Sports and exercise are an essential part of life, but sometimes repetitive strain and injury get in the way. Accidents, poor training habits or improper gear can contribute. Some of us get hurt because we are not adequately conditioned, ignore or become impatient with dynamic warm-ups or fail to incorporate injury-preventing cross training.
The most common sports injuries are:
- Sprains and strains
- Knee and ankle injuries
- Achilles tendon injuries
- Pain along the shin bone
- Swollen muscles
- Rotator cuff tendon injuries
- Fractures
- Dislocations
The most important thing to remember is if you get hurt, stop and take action. Continuing with your activity can cause more harm. Treatment often begins with MICE (mid-range, gentle movement, ice, compression and elevation) to relieve pain, reduce swelling and speed healing. Other treatments include pain relievers, rehabilitation and sometimes surgery.
Click on the following link to find out more about common sports injuries, conditions, prevention and safety under the Sports and Exercise Education area of the AAOS.
Click on the SMARTguides below to find out more about activity-specific prevention and safety: