Sports are great. Nothing quite beats a relaxing round of golf on a beautiful summer day or a friendly game of pickup basketball with some friends. Whether they’re an important part of your daily routine or just a weekend hobby, sports of all kinds are beloved by millions because they are a fun way to stay in shape and burn a few extra calories.
So, what’s the catch? Injuries. Unfortunately, as great as sports are, sports injuries appear to be an inevitable part of the game, regardless of your competition level.
What are the Most Common Sports Injuries?
Sprains and Strains
While they are commonly mistaken for each other, the two injuries affect different parts of the body. Sprains occur when ligaments (the tissue that connects two bones in a joint) are damaged. Sprains are caused when ligaments are overstretched or torn. Strains, on the other hand, occur when muscles or tendons (thick, fibrous cords of tissue that connect bone to muscle) are damaged. Strains are caused by the overstretching or tearing of muscles or tendons.
Knee Injury
Around 55% of all sports injuries involve damage to the knee or the ligaments and tendons within it. Tendonitis is a common issue affecting the knee and results from tendons in the knee being overused. Severe knee injuries, like anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) and medial collateral ligament (MCL) tears, occur due to ligaments in the knee being overstretched.
Elbow Injury
Another trouble-causing joint is the elbow. Conditions like tennis and golf elbow are common injuries that can cause the athlete to feel excruciating pain. The condition is caused by repetitive motion of the elbow, usually while playing golf or tennis. The overuse causes tendons in the elbow, like the epicondyle, to become inflamed.
Ankle Injury
The most common injury to the ankle is an ankle sprain. Like any sprain, an ankle sprain occurs when ligaments in the ankle are overstretched or torn. Unfortunately, without proper medical attention, athletes are at a greater risk of re-injuring their ankle after each sprain.
Concussion
Concussions are a form of traumatic brain trauma that occurs when the brain is rattled against the inside of the skull, usually after a blow to the head. Concussions can be a scary injury that can have life-threatening consequences if not quickly evaluated and treated. Like many other injuries, after an athlete receives their first concussion, they become more likely to receive another.
Just about every athlete has experienced at least one of these sports injuries at some point in their playing careers. Still, despite seeming unavoidable, many professional athletes are somehow able to avoid these serious injuries. NBA superstar LeBron James, for example, has played in almost 95% of all his game throughout his 18-year career. How do athletes like LeBron do this? Through physical therapy and sports injury recovery. In fact, LeBron James finds physical therapy and recovery so important to his success that he spends more than $1 million on it every year.
Obviously, most of us aren’t competing in a professional sports league (or have a million dollars to spend). However, even just an occasional visit to your physical therapist can play a pivotal role in helping athletes prevent serious sports injuries, regardless of your competition level.