Fortunately, most sports injuries can be treated effectively, and most people who suffer injuries can return to a satisfying level of physical activity after an injury. Even better, many sports injuries can be prevented if you take the proper precautions.
Some sports injuries result from accidents; others are due to:
Poor training practicesImproper equipmentLack of conditioningInsufficient warmup and stretching
What Are Sports Injuries?
The term sports injury, in the broadest sense, refers to the kinds of injuries that most commonly occur during sports or exercise.
Although virtually any part of your body can be injured during sports or exercise, the term is usually reserved for injuries that involve the musculoskeletal system, which includes the muscles, bones, and associated tissues like cartilage. Traumatic brain and spinal cord injuries are relatively rare during sports or exercise.
Types of Injuries in Sports
Muscle sprains and strainsTears of the ligaments that hold joints togetherTears of the tendons that support joints and allow them to moveDislocated jointsFractured bones, including vertebrae
Knee injuries can range from mild to severe. Some of the less severe, yet still painful and functionally limiting, knee problems are:
Runner’s knee (pain or tenderness close to or under the knee cap at the front or side of the knee) Iliotibial band syndrome (pain on the outer side of the knee) Tendinitis, also called tendinosis (marked by degeneration within a tendon, usually where it joins the bone)
Severe Knee Injuries
More severe injuries include bone bruises or damage to the cartilage or ligaments. There are two types of cartilage in the knee. One is the meniscus, a crescent-shaped disc that absorbs shock between the thigh (femur) and lower leg bones (tibia and fibula). The other is a surface-coating (or articular) cartilage. It covers the ends of the bones where they meet, allowing them to glide against one another. The four major ligaments that support the knee are the:
Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL)Posterior cruciate ligament (PCL)Medial collateral ligament (MCL)Lateral collateral ligament (LCL)
Cause of Knee Injury
Knee injuries can result from a blow to or twist of the knee; from improper landing after a jump; or from running too hard, too much, or without a proper warmup.
Sprains
A sprain is a stretch or tear of a ligament, the band of connective tissues that joins the end of one bone with another. Sprains are caused by trauma such as a fall or blow to the body that knocks a joint out of position and, in the worst case, ruptures the supporting ligaments. Sprains can range from first degree (minimally stretched ligament) to third degree (a complete tear). Areas of the body most vulnerable to sprains are:
Ankles Knees Wrists
Strains
A strain is a twist, pull, or tear of a muscle or tendon, a cord of tissue connecting muscle to bone. It is an acute, non-contact injury that results from overstretching or over-contraction. Symptoms of a strain include:
PainMuscle spasmLoss of strength
While it’s hard to tell the difference between mild and moderate strains, severe strains not treated professionally can cause damage and loss of function.
Acute Compartment Syndrome
Compartment syndrome may be caused by a one-time traumatic injury (acute compartment syndrome), such as:
From a fractured boneFrom a hard blow to the thighBy repeated hard blows (depending upon the sport)
Chronic Exertional Compartment Syndrome
Compartment syndrome may also be caused by ongoing overuse (chronic exertional compartment syndrome), which may occur, for example, in long-distance running.
Foot and ankle (anterior shin splints) The inner edge of the bone where it meets the calf muscles (medial shin splints)
Risk Factors For Shin Splints
Shin splints are primarily seen in runners, particularly those just starting a running program. Risk factors for shin splints include:
Overuse or incorrect use of the lower legImproper stretching, warm-up, or exercise techniqueOvertraining; running or jumping on hard surfacesRunning in shoes that don’t have enough support
These injuries are often associated with flat (overpronated) feet.
Tendinitis
The most common cause of Achilles tendon tears is a problem called tendinitis, a degenerative condition caused by aging or overuse. When a tendon is weakened, trauma can cause it to rupture.
Achilles Tendon Injury Prevention
Achilles tendon injuries are common in middle-aged “weekend warriors” who may not exercise regularly or take the time to stretch properly before activity. Among professional athletes, most Achilles injuries seem to occur in quick-acceleration, jumping sports like football and basketball, and almost always end the season’s competition for the athlete.
Closed and Open Fractures
Closed fractures can be simple (a clean break with little damage to the surrounding tissue) or open (a break in which the bone pierces the skin with little damage to the surrounding tissue). Most open fractures are emergencies. One that breaks the skin is especially dangerous because there is a high risk of infection.
Stress Fractures
Stress fractures occur largely in the feet and legs and are common in sports that require repetitive impact, primarily running/jumping sports such as gymnastics or track and field. Running creates forces two to three times a person’s body weight on the lower limbs. The most common symptom of a stress fracture is a pain at the site that worsens with weight-bearing activity. Tenderness and swelling often accompany the pain.
Dislocations Require Medical Treatment
A dislocated joint is an emergency situation that requires medical treatment. The joints most likely to be dislocated are some of the hand joints. Aside from these joints, the joint most frequently dislocated is the shoulder. Dislocations of the knees, hips, and elbows are uncommon.
A skull fracture occurs when the bone of the skull cracks or breaks. A depressed skull fracture occurs when pieces of the broken skull press into the tissue of the brain. This can cause bruising of the brain tissue, called a contusion. A contusion can also occur in response to shaking of the brain within the confines of the skull.
Spinal Cord Injuries
Spinal cord injury (SCI) occurs when a traumatic event results in damage to cells in the spinal cord or severs the nerve tracts that relay signals up and down the spinal cord. The most common types of spinal cord injury include:
Contusion (bruising of the spinal cord)Compression (caused by pressure on the spinal cord)
Other types of spinal cord injury include lacerations (severing or tearing of nerve fibers) and central cord syndrome (specific damage to the cervical region of the spinal cord).
Sudden, severe painSwellingInability to place weight on a lower limbExtreme tenderness in an upper limbInability to move a joint through a full range of motionExtreme limb weaknessVisible dislocation/break of a bone
Chronic Injury
Chronic injuries usually result from overusing one area of the body while playing a sport or exercising over a long period. Signs of a chronic injury include:
Pain when performing activitiesA dull ache when at restSwelling
What Should I Do If I Suffer an Injury?
Whether an injury is acute or chronic, there is never a good reason to try to “work through” the pain of an injury. When you have pain from a particular movement or activity, STOP! Continuing the activity only causes further harm.
Some injuries require prompt medical attention, while others can be self-treated.
The injury causes severe pain, swelling, or numbnessYou can’t tolerate weight on the areaThe pain or dull ache of an old injury is accompanied by increased swelling or joint abnormality or instability
If you don’t have any of the above symptoms, it’s probably safe to treat the injury at home, at least at first. If pain or other symptoms worsen, it’s best to check with your healthcare provider.
