Sporting injuries are an unfortunate byproduct of playing sports and other strenuous activities. They can occur at any time to anybody, regardless of physique or age. An injury can range from the relatively minor, a twisted ankle or impact bruising, up to the more severe, a broken bone or a severe muscle tear.
Legs & Ankle Injuries
Muscle and joint related injuries are part and parcel of rigorous and continuous sports activities. High-impact sports such as rugby, football, squash and tennis can put an enormous strain on knee's and ankles. This can cause inflammation of muscles and tendons, leading to conditions such as Patella Tendonitis, which can cause long-standing discomfort if not properly treated. Likewise leg muscles, as with all muscles in the human body, are at risk from tears when pushed to their limits.
Ligament damage is also an occupational hazard in the sporting arena, particularly where joints are subjected to huge workloads. Ligament damage can be extremely painful and have implications for a good deal of time after the elongated recuperation period. High profile sports stars such as Michael Owen and Jonny Wilkinson have endured ligament injuries and have faced lengthy spells out of their respective sports. However, anterior cruciate, posterior cruciate and other ligaments can be torn or damaged at any level of sports and are often triggered by awkward trips and falls.
Arms
The upper-body and arms are also susceptible to injury particularly when playing racquet sports, cricket and a variety of physical sports. Just as with knees and ankles, joints in the arms and shoulder can also be put under tremendous pressure, leading to strains and tears. Tennis elbow (or to give its proper name, lateral epicondylitis) is a common injury in all racquet sports, caused by an inflamation in the ligaments in the elbow and leading to some discomfort. This, as with most inflamations, can be rudimentarily treated with either heat or ice.
Neck & Back
An injury to either the neck or the back can be extremely serious and can have some of the most long-standing implications. The neck is susceptible to injury in sports where physical contact is a regular feature, most notably rugby league, rugby union, Australian rules football and American football. More minor knocks such as strains and whiplash can be caused by sudden impact causing a jarring effect. These can be treated by keeping warm and supported, neck braces are particularly useful for this purpose.
However there are more severe repercusions for the more serious injuries like a slipped disk or broken neck.. These can leave you with months of recuperation and surgery, permenant damage, paralasis and in the absolute worst case scenario, even death.
Like the the neck, the back is an area of the body that is particularly at risk from serious injury. The spinal cord is protected by the vertebral bones of the back and neck, which, if damaged can have far-reaching consequences. Once the spinal cord is severed it cannot be repaired, meaning that long-term disability is an unfortunate possibility. Less-seriously, the back is also susceptable to strains in the muscles and tendons, leading to upper and lower back pain, which may require chiropractic treatment or physiotherapy.
Head Injuries
Thankfully head injuries tend to be fairly rare. They are mostly likely to occur in physical sports like rugby, football and boxing, and may be caused by accidental collision or sustained knocks. The most prevalent head injuries are primarily facial, focusing on the protruding features like the nose, jaw and eyes. Nose and jaw breaks require almost immediate attention as they are re-set and prepared for any further surgery that may be required.
More severe head injuries can occur as the result of a significant blow to the skull. Whilst the head is remarkably durable it needs to be protected from fractures of the skull, concussion and potential brain damage caused by huge impacts. In most sports, other than boxing, a head injury is usually caused by a heavy fall or a collision and is usually as a result of a freak accident.
In less serious cases the injury may only require ice to remove any swelling, or stitches to seal any open wounds. More severe head injuries may require surgery and will require that the injured party doesn't compete in serious competition for a certain amount of time. This was recently highlighted by the incident involving Chelsea goalkeeper Petr Cech, which left Cech with a fractured skull after a collision with Reading player Stephen Hunt. After surgery Cech was able to return to the game, albeit with head protection, after several months out recuperating.
Impact Injuries
The whole body is susceptible to impact injuries, particularly in contact sports and, to some extent, racquet sports and cricket. Whether colliding with a person or being struck by a ball or other sporting apparatus impact injuries can be extremely painful. They can often result in bruising, dead legs or swelling, which can last for several days. Pain can be reduced by applying heat or ice to the affected area and resting it for a period of time.
Fractured Bones
One of the more serious sporting injuries is a fractured bone. Human bones tend to be extremely durable, so fracturing a bone whilst playing sport is extremely unlikely. To break a major bone such as those found in the arms and legs requires a great deal of force, usually created from the result of a collision by opposing players. Recently smaller bones, such as the metatarsal in the foot, have become more high-profile due to injuries picked up by major sports stars. Whilst the bones are smaller and subsequently a lot more fragile, they still require extreme force to cause a fracture.
Treatment for fractured bones varies on the extent of the injury. Compound fractures are caused when the broken bone breaks through the skin. They are particularly serious due to the increased risk of infection and therefore require immediate medical treatment and a dosage of antibiotics. Closed fractures do not puncture the skin, but are no less serious. The healing process often requires splints or pins to ensure that the bone fuses back correctly. The broken bone is often put in a hard cast to prevent further damage and ensure that the bone heals properly.
Dislocation
Again, dislocation is an injury largely found in contact sports. It can often result from an awkward fall or an extremely hard impact of some description. A dislocation occurs as the result of a sharp blow that forces the bone out of the joint, it is most common in shoulders, knees and fingers. A dislocated joint will have to be put back in place during surgery and will require extensive support whilst healing. Once a joint has been dislocated it is far more susceptible to future dislocations, so it is wise to be particularly careful with any weakened joints.
Strains & Muscle Injuries
A strain occurs as the result of muscle fibres tearing caused by overstretching. A muscle strain can happen at any time, whether playing sport or doing the housework. Once a strain has occurred you will need to rest the effected area for some time, cooling with ice, wrapping the area to compress the wound and reduce the swelling and finally keeping it elevated.
Healing & Prevention
With strains the best cure is prevention. Whilst some strains are unavoidable, many can be prevented by ensuring that you do a thorough warm up before strenuous exercise. By making sure that all muscles are warmed up fully, they are far less likely to become strained or suffer a tear. Likewise warming down can also help prevent stiffness after exercise and allow you to get on with things after your sporting exertions.
Often sporting injuries can be avoided by using all of the appropriate safety equipment and any further supports for weaker joints. Ensuring that you have the correct equipment prior to participating in any sport is essential, as it allows you to compete fairly and safely. Joint supports provide additional safety for particular areas of the body that may be susceptible to injury or that you know are particularly weak; this may be ankles, knees, elbows or any other joint.
You can also reduce the risk of foot and leg injuries by wearing appropriate footwear. If you are jogging or playing racquet sports you might prefer footwear that offers good support to your feet and ankles, whilst also providing cushioning to prevent damage to the joints throughout your leg. Ensuring that you have the right amount of grip on your footwear and that it is sized correctly for your feet can also help prevent you taking a tumble or twisting an ankle. In physical outdoor sports such as football or rugby extra grip is produced by having studs on the base of the shoe. Likewise in golf, cricket and athletics smaller studs, or spikes, are used to ensure that the players don't slip and injure themselves during participation.