Sports injuries

Types of sports injury

Sport injuries can be acute or chronic.

 Acute sports injuries occur as a result of a sudden impact or awkward movement.

Examples include a cut to the skin or a sprained ankle.
 Chronic sports injuries develop over time, often due to continual use of the same
joints or muscle groups.

Chronic sports injuries can occur due to bad technique or occasionally structural
abnormalities, such as an inherited bone or muscle problem.
Chronic sports injuries should be investigated by a medical professional to determine
the cause and to prevent the injury getting worse.
Some common sports injuries include:

 sprains,
 strains,
 cuts and bruises,
 bone fractures and breaks,
 tendonitis (inflammation of a tendon),
 blisters, and
 head injuries.

Acute sports injuries, like cuts and sprains, are usually the result of accidents, such as a
sudden impact or an awkward movement. This sort of injury can be difficult to avoid.
However, many sports injuries are avoidable because they are often the result of:

 not warming up properly,

 poor technique,
 not using equipment correctly, or
 not taking the proper safety precautions for your sport.

Who is at risk of getting a sports injury?

Competitive athletes, such as sprinters, long-distance runners, gymnasts and rugby
players, have a high risk of injury due to the intense nature of their training and the
overuse of specific muscle groups. 
Children are also at risk of sports injuries because they are still developing physically.
For example, the female shape changes significantly during puberty (usually between
ages 10 and 16). As the hips widen, exercise can put pressure on different parts of the
legs and feet, which can sometimes lead to injury.
Sport specific injuries
The repetitive and aggressive movements used in many sports can result in a number
of different types of injury to different parts of the body. Outlined below are injuries that
are specific to some common sports.
Athletics
Runners are at risk of getting a variety of muscle strains, particularly to the legs, lower
back and lower half of the body. Ankle and ligament damage is also common, as well as
Achilles tendon ruptures and calf tendon tears.
The sudden movement and intense power required by throwers, such as shot putters
and discus throwers, can cause upper body injuries. The upper limbs, usually the
shoulders, elbows and wrists, are particularly susceptible to injury. 
Jumping events, such as the long jump and triple jump, can cause stress injuries to the
lower limbs and spine. Competitive athletes who participate in jumping events are at risk
of developing overuse injuries to the tendons and ligaments of the knees and Achilles.
Cricket
Head injuries are common in competitive cricket due to the fast bowling techniques that
are used. Bowlers are also at risk of getting back injury,side strain ,hamstring, shoulder
and ankle injuries. Knee ligament and cartilage damage is also possible.
Football
As football is increasingly becoming a contact sport, fractures, cuts and bruises are
common injuries. Other possible injuries include boot stud injuries, ankle sprains and
knee ligament and cartilage damage due to repeated twisting actions.head injuries also
occur in football.
Gymnastics
Gymnasts can develop serious injuries if their training is not properly supervised and
appropriate safety equipment is not used. In gymnastics, the body is often contorted into
new shapes, so injuries during training are particularly common.
Spinal injuries are the biggest risk to gymnasts. High-impact landings from substantial
heights can injure the spine, as can repeated hyperextension (backbends). This can
lead to the development of serious conditions, such as spondylolysis and
spondylolisthesis (damage to the vertebrae of the back). These conditions require
surgical treatment.
Racquet sports
Racquet sports include badminton, tennis and squash. Injuries are often caused by
players falling on to hard surfaces and include cuts, bruises and fractures.
Eye injuries are a particular risk during racquet sports, such as squash, where the ball
travels at high speed. There is also a risk of lower and upper body muscle strains,
particularly for competitive players.