Brief Guide to Common Sports Injuries

Although there’s quite a few different injuries that you could face as a sports man or woman, they're often easily treatable and shouldn’t put you off exercising. They’re an almost inevitable consequence of the demands exercise puts on your body, no matter whether you play sports professionally or just to keep fit.

Some injuries are much more common than others, and knowing what to expect and the kind of treatment that’s needed will help you prevent injury and enjoy pain-free sporting fun.

If you have been injured, it’s always best to seek professional advice and treatment before returning to exercise.

Strains

Fatigue, lack of flexibility or just not warming up properly can lead to pulled muscles, which in turn can cause bruising. The most common areas affected are the calf, the groin and the hamstring at the back of the thigh.

Don’t exercise until free of discomfort, and when returning to exercising, gradually increase the intensity of the activity, rather than start hard and fast.

Stretching properly before and after exercise is the best way to avoid muscle strains, which can be cured by a course of rest, ice packs, compression and elevation – sometimes known by the acronym RICE, combined with gentle stretching and anti-inflammatory drugs, such as ibuprofen.

Don’t exercise until you're free of discomfort, and when returning to sport, gradually increase the intensity of your activity, rather than starting hard and fast.

Tendonitis

This is caused by the overuse of a tendon, or by a strain or tear, and is most common at the back of the ankle, in the Achilles tendon.

Redness, swelling and restricted movement can become chronic if left untreated or if you exercise before recovering fully.

RICE, anti-inflammatory painkillers and strengthening the surrounding muscles – such as the calf muscle for the Achilles injuries – are the best treatment.

Sprains

When a ligament holding two or more bones together is damaged or torn, this can result in swelling, pain and bruising.

This is a very common complaint and can be easily cured with the usual RICE and anti-inflammatory medication. However, avoid too much rest. After a day or so, move the affected area gently to keep blood circulating, which will help reduce swelling more quickly.

Tennis elbow

Tennis elbow and the similar golfer’s elbow are two of the most common complaints among physically active people, accounting for around per cent of all sports injuries.

The main symptom is pain caused by the degradation of tendons as a result of repetitive movement, such as swinging a racquet or club. The tennis-related version tends to be on the outside of the elbow, while the golfers’ variety is usually on the inside.

Exercises to strengthen the forearm – such as wrist curls – will help prevent this problem, as will wearing an elbow brace and improving your swing. For mild cases, RICE and anti-inflammatory drugs will be enough to heal your injury, while physiotherapy and an extended period of rest may be necessary to cure acute cases.

Concussion

Blurred vision, dizziness, nausea and loss of balance are just some of the symptoms of concussion, which is probably the most common head injury among sports men and women – especially those who take part in contact sports such as boxing, rugby and football.

Rest – sometimes for weeks or months – is the only cure and avoiding contact sports is the only prevention. A further head injury while concussed may lead to other problems, including second-impact syndrome, which can be fatal.

Protective headgear is advisable whenever possible.

Shin splints

People who aren’t used to regular exercise, or who do a lot of running or high-impact jumping often suffer from shin splints. Wearing inadequate training shoes or increasing the intensity of your workout too quickly can also lead to pain caused by inflammation of the muscles surrounding the shinbone, leading to tingling and pain.

Exercising when you have shin splints could put you at risk of suffering a stress fracture to your shinbone.

The ideal way to prevent shin splints is to wear good quality training shoes, increase your workout programme gradually and avoid exercising beyond your capabilities.

Rest, ice packs, anti-inflammatory medication and stretching are the best cures.

Runner’s knee

Repeated impact on hard surfaces can lead to a variety of aches and pains in your knee that are often grouped under the category “runner’s knee”. Most common is a swelling at the back of the kneecap called chondromalacia, which can lead to a grating sensation. It can be a problem not only for runners but also for cyclists, swimmers, footballers and people who take part in high-impact aerobics.

The best ways to avoid the complaint is to wear good quality training shoes, make use of softer running surfaces – such as sprung indoor tracks or grass – and warm up well before exercising.

RICE and anti-inflammatory painkillers are the best treatment. Once you begin exercising again, put an ice pack on your knee for 20 minutes afterwards.

Jogger’s nipple

Chafing of clothing against the skin can cause this friction injury, which leads to dermatitis – characterised by itchy or sore, red, flaky skin – around the nipple. The problem isn’t restricted to joggers – anyone who does a lot of running, such as footballers, for example, can fall victim.

A good sports bra is the best prevention for women, while men will have to make do with putting a product like Vaseline on their nipples. Ointment containing hydrocortisone may help alleviate the issue.