Mild to moderate sports injuries occur with some frequency, not just to the professional athlete, but to the “weekend warrior” as well. It’s important to balance rest and support with limited exercise to maintain flexibility and strength in the injured area. Physical therapy may be necessary to rebuild muscle strength after a sports-related injury.
5 most common sports injuries:
Ankle sprains account for about 50% of all sports injuries, and can result from almost any activity. A sprain happens when a ligament (the band that connects bones and joints) tears or overstretches. An ankle “strain” describes a pulled muscle, in which tendon or muscle fibers stretch too far.
Groin pulls are a strain of the inner thigh muscles that happen when one of the adductor muscles tears or ruptures. A groin pull pain can range from discomfort to totally debilitating.
Pulled Hamstring, also called a hamstring strain, is typically caused by activities involving sprinting or stretching such as martial arts, gymnastics, and even dancing. An acute injury causes a sharp pain in the back of the thigh and is rated on a scale from 1 to 3. A grade 3 injury is accompanied by swelling and bruising within 24 hours and can leave a person completely incapacitated.
Shin splints is a common term which can include many diagnoses or causes and is not an actual injury or diagnosis in itself. It is the name used to describe pain along the inside of the shin bone (front part of the lower leg.)
ACL tear is a knee injury to the Anterior Cruciate Ligament, one of the knee ligaments joining the upper leg bone with the lower leg bone to keep the knee stable. This injury is most often caused by either a sudden twisting of the knee or from a direct blow or collision. ACL tears very often require surgery to reconstruct the ligament and keep bones from rubbing against one another.
The immediate treatment protocol for common sport injuries is called PRICE:
- Protection
- Rest
- Ice
- Compression and
- Elevation.
Both protection and compression for these injuries can often be achieved using braces, tape or other supports designed specifically for the ankle, shin, knee and thigh. If you’d like to learn more about braces and supports, cold and hot therapy or other products used for prevention and treatment of sports injuries, please contact us.