Common Sports Injuries and How to Prevent Them

You don’t have to be a serious athlete to experience painful sports injuries. They can happen to recreational athletes at any level, or even to people just going about their daily activities.

If you’re among those coping with an activity-related injury, you know the frustration of having to sit out or deal with the pain. While not all injuries can be prevented, there are some steps you can take to reduce your risk.

The Types of Sports Injuries Doctors See Most

When it comes to injuries, there are two basic types: acute and chronic. An acute injury is typically the result of an accident, like twisting your ankle or hitting your head. A chronic or overuse injury develops over time from the repetitive motions of your sport.

Common Acute Sports Injuries

In an instant, an accident can leave you with an injury you can’t (or shouldn’t) ignore. Common acute sports injuries include:

• Concussion
• Dislocated joints
• Fractures (broken bones)
• Stretched or torn ligaments (like a sprained ankle or the ACL in the knee)
• Tendon rupture

Common Overuse Injuries

When you do the same motions repeatedly, such as swinging a tennis racket or pounding the pavement while running, you can end up with injuries that progressively worsen over time. Common overuse injuries include:

• Achilles tendonitis
• Rotator cuff tendonitis
• Shin splints
• Stress fractures
• Tennis elbow (elbow tendonitis)

Tips for Preventing Sports Injuries

Despite your best efforts to be careful and play it safe, injuries are sometimes unavoidable. That said, some smart safety strategies, equipment checks and careful training can go a long way toward helping you prevent many sports injuries.

Reducing Your Risk of an Accident

You can’t always stop an accident before it happens, but paying close attention to certain risks can reduce its likelihood. Prevention strategies include:

• Following the rules of the road when running, walking or biking
• Listening to your body and stopping when you get too tired to perform safely
• Using proper technique
• Wearing the appropriate safety gear for your sport, such as a helmet, eye protection, shin guards, etc.

Strategies for Avoiding Overuse Injuries

The repetitive actions of certain sports or activities simply come with the territory. However, there are ways to limit the impact of these motions on your body. You can help prevent overuse injuries with strategies such as:

• Always warm up with slower, gentler movements before you work out
• Build up the duration and intensity of your workouts over several weeks or months
• Include strengthening exercises in your training regimen
• Maintain the correct form and technique
• Mix up your workouts and activities so that you’re not always doing the same thing
• Take a rest day at least once a week to give your body a chance to recover

How Memorial Healthcare System Can Help

If you’ve been injured or are looking for ways to prevent an injury, the specialists at Memorial Healthcare System Sports Medicine Center can help. Our sports medicine physicians use the most advanced nonsurgical and surgical methods to treat both acute and overuse sports injuries.

They can also refer you to our specialized Sports Physical Therapy. The physical therapists on our team create customized plans to help you gain the strength and mobility you need to recover from injury and prevent future ones.