Common sports injuries, and tips for avoiding them

Playing a sport is a great way to stay fit. Whether followed for recreational purposes or played out at a competitive level, indulging in some form of sporting activity enhances physical and mental well-being, and improves your overall quality of life. However, injuries can occur during exercise or while participating in a sport, and in some cases the risks are considerable.

Browse the gallery and find out how you can participate safely in your chosen sport. 




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Golf

Risk factors: Players can suffer a condition known as golf elbow, an injury to the muscles that flex your wrist and fingers. Symptoms include pain and tenderness, weakness, and numbness or tingling. 

Prevention: A number of steps can be taken to avoid the condition including stretching, strengthening your forearms, and using the right equipment. 




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Mountain biking

Risk factors: Around 70% of injured bikers blame riding error for their injuries. Lack of upper body strength can increase the risk of losing control of your bike. The repetitive motion of cycling can cause knee injuries, or Patellofemoral syndrome, caused by the kneecap repeatedly moving against the leg bone.

Prevention: Give your bike and other equipment a pre-ride check before setting out. Always wear safety equipment e.g. helmet, knee and elbow pads etc. Look after your knees, and avoid wrist and hand injuries.  




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Gymnastics

Risk factors: Gymnastics injuries include wrist fractures, Achilles tendon strains or tears, cartilage damage, and spinal fractures and herniated discs. 

Prevention: Strength training and having a strong core, performing stretches several times a day, holding each stretch for 30 seconds, and mental training (overcoming fear or nervousness) all make a difference.  




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Football

Risk factors: The risk of injury associated with playing football is significant. Knee injuries (patellofemoral syndrome) are commonplace, as is groin pull. The high rate of concussion incidents and the risk of damage to the brain continues to be the focus of scientific debate. 

Prevention: Wearing the right gear is the most obvious way of avoiding injury. Keep leg, hip, butt, and core muscles strong. Stretch and hydrate. 




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Wakeboarding

Risk factors: A hard fall at a fast speed has the possibility to create all sorts of fractures or whiplash. Concussion and subsequent loss of consciousness is an obvious risk. Another danger in wakeboarding is the tow rope. If it tangles around the hand, the rope can easily slice off a finger or two by a violent tug as the boat starts moving.

Prevention: Wear a helmet. It may not look cool, but it could save your life. Keep your knees bent at all times. Exercise to strengthen your muscles, especially the quads, hamstrings, and calves.  




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Ice hockey

Risk factors: Concussion, shoulder separation, knee ligament injuries, and groin pull, are all risks associated with the especially athletic and physical nature of this sport. 

Prevention: Complete a proper warm up and cool down before and after your game. Stretch your lower back, hips, and groin. Wear proper protective gear designed for each position. 




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Cheerleader

Risk factors: Ankle and knee injuries, a high risk of concussion, and back injuries are all possible while performing stunts like lifting other cheerleaders above the head, and tumbling and dismounting while twisting and rotating.  

Prevention: Warm up before cheerleading practice, games, and competition. Don’t attempt a stunt if tired, injured, or ill.  




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Wrestling

Risk factors: Grappling comes with all sorts of danger, anything from prepatellar bursitis—the inflammation of the sac (bursa) located in front of the kneecap (patella)—to ligament injuries, skin infections, and cauliflower ear—caused by severe bruising of the ear structure.

Prevention: Use good-quality equipment, including mats, uniforms, headgear, and pads, at all times. Proper officiating can also prevent injuries.  




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Basketball

Risk factors: Sprains (ankle and foot) are the most common type of injury. Pivoting, running, jumping, and rebounding every which way places extra strain on the legs and hips, and there’s a high incidence of knee injury.

Prevention: Using proper footwear, making sure muscles and tendons are super flexible, and maintaining strength in the legs all count towards preventing injury on the court. 




