Sports injuries are very common among athletes and people who exercise. These are injuries that occur during physical activity and all active individuals have an increased risk of experiencing them.
They are classified as acute, chronic, or overuse injuries. They most often affect muscles, tendons, bones, ligaments, and articular cartilage.
When sports injuries affect:
- Muscles: these are muscle strains, ranging from simple muscle pulls to complete ruptures.
- Ligaments: these are sprains, involving partial or complete ligament tears.
- Tendons: these include acute or chronic tendinitis and tendon ruptures.
- Articular cartilage: this includes chondropathy ranging from cartilage softening to full-thickness tears.
- Bones: these include bone bruises, fractures, and stress fractures.
Other common injuries include:
- Meniscus tears in the knee
- Iliotibial band syndrome, commonly seen in runners
- Plantar fasciitis
- Periostitis
Less common but more serious injuries affect the head (e.g., concussion), face, and spine.
Causes of Sports Injuries
The most frequent causes are accidents, poor technique, inappropriate sports equipment, insufficient warm-up, and overtraining.
Diagnosis
Diagnosis is made after an examination by a specialized Orthopedic Surgeon – Sports Medicine physician and may require special tests such as X-rays, ultrasound, or MRI.
Treatment
Treatment depends on the type of injury. The usual initial management includes rest, ice therapy, compression, and elevation of the limb to reduce symptoms, hematoma, and inflammation. Anti-inflammatory medication may be prescribed if deemed necessary by the doctor.
If symptoms persist, physical therapy may be used in the early stages to reduce acute symptoms, followed by a rehabilitation program with stretching, strengthening exercises, and sport-specific training to help the athlete return to the same level of activity.
Also, any predisposing factors that led to the injury should be identified and corrected.
Advanced Biological Therapies
The use of newer biological treatments such as Platelet-Rich Plasma (PRP) and stem cells has helped sports injuries to be treated more effectively, enabling athletes to return to their sport faster with less morbidity and lower risk of recurrence. These treatments do not use drugs or foreign substances and are fully compatible with the body and compliant with the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) regulations.
Surgery
Depending on the severity of the injury, the joint involved, the ligament or tendon damaged, and the instability or weakness caused, surgery may be necessary—especially in cases where conservative treatment has failed, resulting in chronic instability or intra-articular damage. Advanced arthroscopic and minimally invasive techniques aid in specialized treatment and faster return to sports activities.