What Are the Most Common Sports Injuries?

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As its name suggests, a sports injury describes an injury that was sustained while playing sports or engaging in physical activity, such as jogging around the block after work or playing tag with a sibling. The most common types of sports injuries include:

Bumps and bruises are inevitable in life, but there are steps you can take to reduce your risk of injury while enjoying your favorite sports, including:

  • Avoid long periods of inactivity
  • Warm up properly before and after exercising
  • Wear well-fitting shoes and equipment
  • Use proper, sports-specific techniques (posture, stance, etc.)

Key Sports Injury Statistics

Sports injuries are incredibly common, especially among kids, teens, and young adults. Here are a few noteworthy statistics regarding sports injuries from John Hopkins Medicine:

  • About 30 million kids and teens participate in organized sports in the U.S.
  • Three and a half million sports injuries occur among these participants each year.
  • By far, the most common sports-related injuries are sprains and strains.

Additionally, the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) says:

  • Every year in the U.S., 8.6 million people ages 5 to 24 experiences a sports injury.
  • Males between the ages of 5 and 24 make up the majority of sports injury cases.
  • Lower body injuries comprise 42% of cases, 30.3% of cases involve the arms, and head and neck conditions combine for 16.4% of sports injuries.

What to Do if You Sustain a Sports Injury

Treatment for sports injuries vary considerably, but pain and inflammation associated with many mild conditions can be reduced through the PRICE method in the hours following the injury. This stands for:

  • Protect – Make sure the injured area is protected and immobilized.
  • Rest – Stop playing and take weight off the affected area.
  • Ice – Place an ice pack on the injury to help numb pain and reduce inflammation.
  • Compression – Gently but snugly wrap the injured area in a bandage to lower inflammation.
  • Elevation – Elevate the injury above your heart, if possible, to help reduce pain and swelling.

Be sure to promptly speak with a medical professional if a sports injury looks severe or causes significant discomfort. In the event that an injury causes loss of consciousness, fever, or trouble breathing, call 911 immediately.

Our Approach to Sports Injury Treatment

Tampa Orthopaedic & Sports Medicine Group is a premier destination for sports injury treatment. We provide world-class sports medicine services to adolescent, adult, and senior athletes of all levels, from tennis club champions to avid flag football players. In fact, our board-certified physicians Dr. Daniel Murphy and Dr. Arnold Ramirez serve on the medical staffs of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and New York Yankees.

If you’d like to consult with an expert about sports injury treatment, speak with the same physicians as our local pros do! Contact Tampa Orthopaedic & Sports Medicine Group today at 813-253-2406 to schedule an appointment. Our team is here to answer any questions you may have.