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Running

Risk factors: Patellofemoral syndrome, also known as “runner’s knee,” is a common knee injury among athletes who do a lot of running. Shin splints—a shooting pain down the front of the leg—is another conditioned suffered by those who run regularly.  

Prevention: Wearing proper shoes, stretching, and knowing your limits can help prevent shin splints. Cross-training and adding weight training and ab exercises to your routine can all help to keep you on track.   




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Equestrian

Risk factors: Equestrian sports can cause death and very serious injuries, including long-term paralysis from spinal cord damage, and traumatic brain injury. 

Prevention: Ways of preventing serious injury include wearing horseback riding helmets that meet proper safety standards, checking and securing all riding equipment, and never riding a horse when you are tired, taking medication, or under the influence of alcohol.




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Soccer

Risk factors: Sprains and strains, often around the knee and ankle, are very common. A more serious injury is an ACL (anterior cruciate ligament) tear. Your ACL is a ligament that plays a vital role in stabilizing your knee. A complete tear requires surgery and physical therapy to heal in order to return to play.

Prevention: At the first sign of pain below your kneecap, you should decrease your running and give your knee time to rest and recover. Cross-training is an excellent all-around exercise option that can help avoid overuse injuries in your knee.




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Rugby

Risk factors: Muscular strains (especially quad strain) or contusions (bruising), sprained ankles, and head injuries, including concussion, are some of the injuries associated with this fast-moving and high-intensity team sport. 

Prevention: Avoiding injury is as much about practicing a balanced and structured training as it maintaining strength and flexibility. Wearing a quality, properly fitted mouth guard can prevent an unscheduled visit to the dentist. 




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Cycling

Risk factors: Crashes are an unfortunate side effect of competitive cycling, with broken bones and concussion a likely outcome. Spending too much time in the saddle can induce sciatica, a lower-back pain that reaches down into the legs. Knee pain and “hot foot”—a burning sensation, numbness or pain on the underside of the foot—are common.    

Prevention: Be aware of incorrect riding posture: get into the habit of keeping your back straight, and keep the elbows slightly flexed to stop “road shock” transferring to the arms and upper body. If your saddle is too high or too low, stress is placed on the knees. 




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Speed skating

Risk factors: Dislocated shoulders, contusion, cuts and abrasions, and pulled muscles are just some of the common injuries experienced in the rink. Overuse injury, particularly to the back, groin, and knees, can also occur. 

Prevention: Skates that do not fit properly contribute to a high number of skating injuries. Warm up thoroughly: 
cold muscles and ligaments are more brittle and prone to tears and injury.




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Cross country running

Risk factors: The most common injuries suffered by cross country runners are of the stress-related type—strains, sprains, muscle pulls, tendinitis, stress fractures and blisters, among other damage.

Prevention: Daily static and dynamic stretching keeps bones, joints, muscles, ligaments, and tendons healthy. Wear the right shoes and replace after every 482 km (300 mi).  




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Volleyball

Risk factors: Repetitive overhead motions make volleyball players prone to overuse injuries of the shoulder. They are particularly susceptible to finger injuries, and ankle and knee injuries are commonplace. 

Prevention: Strengthen lower back, shoulders, and legs. Use an external ankle support. Engage in stretching and light aerobic exercises.  




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Swimming

Risk factors: Despite it being an excellent low-impact sport, swimming at a competitive level can result in injury to the shoulder joint—more specifically, the rotator cuff—often due to lack of strength, stabilization, or flexibility. 

Prevention: Stretch and strengthen all three heads of your deltoids muscle. Always warm up and cool down.




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Skateboarding

Risk factors: Skateboarding is set to debut as a sport at the 2020 Summer Olympics. Inherent risks are high, with wrist fractures and facial injuries, such as a broken nose or jawbone, commonplace. Concussion is a real danger. 

Prevention: Wear proper protective gear. Stay in good physical condition by maintaining a correct weight and strengthening core muscles. Note that honed calf muscles are critical to balancing on a skateboard.




