most common sports injuries, treatment and prevention

By: Elizabeth Quinn

Theses are the most common sports injuries that need attention in
order to heal properly. Some can be treated at home and some require
a trip to the doctor.

Abrasions
Description: Injuries that result from a fall on a hard surface that
causes outer layers of skin to rub off.

Achilles Tendon Rupture
Description: The exact cause of rupture of the Achilles tendon is
not known. As with Achilles tendonitis, tight or weak calf muscles
may contribute to the potential for a rupture.

Ankle Sprains
Description: The most common of all ankle injuries, an ankle sprain
occurs when there is a stretching and tearing of ligaments
surrounding the ankle joint.

Anterior Cruciate Ligament(ACL) Injuries
Description: ACL partial or complete tears can occur when an athlete
changes direction rapidly, twists without moving the feet,
slows`down abruptly, or misses a landing from a jump

Blisters
Description: A fluid-filled sack on the surface of the skin that
commonly occurs on the hands, or the feet.

Clavicle Fractured (Broken Shoulder)
Description: A shoulder fracture typically refers to a total or
partial break to either the clavicle (collar bone) or the neck of
the humerus (arm bone). It generally is from an impact injury, such
as a fall or blow to the shoulder

Concussion
Description: A concussion is typically caused by a severe head
trauma where the brain moves violently within the skull so that
brain cells all fire at once, much like a seizure.

Delayed-Onset Muscle Soreness
Description: Muscle pain, stiffness or soreness that occurs 24-48
hours after unaccustomed, or particularly intense exercise.

Hamstring Pull, Tear, or Strain
Description: Hamstring injuries are common among runners. The
hamstring muscles run down the back of the leg from the pelvis to
the lower leg bones, and an injury can range from minor strains to
total rupture of the muscle.

Knee Pain
Description: Knee pain is extremely common in athletes. In order to
treat the cause of the pain, it is important to have an evaluation
and proper diagnosis. Common reasons for knee pain in athletes
include the following.


Iliotibial (IT) Band Friction Syndrome
Description: Knee pain that is generally felt on the outside
(lateral) aspect of the knee or lower thigh often indicates
Iliotibial (IT) Band Friction Syndrome.

Muscle Cramps
Description: A cramp is a sudden, tight and intense pain caused by a
muscle locked in spasm. You can also recognize a muscle cramp as an
involuntary and forcibly contracted muscle that does not relax.

Overtraining Syndrome
Description: Overtraining syndrome frequently occurs in athletes who
are training for competition or a specific event and train beyond
the body's ability to recover.

Plantar Fasciitis
Description: Plantar fasciitis is the most common cause of pain on
the bottom of the heel and usually defined by pain during the first
steps of the morning.

Shin Splints
Description: Shin Splints describes a variety of generalized pain
that occurs in the front of the lower leg along the tibia (shin
bone). Shin Splints are considered a cumulative stress injury.

Shoulder Tendinitis, Bursitis, and Impingement Syndrome
Description: These conditions similar and often occur together. If
the rotator cuff and bursa are irritated, inflamed, and swollen,
they may become squeezed between the head of the humerus and the
acromion.

Sprains
Description: These are acute injuries that vary in severity but
usually result in pain, swelling, bruising, and loss of the ability
to move and use the joint.

Stress Fracture
Description: Stress fractures in the leg are often the result of
overuse or repeated impacts on a hard surface


Tendonitis
Description: Tendonitis is a common sports injury that often occurs
from overuse. Tendonitis can cause deep, nagging pain that is caused
by inflammation of tendons. Treating tendonitis consists of rest,
medication, physical therapy or changes to equipment or technique

Tennis Elbow (Lateral Epicondylitis)
Description: the number one reason people see their doctor for elbow
pain. It is considered a cumulative trauma injury that occurs over
time from repeated use of the muscles of the arm and forearm that
lead to small tears of the tendons.

Torn Rotator Cuff
Description: A common symptom of a rotator cuff injury is aching,
and weakness in the shoulder when the arm is lifted overhead.

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