Playing sports is a great way to keep the body moving and in shape for better health as well as a way to channel energy. Many people take up a sport as better use of their free time and to channel any negative energy from the stress of daily life. However, playing any kind of sport can be physically demanding, especially if you’re playing it professionally. Our bodies usually have to endure a lot of stress as well as trauma. Injury is always a possibility when you’re playing a sport, so here are the most common ones and how they are treated to keep you informed.
1- Knee Injuries
Injuries of the knee are the most common since most sports rely on its movement. It’s one of those injuries that instantly puts you on the bench because they are usually painful. There are several types of knee injuries, like injuring the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL), which connects the thigh bone to the shin bone, or the medial collateral ligament (MCL), which connects the same bone but on the inside of the knee. You’ll likely see football players, basketball players, and volleyball players wearing knee pads during their games, because knee injuries are common and can also take a long time to heal. Most mild knee injuries are treated simply by resting them from physical activity with lots of ice and compressions, while more severe cases require physical therapy or surgery.
2- Shin Splints
Shin splints are another common sports injury that is caused by the inflammation of the surrounding muscles of the shin bone. Its symptoms are shooting pain in the front of your legs whenever you walk or run. It’s something that mostly occurs to runners or those who take up physical activity suddenly. The treatment for shin splints is quite simple; it needs rest, ice, deep massage, anti-inflammatory medication, and adding insoles or orthotics to your shoes.
3- Tennis Elbow
As it’s apparent from the name, tennis or golf elbow occurs mainly to those playing these two sports regularly or professionally, but it’s also called Lateral Epicondylitis. It consists of pain or weakening in the muscles responsible for extending the arm and fingers, specifically the ones connecting the tendons that join forearm muscles to the bones. Its symptoms are struggling to grip objects or tenderness in the fingers or elbow. This injury can only be treated with Physiotherapy that focuses on flexibility and strengthening exercises.
4- Sprained Ankle
Not surprisingly, ankle sprains makeup almost 50% of sports injuries and are why most athletes take time off from their profession. They mostly occur when you come down too hard on your ankle or jump too hard. So they are more common in sports like volleyball, basketball, and soccer, which are quite popular games to play by the people living in sunny California. You can tell you’ve sprained your ankle if you have bruising, swelling, tenderness, itching, or stiffness. If you experience these symptoms, the Foot and Ankle Specialist in Santa Barbara & Camarillo, CA stresses the importance of getting a diagnosis and proper treatment as soon as you can. The course of treatment is usually being immobilized by a walking boot or cast along with taking anti-inflammatories.
5- Shoulder Dislocation
Shoulder injuries are generally common in several sports, however, shoulder dislocation, in particular, is the most prevalent type. They can occur due to a hard blow to the shoulder, which leads a part of the joint to come out of its socket, causing excruciating pain. The injury also causes swelling of the shoulder joint as well as a ball-shaped bump appearing on the back. Treating this injury is done first by providing a sedative, then relocating the ball back into the shoulder’s socket, and finally wearing a sling to protect it. Most cases also require a prescription of muscle relaxers as well as some physiotherapy sessions before returning to playing sports.
6- Sprained or Fractured Toe
Injury to the toe may seem like an unlikely occurrence in sports, but it’s actually very common. A sprain in the toe will involve swelling, throbbing pain, or tenderness, while a burning sensation means the toe is broken. A fracture, on the other hand, will have you completely unable to move your toe, unlike a sprain. If it’s just sprained or fractures, you can resort to icing it along with anti-inflammatory medications as well as refraining from physical activity. However, a broken toe requires professional medical attention.
7- Concussion
A concussion can happen to anyone that experiences a hard blow to the head, but it’s also considered a common sports injury. Whether you fell on your head or got hit by, a concussion is a very serious condition. While some may lose consciousness, others may be conscious but still may have a concussion. You can tell if there is blurred vision, dizziness, headache, nausea, as well as sensitivity to noise and light. Treating this condition is done by first monitoring any worsening of symptoms as well as taking acetaminophen with plenty of rest.
There you have it! Mentioned above are the most popular injuries among those who play a certain sport or are involved in any kind of physical activity. The most effective protocol to follow in these injuries, as well as any other sports injury, is RICE (rest, ice, compressions, elevation). It usually alleviates that initial shock after the injury has occurred. Of course, the most preferable course of action is to consult a doctor or physiotherapist to diagnose and determine the severity of the injury.
