Participating in one or more sports is a vital part of a healthy, active lifestyle — good for the heart, good for the respiration, good for building and maintaining muscular strength, etc. In a perfect world, only good would come of playing sports — but of course, this is not a perfect world. People move in the wrong ways, people trip and fall, people make sudden contact with the ground and with each other…and sports injuries commonly occur as a result.

1. 8 Most Common Sports Injuries

3. Participating in one or more sports is a vital part of
a healthy, active lifestyle — good for the heart,
good for the respiration, good for building and
maintaining muscular strength, etc. In a perfect
world, only good would come of playing sports —
but of course, this is not a perfect world. People
move in the wrong ways, people trip and fall,
people make sudden contact with the ground and
with each other…and sports injuries commonly
occur as a result.

4. That said, the risk of injury should obviously not
deter you from playing sports, but by being
aware of some of the most common sports
injuries, you can take steps to prevent them or
at least reduce the risk of getting hurt. Let’s look
at eight common possible athletic-related
injuries and possible prevention measures you
can take.

5. 1. Strains
Strains are by far the most common of all sports-
related injuries simply because we use so many
muscles and tendons when we exercise or play.
These moving parts are all susceptible to stretching
farther than they should, or moving in ways they
shouldn’t move, leaving them torn, damaged and in
pain. Common muscle strains include pulled
hamstrings, pulled groin muscles and strained
quads. Most strains are minor and heal naturally
with rest. The best way to reduce the risk of
strained muscles and tendons is to warm up and
stretch before engaging in strenuous activity.

6. 2. Sprains
Sprains are to ligaments what strains are to muscles.
Ligaments are the tissues that connect bone to bone. When
these ligaments turn in a wrong way, they can pull or tear.
Ankle sprains are perhaps the most frequent type of sprain
among athletes, followed closely by knee sprains, wrist and
elbow sprains, etc. Sprains can be painful, take longer to heal
than strains, and sometimes require immobilization to protect
against further injury. Pre-workout stretches and warmups can
help deter sprains, as well as practicing good technique in the
sport you’re playing. Sprains often leave the ligament weak
and susceptible to future sprains, so if you have a history of
spraining a knee or ankle, for example, it would be good idea
to support that joint with a brace while playing.

7. 3. Knee injuries
The knee is a very complicated joint, and it endures
a lot of impact and wear during most sports
activities — and for this reason, we’ve given it its
own category for possible injuries. Tears of the
anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) are quite common,
as are cartilage tears, dislocation and fractures.
Knee injuries can be painful and debilitating,
sometimes requiring surgery to correct. Again,
warm-ups, stretches and good posture can reduce
the risk of knee injuries, along with proper padding
and bracing (for instance, while playing contact
sports).

8. 4. Fractures
Impact and contact sports often lead to fractures of
the bone (mostly arms, legs and feet), all of which
can be painful, take weeks of immobilization to heal
and may sometimes require surgery to correct.
Fractures are an inherent risk with most strenuous
and/or contact sports, but you can reduce the risk
by wearing the appropriate padding, warming up,
working out to keep muscles strong and flexible,
practicing good technique, etc. Also, don’t “play
through the pain,” as sometimes the pain is a sign
of a strain or sprain that left untreated can make
the bone vulnerable to fracture.

9. 5. Tennis elbow
You don’t have to play tennis to get tennis elbow
(golf is also a common culprit). Tennis elbow is
one of several “injuries of repetition” — a
straining of the ligaments in the elbow due to
overuse and repetitive activity. The best way to
avoid it is to pace yourself. Take breaks, do other
activities, and always warm up and stretch
before playing.

10. 6. Plantar fasciitis
We’ve grouped these together also as injuries of
repetition because they are both related to
overactivity of the feet and legs, combined with
a lack of proper support. Plantar fasciitis is an
inflammation of a tendon in the arch of the foot,
causing sharp pain with every step.

11. 7. Back injuries
Your back and spinal column undergoes some
level of stress with almost every sports activity.
Over time, this stress may accumulate into
inflammation around the vertebrae and back
muscles, sometimes causing injuries to the discs
and frequently causing upper or lower back
pain.

12. Sometimes a sudden jarring impact may also
cause an acute injury to the back. Back
treatments vary widely depending on the
condition, ranging from rest to physical therapy
to surgery. The best way to reduce your risk of
back pain and injury is to keep your back
muscles strong and flexible with regular low-
impact activities, warmups and even good diet.