Top 10 Sports Injuries & How We Can Help

Sports injuries are common in children and adults. There are hundreds of different types of injuries that are caused by sports. Some body parts are more susceptible to injury than others and the top three injuries make up most of all sports-related injuries. 

Let’s talk about the 10 most common sports injuries in the United States. Our team specializes in treating sports injuries and working on long-term solutions for these managing these condtions.

Common Sports Injuries

10. Achilles Tendinitis

When the Achilles tendon is overused, it can get inflamed and cause pain, known as acute Achilles tendinitis. If it goes untreated, the pain can become severe until the pain becomes unbearable. It’s most common in runners and track athletes who jump. 

9. Concussion

Concussions are injuries to the brain that are typically caused by getting hit in the head. It does not always mean a loss of consciousness. Symptoms include dizziness, loss of balance, headaches, and change in vision. They are most likely to occur in contact sports like hockey and football, but can occur in sports like gymnastics. 

8. Groin Strain

Muscles in the upper thigh become strained and cause pain. Strains occur when you quickly change directions while running, like in basketball or volleyball. Symptoms include swelling, soreness, and occasionally, bruising. 

7. Shin Splints

A shin splint is pain caused by inflamed muscles attached to the shinbone. Shin splints happen most often to people who are not used to exercising and not taking the time to warm up properly. 

6. Lower Back Pain

Lower back pain is very common in athletes – as opposed to people who live a rather inactive life. It’s most commonly seen in runners, golfers, and tennis players – athletes who put constant strain on the affected area. There are many types of back pain, and it is most common in people who do not stretch or warm up properly.

5. Pulled muscle

The most common pulled muscle are hamstrings. It can be caused by improper warming up, fatigue, and weakness in muscles. Pulled muscles are common in sports that involve a lot of running, like soccer. 

4. Tennis elbow

Tennis elbow is caused by tendons wearing down due to the repetitive motion of tennis strokes. The elbow can get inflamed and the pain can become severe. 

3. Ankle sprain

Sprains are common in athletes who play sports involving running, jumping, and making quick movements.  Quick movements can lead to twisting an ankle and even tearing in ligaments or tendons. 

2. Shoulder injury

20% of sports injuries involve the shoulder – sprains, strains, and dislocations. Shoulder injuries are common in any sport that involves motion over the head, like volleyball, swimming, and tennis. It’s caused by overuse of muscles and tendons that are around the shoulder. 

1. Runner’s knee

The most common injury is runner’s knee. This makes up for 55% of sports injuries and includes a variety of pains in and around the kneecap. Runners are not the only ones affected – swimmers, basketball, volleyball players, and cyclists have knee conditions when overuse causes the knee to inflame and irritate. 

Get the Help You Need from Common Sports Injuries

These injuries can be prevented by building up endurance and slowly increasing workout intensity as your fitness increases. Begin each workout or practice with a warmup and end each session with a cool down. Training correctly and learning the correct technique for each sport is important to minimize your chances of getting injured. Always wear proper attire and gear to ensure your safety and to avoid common sports injuries.  

To learn how the team at AOA Ortho can help you recover from one of these common sports injuries, fill out the form below.