Getting out and staying active is essential for maintaining physical and mental health. Ironically, working on getting healthy while playing sports can actually put your body at risk for injury.
Sports injuries are very common. Most people who play a sport, even recreationally, will experience an injury or two over the course of their careers. Understanding the different types of sports injuries and their causes, though, can help prevent you from running into issues.
We’re going to look at some of the most common sports injuries today, giving you some insights into ways that you can prevent them.
Muscle Pulls and Strains
The most common area of injury for athletes is muscular pulls and strains. In severe cases, individuals might tear muscles.
Two of the key overarching injuries across the sporting world are ACL and Hip Flexor strains. The hip flexors exist in your upper thigh, while the ACL is the dominant ligament of your knee. Running, maneuvering, jumping, and pivoting require that you use both of these parts.
There are numerous other sport-specific muscles, ligaments, and tendons that are prone to injury as well. In all cases, it’s essential that you stretch these muscles before you participate in a sport.
It’s also wise to stretch your muscles after you play to ensure that things recover properly. Stretching is the best way to lubricate and reinforce muscular movement, allowing you to repeat those motions in an accelerated fashion.
If you have any muscular issues, it’s important to visit a pain management center. They can help you ease things while you recover and put you in touch with other professionals who may be able to help.
Concussions
Concussions are injuries to the brain that occur when someone falls and hits their head. These can be anywhere from mild to fatal. All sports hold the risk of concussion, especially those which require physical collisions like football or hockey.
Make sure to wear protective gear when you’re playing sports that put your head at risk for collision, or when there’s a high chance of falling. Skateboarding and rollerblading, for example, pose the threat of falling at any time.
It’s also key that you know the symptoms of concussions. Look for headaches, dizziness, nausea, light sensitivity, difficulty speaking, confusion, or disrupted motor function.
Broken Bones
Broken bones are another danger of participating in sports. Extreme sports and those that involve collisions are the most common for bone breaks.
Avid skateboarders break bones often, considering that their sport almost requires that people fall in order to improve. If you’re in the extreme sports world, it’s worth seeking professional lessons from people who are trained in falling.
There are particular ways to brace yourself for falls as well as different tactics you can use to soften the blow to particular bones. Those aren’t lessons you want to learn on your own, though, so it’s best to consult with those who are trained.
Getting to Know the Types of Sports Injuries
If you’re interested in learning more about the different types of sports injuries to prepare for, we’re here to help. The better you understand the signs and symptoms of these injuries, the more adept you’ll be at responding to them.
Playing sports requires that you respond to injuries and get medical help in order to get back on the field. Explore our site for more ideas on reaching optimal health, ways of playing sports more safely, and much more.