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Boxing

Risk factors: Boxers have died in the ring due to injuries received in competitive fights. Lacerations to the head and face frequently occur. But it’s the risk of chronic traumatic brain injury that has prompted many health professionals to seek a ban on boxing. 

Prevention: The pros and cons of wearing protective headgear is hotly debated. Otherwise, keeping skin well-hydrated with oils and lotions can help prevent lacerations. Frequent stretching and massaging of fingers can keep hands in healthy shape. 




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Sprinting and hurdling

Risk factors: Hamstring injury is common, and this type of injury takes a very long time to heal. The impact on joints is pronounced, as is cardiovascular strain. 

Prevention: Be sure to warm up before you sprint to avoid any health risks or muscle strain. Learn to override the competitive urge and stop when you are tired. 




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Martial arts

Risk factors: Bruises and sprains account for the majority of martial arts injuries, but more serious injuries including concussion, fractures, and arterial ruptures can occur. 

Prevention: Wear appropriate protective equipment. Learn the inherent risks with each style of martial art before selecting the one to pursue. Maintain a reasonable core muscle strength. Perform proper warm-up and cool-down routines. 




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Tennis

Risk factors: Tennis elbow is a condition that causes pain around the outside of the elbow. It’s clinically known as lateral epicondylitis. A repetitive strain injury, it tends to occur in athletes who perform frequent swinging motions.  

Prevention: In the first instance, try adjusting your form to take some of the stress off your elbow. Forearm-strengthening exercises can help alleviate the condition. 




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Baseball

Risk factors: Pitcher’s elbow, similar to that of tennis or golf elbow, results from repeated hard-slamming throws. Shoulder pull—an injury to the upper body—occurs from catching high balls, or from throwing a ball to base. And there’s always the chance of a black eye or broken jaw from an errant strike.  

Prevention: Flexibility is key for preventing back and shoulder injuries, sprains, and breaks. 




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Parkour

Risk factors: The UK was the first country to officially recognize parkour as a sport. Practitioners expose themselves to all sorts of potential mishaps. An ill-judged leap can result in foot and hand bruises, shin hits, knee and ankle sprains, and other assorted unintentional badges of honor. The risk of serious concussion is an ever-present danger.

Prevention: Tips include warming up beforehand, scaling your movements appropriately, and learning plenty of safe falling techniques. 




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Weightlifting

Risk factors: Lifting weights without proper training can result in severe muscle and joint damage. It can also cause spinal injuries and herniated discs. 

Prevention: Among other tips, always warm up with stretching and light aerobic exercise. Maintain correct posture and body positioning (form) to reduce the risk of injury at all times—proper technique is essential!




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Skiing

Risk factors: Inherent risks include changing weather conditions, avalanches, and snow conditions. From a physical point of view, ACL (anterior cruciate ligament) tears are very common. Shoulder injuries, such as dislocations, and broken legs are also frequently reported. 

Prevention: Keep arms forward, feet together, and hands over skis. Strong legs and suppleness improve from. Wearing a crash helmet can help protect the body from head injury, though as the sad case of Michael Schumacher illustrates, this is by no means guaranteed.  




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Lacrosse

Risk factors: Sprains and strains (e.g. hip flexor), head and face contusion, and wrists fracture are all injuries associated with lacrosse. 

Prevention: Knowing the rules and respecting the game helps. Stay in year-round shape, and on the day wear the right equipment. 




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Cricket

Risk factors: Both batters and fielders are at risk of rotator cuff injuries in the shoulder. Knee and ankle sprain are common. Contusions are caused by a direct impact to the muscle, usually caused from being struck by a ball. In extreme cases, this can cause concussion even when wearing a helmet.  

Prevention: Wear the right gear. Warm up and stretch before playing. Make sure you are adequately hydrated. Drink water, as a game of cricket can last hours!

See also: The toughest running races in the world.




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