We live in an age where people spend countless hours exercising and playing sports. And it’s no secret that injuries happen. Fortunately, you don’t have to let injuries stop you from enjoying your favorite hobby.
When an injury happens, you need to address it quickly. If you don’t, then swelling, pain and inflammation can build up, and that is going to become more severe over time. If you ignore it, there could be permanent damage.
So, the first step is to stop the inflammation, and the second is to reduce the pain and reduce swelling. With the right guidance, you can learn to recognize and prevent common types of injuries. Below are the common sports injuries that you must be aware of if you are in sports or sports enthusiast or exercising for fitness.
1. Sprains and Strains
A sprained ankle is painful, but if left untreated, it can become a life-long disability. This is also true for strained muscles. In both cases, the healing process is slower and more painful if it isn’t properly treated. So, after a sprained ankle or strain, the next thing to do is ice the area. The first 48 hours are critical to healing. If you don’t ice it, you could end up with a torn tendon, a longer recovery time, or even surgery.
2. Broken Nose
A broken nose is very common when participating in sports. If your nose gets injured, it can be quite painful. In most cases, the injury occurs when you hit your nose on something during play. A fractured or broken nose is caused by a forceful blow to the face. Although most noses can be broken, the tip of the nose is especially vulnerable because it’s thinner and closer to the face than the rest of the nose. A break in the skin can lead to bleeding. Over time, the tissue under the skin will swell, causing the nasal bridge to flatten.
3. Bruised Knee
Bruised knees are usually caused by contact with a hard surface such as concrete or asphalt. They occur when there is a sudden twist or a jerk to a joint, causing the bones to hit each other. This often occurs during sports activities. Running sprints, jumping, or sliding, can cause these types of injuries. When your bones make direct contact with one another, they can bruise or break. If you have any pain in your knee, consult a medical professional immediately.
4. Concussion
A concussion occurs when the brain moves back and forth inside the skull after impacting the head. The head may crack or break a blood vessel in the brain, causing bleeding in the brain tissue and swelling. The brain may even shift inside the skull, which is why concussion is called “a brain injury.” When a player sustains a concussion, he or she may lose consciousness and experience a number of symptoms, including a headache, dizziness, drowsiness, blurred vision, confusion, slurred speech, loss of balance, and nausea.
5. Fractures
Athletes experience fractures because bones are brittle, which means they easily break. The risk of injury increases with increased intensity, duration, frequency, and force. Acute injuries are short-term and typically involve soft tissue damage, such as ligament sprains and strains. Chronic injuries occur over an extended period of time and may result in structural damage, such as stress fractures and broken bones.
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6. Tendinitis
Tendinitis is a common injury that happens to the tendons in the shoulders. Tendinitis is caused by repeated overuse of certain muscles in the shoulder. It is typically seen in athletes that play a contact sport such as football, basketball, and hockey. Other possible causes of tendonitis include: wearing tight clothes that don’t allow the muscle to breathe and poor nutrition that leads to weak, dry tendons. Most tendinitis can be treated with rest, ice, compression, and elevation (RICE).
7. Cracked Ankle
Injuries to the ankle are common and usually occur in people who are exercising, walking, or running. They are more common among runners than walkers. The two most common causes are overuse injuries (from long-term activity) and sprains. Ankles are also vulnerable to fractures. These injuries can cause pain and swelling and may require immediate medical attention.
8. Ligament Tears
A ligament is a band of tissue that connects bone to bone in one of many joints. The ligament is responsible for allowing the joint to move smoothly and absorbing the stress that comes with movement. Ligaments run from the head of the femur (thighbone) to the head of the tibia (shinbone) through the knee joint, and from the ankle to the metatarsal bones of the foot through the ankle joint. Ligaments can tear due to repeated stress, overuse, or other factors.
9. Dislocated Shoulder
Dislocation of the shoulder is a common injury in sports and recreational activities. It is often the result of hyperextension of the arm. This occurs when the humeral head moves superiorly to a point above the glenoid fossa. The pain can be excruciating and, if left untreated, may lead to degenerative changes in the shoulder joint.
10. Tennis Elbow and Groin Pain
Tennis elbow is usually caused by overuse. Overuse is when you do an activity consistently (like playing tennis for long periods of time) to the point where it causes your muscles to wear out. Groin pain occurs when the muscles that help you lift your leg are overused. The condition usually develops gradually over weeks or months and is caused by repetitive stress on the tendons and muscles of the forearm and thigh. The symptoms include soreness, pain, and tingling and may become worse with heavy exercise or during times of excessive fatigue.
Conclusion
Proper sports injury prevention includes proper strength training, proper technique, and a high level of overall athletic conditioning. Also, to prevent high medical expenses, compare health insurance quotes online for free and buy the best affordable health insurance plan for the safe side. Whether you are a sports enthusiast or simply interested in fitness, knowing the signs and symptoms of common sports injuries could save you some trouble.
To give you a better understanding of sports injury prevention, we have compiled the most common injuries encountered while participating in sports!
