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The seven most common sports injuries are:
1. Ankle sprain
2. Groin pull
3. Hamstring strain
4. Shin splints
5. Knee injury: ACL tear
6. Knee injury: Patellofemoral syndrome (injury resulting from the repetitive movement of
your kneecap against your thigh bone)
7. Tennis elbow (epicondylitis)
The most common sports injuries are strains and sprains
Sprains are injuries to ligaments, the tough bands connecting bones in a joint. Suddenly stretching
ligaments past their limits deforms or tears them.
Strains are injuries to muscle fibers or tendons, which anchor muscles to bones. Strains are called
“pulled muscles” for a reason: Over-stretching or overusing a muscle causes tears in the muscle
fibers or tendons.
The tissue lengthens with stress and returns to its normal length unless it is pulled too far out of its
normal range.
Preventing the most common sports injuries
1. Every workout should start with a gentle warm-up to prevent common sports injuries. Getting
warmed up increases blood flow to the muscles, gets you more flexible, and could decrease
injuries.
2. Stop when you are fatigued. Muscle fatigue takes away all your protective mechanisms and
really increases your risk of all injuries.
Here are some specific tips for treating each of the most
common sports injuries:
1. Ankle sprain
What it is: Most athletes have experienced a sprained ankle, which typically occurs when the foot
turns inward. This turning stretches or tears the ligaments on the outside of the ankle, which are
relatively weak.
What you can do: With an ankle sprain, it’s important to exercise to prevent loss of flexibility and
strength and re-injury. You can ask your doctor or physical therapist to help you know what kinds of
exercise you should do.
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When to see a doctor: It’s important to note where the sprain has occurred. A 'high ankle sprain' is
slower to heal and should probably be seen by a doctor to make sure the bones in the lower leg did
not separate. One way to recognize a high ankle sprain is that this sprain usually causes tenderness
above the ankle.
2. Groin pull
What it is: Pushing off in a side-to-side motion causes strain of the inner thigh muscles, or groin.
Hockey, soccer, football, and baseball are common sports with groin injuries.
What you can do: Compression, ice, and rest will heal most groin injuries. Returning to full activity
too quickly can aggravate a groin pull or turn it into a long-term problem.
When to see a doctor: Any groin pull that has significant swelling should be seen early by a
physician.
3. Hamstring strain
What it is: Three muscles in the back of the thigh form the hamstring. The hamstring can be over-
stretched by movements such as hurdling, kicking the leg out sharply when running. Falling
forward while waterskiing is another common cause of hamstring strains.
What you can do: Hamstring injuries are slow to heal because of the constant stress applied to the
injured tissue from walking. Complete healing can take six to 12 months. Re-injuries are common
because it's hard for people to stay inactive for that long.
4. Shin splints
What they are: Pains down the front of the lower legs are commonly called “shin splints.” They are
most often brought on by running especially when starting a more strenuous training program like
long runs on paved roads.
What you can do: Rest, ice, and over-the-counter pain medicine are the mainstays of treatment.
When to see a doctor: The pain of shin splints is rarely an actual stress fracture — a small break in
the shin bone. But you should see your doctor if the pain persists, even with rest. Stress fractures
require prolonged rest, commonly a month or more to heal.
5. Knee injury: ACL tear
What it is: The anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) holds the leg bone to the knee. Sudden “cuts” or
stops or getting hit from the side can strain or tear the ACL. A complete tear can make the dreaded
“pop” sound.
When to see a doctor: Always, if you suspect an ACL injury. ACL tears are potentially the most
severe of the common sports injuries. A completely torn ACL will usually require surgery in
individuals who wish to remain physically active.
6: Knee injury: Patellofemoral syndrome
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What it is: Patellofemoral syndrome can result from the repetitive movement of your kneecap
(patella) against your thigh bone (femur), which can damage the tissue under the kneecap. Running,
volleyball, and basketball commonly set it off. One knee or both can be affected.
What you can do: Patience is key. Patellofemoral pain can take up to six weeks to clear up. It's
important to continue low-impact exercise during this time. Working out the quadriceps can also
relieve pain.
7. Tennis elbow (epicondylitis)
What it is: Repetitive use of the elbow for example, during golf or tennis swings can irritate or make
tiny tears in the elbow's tendons. Epicondylitis is most common in 30- to 60-year-olds and usually
involves the outside of the elbow.
What you can do: Epicondylitis can usually be cleared up by staying off the tennis court or golf
course until the pain improves.
