The term sports injury refers to any kind of injury that occurs during exercise, playing sports or doing something athletic. But sports injuries do not occur solely to “athletes.” Tennis elbow is something a factory worker might develop even though he does not participate in sports. Therefore, it might be more accurate to say that any active individual can sustain a sports injury.
There are two categories of sports injuries: acute and chronic. An acute injury happens with sudden excessive force, such as when a person falls or twists a joint. Chronic injuries occur over time from overusing a body part, such as a stress fracture or tennis elbow.
The symptoms of a sports injury depend on what kind of injury you have.
Acute sports injury symptoms:
- Sudden pain
- Swelling or bruising
- Not being able to put weight on a leg or foot
- Weakness of an injured limb
- A bone or joint visibly out of place
Chronic overuse sports injury symptoms:
- Pain when playing a sport or exercising.
- Swelling or dull ache when at rest.
Common sports injuries include:
- Rotator cuff injury
- Tennis elbow
- Golfer’s elbow
- Torn ligament
- Dislocation
- Fracture
- Shin splints
- Hamstring strain
- Groin pull
While any active person can develop a sports injury, there are certain risk factors that increase the likelihood of an injury. Some factors include:
- Poor exercise technique
- Overtraining
- Playing the same sport year-round
- Running or jogging on a hard surface
- Wearing sneakers with insufficient support
Treatment for sports injuries can often be done at home with R-I-C-E (rest, ice, compression, elevation). For more serious injuries, medical attention should be sought. Doctors might recommend various courses of treatment from physical therapy, cast, brace, or splint. Acupuncture can be part of an overall rehabilitation plan for those recovering from sports injuries. It helps to improve circulation, reduce inflammation, and increase range of motion, thereby speeding up the healing process.
While it is not uncommon for injuries to occur with exercise or sports play, most physical activity is safe for almost everyone. In addition, the health benefits and increased sense of well-being greatly outweigh the risk of injury.
https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/22093-sports-injuries
