What are the most common Fall sports injuries?
School may have just started on Long Island, but fall athletics are in full swing! Whether your student athlete is running track, dominating the soccer field or suiting up for football, as a parent, the fear of injury is never far from your mind. At The Central Orthopedic Group we often see sports injuries that have occurred when your student athlete hasn’t properly warmed up prior to play, or as the result of poor training, lack of equipment, or just an everyday accident. Injuries can range from minuscule to very serious, with some injuries going so far as requiring a surgical repair.
Take a look at the 5 Most Common Sports Related Injuries that we encounter from student athletes.
1. Sprains & Strains
As far as sports injuries go, these are the most common, and can occur in anyone, regardless of physical activity. Sprains occur when your ligament, which is the band of tissue that attaches bones to other bones, is torn or overstretched. Sprains most commonly occur in wrists, ankles or knees. Strains are also referred to as “pulled muscles”, and occur when the fibers within a muscle or a tendon are stretched too far, or tear. Both sprains and strains can range from minor to very severe.
2. Knee Injuries
More than 5 million patients each year visit an orthopedic surgeon for knee issues. Injuries can range from minor (runner’s knee or tendonitis), to severe (serious damage to ligaments and cartilage).
3. Shin Splints
Typically shin splints describe pain felt along the tibia, usually at the front of the lower leg, although sometimes pain can also occur in the foot and ankle. Runners are often plagued with shin splints, particularly when they run on a hard surface. lack of proper technique or warm up time can contribute to shin splints, as can running shoes with bad support or having flat feet.
4. Broken Bones
Broken bones, or fractures, are a fairly common sports related injury. An acute fracture is caused by a one-time injury while a stress fracture is caused by repeated stress over time to a particular bone. Bone injuries can range from small cracks to complete breaks, depending on the severity, and could require surgery to repair.
5. Dislocations
When force or extreme pressure is placed on bones, a joint can be pushed out of alignment. Dislocations often occur in contact sports like football, or with physical activities involving excessive stretching or chance of falling. Typically, a dislocation requires medical attention and will be treated as an emergency case. A major concern with dislocations is not just putting the bone back in place, but ensuring that the connective tissues surrounding the joint have not experienced severe damage.