexible with
  regular low-impact activities, warmups and even
  good diet.