Perhaps you are a professional, or indeed potentially professional, athlete and are looking into ways to protect yourself from injury during training sessions. Alternatively, maybe you simply love playing sports for your local town and enjoy a kickabout with friends at the weekend.
No matter the level at which you engage in sporting activities, injuries are so common that there is now a dedicated career path which solely concentrates on treating people with aches, pains, and breaks caused by playing sports. Continue reading for a guide on the most common sporting injuries.
Tennis Elbow
Tennis elbow is essentially when the individual tendons within your elbow weaken and eventually degenerate over time, and is so-called because it is usually caused by repetitive strokes with the backhand, such as in the sport of tennis.
Usually, a person over the age of thirty will be more susceptible to tennis elbow and it is absolutely crucial for anyone who even suspects that they have tennis elbow to rest immediately. An icepack wrapped in a towel or flannel over the area will also help to reduce further inflammation before your doctor prescribes anti-inflammatory medicines.
Back Pain
Naturally, virtually all sporting activities involve the use of and stretching of the back, resulting in increased pressure on this area of the body, and this is why back pain, varying from minor to severe, is exceedingly common amongst athletes.
Sometimes, athletes can even experience more permanent afflictions, such as a spinal cord injury and it is therefore absolutely imperative that if you suffer a jolt or hit to the back or spine, you seek immediate medical attention.
ACL Tear
The ligament which connects the shinbone just below the knee and your thighbone is called the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) and any sudden movements puts the body at risk of developing an ACL tear.
ACL tears are usually of a serious nature and medical attention should be sought immediately after any injury to this region of the body. Common signs that a person has indeed suffered an ACL tear include instantaneous swelling, intense pain, and a cracking or popping sound.
Sciatica
You may well already be familiar with the term ‘sciatica’ and hopefully it is not your own body that has contracted this painful and often debilitating disease.
Essentially, sciatica is a broad term which refers to anywhere along the path of the sciatic nerve where a person is experiencing aching and pain. Strangely, another sign of the development of sciatica is itching and discomfort along the nerve pathway as well.
The sciatic nerve extends from the bottom of your lower back, all along the body through your hips and pelvis, surrounds the groin area and buttocks, and runs down the inside of each leg to the feet. It would also be worth pointing out that sciatica usually only ever affects one side of the body and unfortunately, if a person develops a sciatica affliction, it is highly likely that they will suffer with repetitive outbursts through their life from then on.
