Athletes put their bodies through a lot of physical and mental training to get ready for their sport. It’s this kind of rigorous training that can cause injuries and sideline athletes for the season (or longer). Knowing how to treat an injury and how to avoid one in the first place is essential for all athletes. Keep reading to find the most common sports injuries that athletes encounter and how to avoid them.
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1. Ankle Sprains
Every day 25,000 Americans will sprain their ankle. It is one of the most common injuries amongst athletes and regular folk alike. An ankle sprain can happen during any sport and even during something as simple as walking down the street.
Treating an injury like an ankle sprain depends upon the severity of the sprain. There are three different levels of severity.
A grade 1 sprain involves minimal ligament damage. Grade 2 sprains involve partial ligament tears and ankle joint looseness. Grade 3 sprains involve a complete tear of the ligament and are the hardest to recover from.
To prevent this injury, you need to add ankle stretches to your exercise routine. Athletes might consider wearing preventive braces for additional protection before their game. Be sure to invest in proper footwear for your sport and the surface you’re playing on, too.
2. ACL Tear
The anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) connects the knee and the leg bone. ACL injuries tend to happen during sports with specific movements like sudden stops or changing directions. Basketball, football, and soccer players are especially at risk.
Recovering from an ACL tear depends upon the severity of the injury. Minor tears may only require some rest and rehabilitation for recovery.
More severe tears, however, often call for surgery for a ligament replacement. If your injury is quite major, the folks at https://sportsmedtexas.com/can help you get back on your feet again.
Athletes must strengthen specific areas of their bodies to help prevent an ACL injury. Include exercises that work the core muscles as well as the hips and pelvis in your workout regimen. Strengthen your leg muscles, especially the hamstrings, to help balance out your lower body muscle strength.
Again, proper footwear is essential in preventing devastating ACL injuries.
3. Concussions
Concussions occur when there’s a sudden impact on the athlete’s head. When this happens, the brain actually moves inside your skull and damages the tissues that hold it in place. What many people don’t realize is that concussions are a mild form of traumatic brain injury (TBI) and should be treated with care.
Concussions most often occur due to falls or blows to the body. Hockey, football, rugby, soccer, and basketball players are the most at risk of this injury.
The best way to prevent a concussion is to wear the right protective equipment. Headgear needs to be appropriate for the sport and fit properly.
Athletes also need to learn the right techniques and develop the skills necessary for their sport. Knowing how to avoid dangerous plays can make all the difference in preventing an injury.
Preventing Sports Injuries is Key
Not only do sports injuries sideline the players, but they can also completely take them out of the game forever. That’s why it’s so important to know how to avoid injuries in the first place.
Keep reading our blogs for more health and sports articles.