Most Common Injuries and How To Avoid Them
As much as we want to take care of our bodies and stay active, injuries are common among athletes of all levels and experiences. Knee, shoulder, ankle, wrist, and arm injuries can happen to anyone from the weekend warrior to the professional athlete. Knowing the most common injury types and how they can be prevented is key to keeping you safe while playing your favorite sport.
That being said, here are the top five most common injuries and a few tips to avoid them:
Sprains and Strains
First on our list of common injuries are sprains and strains. Sprains occur when a ligament is overstretched, while strains happen to muscles or tendons that become overworked. To avoid these common injuries, try to warm up properly before any physical activity and stretch afterward as well.
Knee Injuries
Knee injuries (like ACL tears, MCL sprains, and meniscus tears) are some of the most common injuries among athletes. To prevent knee injuries, always use proper form during any physical activity and wear appropriate footwear. Additionally, make sure to stretch regularly and strengthen your quadriceps and hamstrings in order to keep your knees strong.
Achilles Tendon Tears
Achilles tendon tears are common among athletes who have tight calves and don’t stretch regularly. To prevent an Achilles tear, do calf stretches before and after any physical activity. Additionally, strengthening the quads and hamstrings can help support the Achilles tendon as well.
Shoulder Dislocation
Shoulder dislocations are becoming increasingly common as athletes participate in more high-impact activities. To prevent shoulder dislocations, stretch regularly and stay conscious of your posture when participating in any physical activity. Strength training can also help strengthen the muscles around your shoulder joint and keep them safe.
Lower Back Pain
While many people tend to think of lower back pain as a more chronic issue, it can also be caused by acute muscle strains. Proper warmup, anti-inflammatories, and stretching can help to prevent lower back pain. Additionally, core strengthening exercises are also key in protecting your lower back from injury.
Tennis Elbow
Tennis elbow is recorded to be at least 7% of all sports-related injuries. To prevent this, wear the appropriate equipment like elbow pads, and use a grip size that suits your arm's length. Again, anti-inflammatories, warm-ups, and stretches are the key to preventing this injury.
Concussion
While this isn’t a physical injury, a concussion is one of the most common sports-related injuries. Dizziness, confusion, headaches, and nausea are some of the signs that indicate a concussion has occurred. To prevent a concussion, always wear protective headgear especially when participating in contact sports.
Key Takeaways
While injuries are common in sports, there are ways to prevent them from happening. With proper warm-ups and exercises as well as the use of protective gear, you can reduce your chances of getting injured. If you do end up sustaining an injury, be sure to seek help from professionals like those at our training center. We specialize in injury prevention and recovery so you can trust us with your treatment and rehabilitation needs.
