New Jersey residents who try to get in all their exercise over the weekend are likely to suffer from sports injuries. This is especially true of those who work in sedentary jobs throughout the week. Knowing the most common sports injuries can help you avoid succumbing to them.
What are the most common sports injuries?
Strains and sprains are the most common of all sports injuries. Sprains happen when ligaments are over-stretched or torn, and strains are tears in muscles or tendons that connect muscle to bone. Sprains are generally caused by overextending or bending of a body part while overuse is a common cause of strains. Other common sports injuries include:
- Pulled hamstring
- Tennis elbow
- Anterior cruciate ligament tear
- Pulled groin
- Patellofemoral syndrome from repetitive movement of kneecap on femur
- Shin splints
- Ankle sprain
Preventing common sports injuries
Though some personal injuries cannot be easily prevented, many sports injuries can be avoided by taking a few precautions. First, any workout should begin with a warm-up session to enhance blood flow and flexibility. This helps to prevent muscle strains.
Next, minimize overuse injuries by simply not overdoing it. If you haven’t participated in a sport for a while or at all, do not spend hours playing during your first time back. Ease yourself back into it slowly by only playing for shorter lengths of time. Likewise, do not increase weight or mileage in workouts after taking some time off of lifting or running.
Treating common sports injuries
If you suffer a sports injury, treating it immediately reduces pain and swelling. Restricting your activity, applying ice, applying compression and elevating the injured body part will reduce the time it takes for your injury to heal. It is important to seek medical attention if the pain is unbearable, the injury is discolored beyond normal bruising, there is excessive swelling or the joint or bone looks crooked or abnormal.
If your injury was caused by another person participating in the activity with you or a third party, you may want to seek compensation from them to pay for your recovery. A personal injury attorney may help you understand your options.