Sports injury is a description of condition rather than the patient. These injuries are very commonly seen in average population who are not athletes or involved in sports.
A sports injury is an injury sustained to the body during the practice or competition of an athletic event—be it a recreational game, organized amateur event, professional competition, practice, or physical activity. The injuries may affect the bones, muscles, ligaments, tendons, or other body parts, and they range from mild sprains to severe fractures.
Sprains and Strains: These are among the most common sports injuries. A sprain is the stretching or tearing of ligaments—the tissues that connect bones to each other; a strain is a similar injury to muscles or tendons.
Fractures: A fracture is a break in the bone. These types of injuries can sometimes occur as high-impact contact or falls, like in the case of football or basketball.
Tendonitis: Most often, this condition results from tendon overuse. For example, tennis or running may end in tennis elbow or Achilles tendonitis.
Dislocations: A dislocation occurs when a bone is displaced from its original position in the joint. It is common in contact sports but can also happen in gymnastics and while cycling.
It may appear that a sports injury is an injury related to athletes; in reality, this is not the case. Basically, anything with physical activity—one from jogging on weekends to biking around—can lead to a sports-related injury. Even such activities as gardening, yoga, or playing with children can result in injuries that are typically classified as “sports injuries.”
Office workers: Repetitive strain injuries (RSIs), such as carpal tunnel syndrome, may happen and are the kinds of injuries faced by white-collar employees if they get involved in regular fitness routines without proper stretching or ergonomics.
Children and Adolescents: School-going or playground kids participate in sports activities hence prone to sports injuries as they are still undergoing body development.
Elderly: With aging, the bone density and muscle mass decrease, making it more vulnerable to sports injury in case one does not prepare with due diligence for physical activity
Most injuries just require rest and short course of medication for alleviation of symptoms. This is followed by an exercise program to regain strength and function and prevent further injuries.
Major sports injuries might lead to long term consequences and decreased function and mobility, and they may require surgeries followed by rigorous rehab.
Most surgeries are arthroscopic surgeries, but few injuries require a more direct and open approach for better outcome. The decision to operate and the nature of surgery depends upon – nature and duration of injury, severity, activity level of the patient. A through physical exam coupled with relevant high quality radiological investigation is required.
Major Sports Injuries
ACL Injury
PCL Injury
MCL Injury
Meniscal Injury
Tendinitis
Cartilage loss
Rotator cuff Injury
Recurrent shoulder dislocations
Impingement
SLAP tear
Throwing shoulder pain