Sports injuries are most common among athletes and physically active people. They mostly happen during exercise and while playing different kinds of sports. Children are more prone to these types of injuries compared to adults. 

Sports injuries are likely to happen if you:

• No regular physical activity 
• No proper warm-up before playing any sport or doing exercise
• Very actively play contact sports

Different kinds of sports injuries

Sports injuries are not isolated to one part of your body. They can occur anywhere in the body, which causes different complications. Below are listed the most common sports injuries:

Sprains: These injuries are caused by overstretching or tearing of ligaments. Ligaments are connective tissues between two bones in a joint.

Strains: These injuries are caused by overstretching or tearing of muscles or tendons. The tendon is a thick, fibrous band of tissue that connects muscles to bone. Many people confuse a sprain with a strain. 

Knee injuries: An injury that interferes with the movement of the knee joint could be a sports injury. Commonly this is caused due to an overstretch, tear in the muscles or tissues in the knee.

Swollen muscles: Bruising and swelling are natural reactions to injuries. Swollen muscles are often painful and weak.

Achilles tendon rupture: The Achilles tendon is thin but robust, and it is located behind the ankle connecting your heel to your toes. This tendon can be torn or ruptured when playing sports. 

Fractures: While playing high-level contact sports, people may experience bone fractures, also called broken bones.

Dislocations: Sports injuries can cause bones to dislocate from the joints. In such cases, bones are displaced from their sockets. Often dislocations are associated with pain, swelling and weakness.

Rotator cuff injury: The rotator cuff is made up of four muscles. These muscles allow your shoulder to move in all directions. If any one of the four muscles is damaged, it makes your rotator cuff weak and affects your shoulder movements.

Common causes of sports injuries:

While playing sports or doing exercise, wearing quality protective gear like pads, helmets, shoes, and guards have improved safety in sports. However, people are still vulnerable to sports injuries. Always ensure that you consult an expert before beginning any kind of physical activity, especially if you involve yourself in strenuous exercise or sports. Here are a few reasons for sports injuries:

• Training practices that are inadequate or ineffective
• Wearing inappropriate sporting equipment
• Not being in good health physically 
• Exercising or participating in a sporting event without the correct warm-up or stretching

Preventive tips for sports injuries

Exercise has many health benefits, and it is often possible to prevent sports injuries with the proper precautions. Below are some basic steps one should follow to prevent any sports injury.

• Plan a fitness regimen that incorporates strength training and flexibility exercise. Many injuries can be prevented with this.
• You should exercise every day and train different muscle groups.
• After exercising or playing sports, take time to cool down. Take twice the time you took for warm-ups.
• Keep your body hydrated. Drink plenty of water to prevent dehydration, heat exhaustion, and stroke.

• Flexibility and performance of muscles can be improved through stretching, thereby reducing injury risk. The stretching should be done slowly until it reaches a point of tension. The stretching shouldn’t hurt you. Try to hold each stretch for a minimum of 20 seconds.
• Make sure you wear the right equipment and footwear that provides support and corrects foot problems resulting in injury.
• Play your sport the right way by learning the right technique.
• If you’re tired, take a rest. Do not exercise if you’re tired or in pain.
• Whenever you are doing strength training, take your time and make sure that you complete each repetition fully.
• In case you are injured during a sport, you should undergo a proper rehabilitation program before returning to any strenuous activities.

However, consult an orthopaedic expert if you experience persistent pain during or after playing sports, swelling around joints, joint instability – “a feeling of giving way,” and painful pops etc. If you are suffering from any shoulder-related sports injuries, consult Dr Chandra Sekhar, an eminent shoulder surgeon in Hyderabad. He has more than 15 years of experience in treating various sports injuries. Please reach out to us by calling us at 9959588389 or filling out an online appointment form. You can chat with us by using the chatbot at the bottom right.