In 2017 alone, there were over 526,000 sports injuries.
Yes, it’s true sports can help you become fitter and healthier, but if you don’t take the proper precautions and use the right techniques, workouts can end up backfiring on you.
In this article, we’ll discuss 6 of the most common sports injuries and what you can do about them.
1. Sprained Ankle
One of the most common sports injuries is a sprained ankle. Our ankle is a key player in our body’s support system, but unfortunately, it can be quite weak at times.
When you jump up to steal the basketball or run on an uneven surface, you may end up twisting your ankle. The resulting sprain is from the sudden stretching over your ligaments, which may either deform or tear them.
It may hurt a lot, but thankfully, with some ice, rest, NSAIDs, elevation, and proper treatment you’ll be back to yourself in no time. However, spraining your ankle once means it’s weaker; you’ll sprain it more easily in the future. You’ll need to rehab your ankle properly to avoid repetitive ankle sprains by strengthening the muscles that surround the ankle joint as the ligaments become more lax from previous sprains.
2. Shin Splints
Your shins may hurt after you go for a run around the track; you might have shin splints (otherwise known as tibial stress syndrome).
There are several causes of shin splints, including flat feet, weak ankles and core muscles. You may also get shin splints if you don’t warm up and cool down properly, or if you don’t wear good supportive shoes.
The good news is, like with a sprained ankle, shin splints will heal on their own. You need to rest, ice your shins, and take some NSAIDs if necessary.
If they don’t get better after a year or so, you definitely have to get treated by doing sports rehab or physical therapy. Either can help with pain management and strengthening your body so you can do sports properly again.
3. Tennis Elbow
Contrary to popular belief, you can’t just get tennis elbow from playing tennis. This injury is possible with any sports, workout, or even chore you do that involves repetitive motion with your arm; specifically, your elbow muscles.
Thankfully, this isn’t a very serious type of sports injury either. You just need to rest, ice, and take NSAIDs if necessary. Rehabbing your elbow to strengthen your muscles is also recommended as this is a repetitive stress injury that can keep recurring if not addressed properly.
To prevent tennis elbow from happening in the future, try to take more frequent breaks so you’re not doing the repetitive motion for long. If it starts hurting or aching, you might want to stop for the day.
4. ACL Tear
“ACL” stands for “anterior cruciate ligament” and is found in your knee.
Unlike the other injuries on this list, an ACL tear is quite serious. It can cause excruciating pain and put you out of action for a while. Some athletes never regain their full athleticism after an ACL tear.
This injury is similar to an ankle sprain because both involve ligaments. An ACL tear also happens because of sudden movement that overstretches the ligament. You may hear a pop or snap at the time of your injury.
Initially, you’ll need to rest, ice, and raise your knees, as well as take NSAIDs. Your doctor may drain your knee to relieve pressure in it.
Proper rehab is crucial for an ACL tear.
Most of the time, you won’t need surgery for an ACL tear. But if your ACL is completely torn, you’ll need reconstructive knee surgery. If you opt out of surgery, you may have to live with instability in your leg for the rest of your life.
Depending on the severity of the tear, you may also be a candidate for regenerative medicine (PRP/Stem Cells). You can get evaluated today to see if you are a candidate.
5. Concussion
A concussion results when your head is struck by something and your brain is shaken up inside. this can happen if a tennis ball or baseball hits you in the head.
While there’s such a thing as a minor concussion, all concussions are considered to be serious. After any sports head injuries, you should get checked out by a doctor to get a clean bill of health. That way, you’re sure if you have brain damage or not.
To prevent concussions in the future, make sure to wear protective headgear if your sport requires it. Make sure you’re wearing it correctly as well, for optimal protection.
6. Pulled Groin Muscle
Perhaps you’ve made a terrific save on a ball, but really injured yourself. In the moment, you lunged out suddenly, which resulted in a pulled groin muscle.
This can be serious enough to temporarily put you out of commission. Like with the other listed injuries, you need to rest and ice your pulled muscle. Then, you can use some heat treatments as well.
Once you start feeling a bit better, you can do some groin stretches so you can get your range of motion back. Be sure not to overwork yourself; if you do so, you’ll risk pulling the muscle again.
Get Your Most Common Sports Injuries Treated
Sports injuries happen and happen very often! However, many injuries can be avoided if you take the proper measures of taking care of yourself. Stretching, strengthening, and regular Chiropractic and Sports rehab visits can help reduce the risk of sports injuries!
When injuries do occur, make sure you get good rest and treat your injury accordingly with ice and/or heat. That way, you’ll be on a quicker road to recovery. And in the future, make sure you warm up and cool down before your games or workouts to decrease your chances of injury.
If you have a sports injury and feel you need some medical treatment, make an appointment with us now. We have two convenient locations in Texas to choose from!
