The topic of sports injuries is vital for all athletes, whether you are a weekend warrior or an elite athlete. Some people might think that they don't need to strengthen their bodies because they are not professional athletes, but that is not true. Even if you are playing for fun, it's essential to keep your body healthy and strong to reduce injury risk. Sports injuries can occur at any time, whether during a game, training, or sport-specific exercise. This means that all athletes need to be prepared for damages. This article covers the 5 most common injuries an Austin sports injuries specialist can help address.
1. Hamstring Strains
The hamstrings are made up of 3 muscles semimembranosus, semitendinosus, and biceps femoris. These muscles extend from the back of the knee to the bottom of your pelvis. When these muscles become tight or weak, you might experience pain in the back of your thigh or lower back. This is called a hamstring strain, and it happens when one of the muscles in your hamstring is stretched or torn. It's widespread for athletes to get a hamstring strain, mainly if you're involved in sports that involve explosive movements like sprinting, jumping, and changing direction quickly.
2. Sprained Ankles
Ankle sprains are one of the most common types of sports injuries. An ankle sprain is an injury to the ligaments surrounding your ankle. The severity of the damage can vary depending on how many ligaments are injured and how badly they are injured. If you have a mild ankle sprain, it might only be painful, but if your ankle rolls badly, it can cause damage to the ligaments and lead to ankle joint instability or 'giving way.'
3. Tendinopathy
Tendinopathy is an injury caused by overuse. It usually occurs in a tendon near a joint. The most common tendinopathies are Achilles tendinopathy, patella tendinopathy, shoulder tendinopathy, and rotator cuff tendinopathies. Tendinopathies result from repetitive or prolonged stress on the tendon that damages or weakens it.
4. ACL Rupture
ACL stands for the anterior cruciate ligament. Sometimes this ligament can rupture if you put too much pressure on it, hyperextend your knee, or do something that requires a rapid movement of the knee. ACL ruptures are common in sports with pivoting and sudden changes in direction like soccer, basketball, tennis, and football and they can also occur simultaneously along with Mensicus, LCL, and/or MCL tears in severe injuries.
5. Ruptured Discs
A ruptured disc can be a very severe and painful injury. The discs cushion the spine's vertebrae are made up of an inner soft, gel-like center and an outer ring of cartilage. If you put too much pressure on your back, it can cause one or more of these discs to rupture. This happens when the gel-like center leaks out and puts too much pressure on surrounding nerves, which can cause a lot of pain in your lower back or legs.
Sport Injury Summation
In summary, sports injuries are common among athletes and people in professions with high physical activity levels. The most common sports injuries are hamstring strains, sprained ankles, and tendinopathy. Ruptured discs and ACL tears have also become increasingly common. If you have suffered a sports injury, you need to see a sports medicine doctor for treatment and rehabilitation.
