Spring sports are on their way and along with sports, come sports injuries. Whether you’re a young athlete or a weekend hobby player, we’ll break down some of the most common springtime sports injuries and will offer some tips on how to avoid these injury to stay in the game.
Tennis
Tennis elbow is the most commonly known tennis injury. It is caused from the rapid and repeated bending and extending of the elbow while swinging the racket, leading to elbow pain.
Shoulder problems are also common among tennis players. This joint is essential for creating that overhand serve and for swing the racket; with repeated use, the joint breaks down and can lead to a rotator cuff tear.
Knee and ankle injuries can also occur on the tennis court. The jumping, sudden direction change and high heeled movements can lead to tendon issues, sprains and pulled muscles.
Baseball and Softball
Shoulder conditions are some of the most common among baseball and softball players, since pitching, throwing and batting all put a lot of strain on the shoulder. With repeated use, your shoulder becomes more prone to frozen shoulder, shoulder instability and tendonitis.
Hand and finger injures typically occur due to trauma on the field, such as impact with the ball or sliding hands first into the base. These types of moments can cause hand and finger fractures or sprains.
Pitchers are prone to a list of injuries that may not affect other players. Check out our blog Common Pitching Injuries in the Elbow and Shoulder to learn more about conditions specific to pitchers.
Soccer
It’s no surprise that the majority of soccer related injuries occur on the lower half of the body. Because of all the running, sudden stopping and direction changes, things like ankle, calf and knee strains/sprains and pulled muscles of the legs or groin are quite common. Stress fractures and shin splints are also a frequent occurrence. Not only does the physical act of running contribute to soccer injury, but so does the use of worn down or inappropriate footwear.
Golf
You may already be familiar with the shoulder and elbow pains that come with golfing, but did you know that back and knee injuries are also common from this pastime?
Back pain occurs from the spinal rotation during your golf swing and hours spent bent over to prepare. These bends and twists can lead to inflammation, muscle strain and even a herniated disc.
Knee injuries come from the torque in your golf swing. The amount of force exerted on the knee (typically opposite of your dominant hand) is great enough to cause an array of minor to severe injuries. Torn ligaments, arthritis and tendon injuries are common among frequent golfers.
Prevention
Accidents happen and injuries are not always preventable. But you can certainly take some steps to reduce your risk…
Take a few light practice swings or throws! One of the key ways to prevent any of the above injury types is to warm up and stretch before engaging in activity. This loosens your muscles and joints, preparing them to move however you need them to.
Proper gear is also essential to prevent injury in any sport. Wearing the correct shoes, bracing, gloves and proper taping are important steps to take to reduce injury risk. In addition to wearing the correct shoes, ensuring that your footwear isn’t worn down is also key. Every sport is different so pay attention to the suggested guidelines on shoe/cleat replacement.
Give yourself some recovery time. Practicing and playing your sport for several hours every day is asking for trouble. It’s best to take days and even seasons off of sports or activity to give your body time to recover. This not only keeps your muscles fresh for the next time you play, but it also helps to reduce the risk of overuse injuries.
Most importantly, if you do notice that something isn’t feeling right, STOP. It’s always best to take a break and if necessary, seek medical attention so that the problem does not get worse.
