UNDERSTANDING COMMON SPORTS INJURIES
Participating in sports offers numerous benefits, including physical fitness, mental well-being, and social interaction. However, it also comes with inherent risks of injury. From recreational athletes to professionals, sports injuries are a common occurrence that can range from minor sprains to more severe fractures. Understanding these injuries, how to prevent them, and the best ways to treat them is essential for athletes of all levels.
If you want to learn more about this topic, you can watch Dr. Luciana De Michelis Mendonça's lecture here:
What are the common sports where injuries occur?
Football: With its high-impact collisions and tackles, football is notorious for a variety of injuries, including concussions, sprains, strains, fractures, and ligament tears.
Basketball: Jumping, sudden stops, and changes in direction can lead to ankle sprains, knee injuries (such as ACL tears), and finger fractures in basketball players.
Soccer: Soccer players are prone to lower extremity injuries, including ankle sprains, knee ligament injuries, and muscle strains, due to the running, cutting, and kicking involved in the sport.
Rugby: The physical nature of rugby results in a high incidence of injuries, including concussions, fractures, dislocations, and ligament tears, particularly in the shoulders and knees.
Hockey: In addition to concussions and facial injuries from collisions and high-speed puck impacts, hockey players often experience shoulder dislocations, knee injuries, and muscle strains.
Gymnastics: Gymnasts are at risk of overuse injuries, such as stress fractures and tendonitis, as well as acute injuries from falls and high-impact landings, including sprains, fractures, and spinal injuries.
Tennis: The repetitive nature of swinging a racket can lead to overuse injuries in the elbow (tennis elbow), shoulder, and wrist, while sudden stops and starts increase the risk of ankle sprains.
Running: Long-distance running and sprinting can result in overuse injuries like shin splints, stress fractures, and tendonitis, as well as acute injuries from falls or tripping.
Basketball: Basketball involves jumping, sudden stops, and rapid changes in direction, making players susceptible to ankle sprains, knee injuries (like ACL tears), and finger fractures.
Cycling: Cyclists may experience overuse injuries such as patellar tendonitis or lower back pain, as well as acute injuries from crashes, including abrasions, fractures, and concussions.
The graph below shows the number of injuries among individuals between 25 and 40 years and by gender.
While these sports carry a higher risk of injury, it's important to note that injuries can occur in any physical activity. Proper conditioning, technique, equipment, and injury prevention strategies can help reduce the risk and severity of sports-related injuries in athletes of all levels
If you want to learn more about this topic, you can watch Dr. Luciana De Michelis Mendonça's lecture here:
Source:
1. Arpit Misra, Common sports injuries: Incidence and average charges, ASPE, https://aspe.hhs.gov/reports/common-sports-injuries-incidence-average-charges
2. Lecture ‘Sport Injury Prevention’ by Dr. Luciana De Michelis Medonça
