Most common sports injuries

Staying injury free is one of the most important things athletes must consider. An injury means many hours of training lost as well as an overall decrease in fitness and well being.

So what are the most common sporting injuries we should look to avoid? It depends on your activity really but here are the most common in no particular order:

1) Ankle sprains and strains

Our ankles endure a lot of stress in many sports. We rely on them to walk, run, hop and skip whilst supporting our entire body weight. For these reasons alone it's no wonder our ankles sometimes give way and roll which usually results in a tendon tear or stretch. Read our article on ankle sprain for more information.

2) Knee pain

The knee is pretty complex piece of mechanics which makes knee injuries pretty difficult to diagnose. Common knee injuries in sports are the twisting of the knee which usually results in knee sprain and bursitis of the knee which is caused by a single hard blow (perhaps from a fall) or overuse of the knee.

3) Lower back pain

We all have experienced a bit of back ache or pain once in our lives! There are many serious and non serious back injuries, most are caused by bad posture and weak core strength. The more we sit down on the sofa or at work, the less our core strength and balance is worked. This is why people that work at a computer all day generally complain about back ache. On a more serious note, a weak core and bad balance can result in a serious back injury when participating in dynamic sports or weight lifting.

4) Shoulder injuries

The shoulder is a complex part of the body and has the greatest range of motion of any body part. It is made up of four joints and five linked bone groups that are required to work together. Because of the complexity, the shoulder is prone to injury when used in sports. A sudden twist of the shoulder can lead to bad injury. Weight lifting and especially arm wrestling can damage the shoulder badly too.

5) Hamstring Injuries

Hamstring injuries are most common in younger athletes who are usually still in their teens. However, a hamstring injury in your early years can give you trouble for the rest of your sporting life. A hamstring injury can occur when you over-extend the muscle in the back of your leg. Warming up before sports is vitally important to prevent a stretched or torn hamstring. Stretching 3-4 times a week is also recommended for people with very tight hamstrings.