You Can Prevent Seasonal Sports Injuries

If you or your child play sports, injuries are a risk of the game. While it’s impossible to prevent all accidental injuries, many common sports injuries can be prevented. Knowing which injuries are most likely during each season can help your family be prepared. Summit Orthopedics can help people in the St. Paul area get started with sports injury prevention and treatment.

Types of Sports Injuries Common in Seasonal Activities

For high school athletes, the risk of injuries is highest in the fall, during football season for boys and soccer season for girls. Winter sports such as hockey and skiing are also a big source of injuries. Other sports, like wrestling, basketball, baseball, golf and volleyball also have high injury rates.

The types of injuries that affect youth athletes are slightly different than those that affect adults, but there is significant overlap. Some of the most common sports injuries include:

• Ankle sprains
• Bruising
• Concussions
• Dehydration
• Fractures, or broken bones, from impact
• Growth plate injuries
• Hamstring or groin strains
• Knee injuries, including tears of the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL), the tissue
• that connects muscles to bones in the knee
• Stress fractures from chronic overuse
• Tendon and ligament injuries, the soft tissues that connect bones and muscles
• Tendonitis and other overuse injuries

If you notice pain and swelling in a joint or muscle after practicing or playing a game but
were not directly injured, you could have an overuse injury. While ice or over-the-counter
pain relievers may reduce swelling in the injured area temporarily, overuse injuries need
rest and medical treatment just like acute injuries do.

Why Seasonal Sports Injuries Happen

There are three common reasons for seasonal sports injuries:

• Anytime you’re starting a new seasonal sport, you are at risk for injury. For example, if you’ve been inactive all winter before joining your spring recreational soccer league, your muscles may be out of shape. If you’re switching sports seasons, say, from spring softball to summer swim team, you’re suddenly using a different set of muscles more intensely. Slowly increasing your conditioning for the physical activity in question instead of jumping in quickly can help ease your risk of strains.
• The end of a sports season is prime time for overuse injuries, such as tendinitis and stress fractures. Pacing yourself all season long and ensuring that you cross-train in addition to practicing for your specific sport may limit the risk of overuse injuries.
• Summer and winter weather is another risk factor for sports injuries. In winter, people may fall on slick surfaces, while hot summer temperatures can contribute to dehydration and heat stroke. Being weather-aware, staying properly hydrated, and dressing appropriately for the weather may lessen your risk.

How to Prevent Sports Injuries

Planning ahead is the key to preventing many sports injuries. Steps you can take include:

• Always wear the proper equipment, such as helmets, knee and elbow pads, eye protection, and shin guards
• Avoid practicing or playing sports when you are injured
• Cross-train with other types of sports or workouts that exercise different muscle groups
• Drink plenty of fluids before, during and after exercise
• Eat a healthy diet that promotes strong bones and muscles
• Know your limits when working out and not pushing yourself beyond them
• Play by the rules of the game, even in practice
• Stay in shape in the offseason
• Warm up before practice and games
• Wear the right shoes for the sport
• Work with your coach or trainer to improve your form

If You Get Injured

It can be hard to take time off from the sport that you love, but continuing to play through the pain will only increase the chances of worsening your injury. Whether you have a concussion, an ACL tear, or an overuse injury, listen to your doctors about how long you need to stay on the sidelines. Depending on the type of injury you have, physical therapy may be beneficial in your recovery. A rehabilitation program may also help you learn how to prevent some kinds of overuse injuries in the future.

Summit Orthopedics Can Help Prevent Sports Injuries

One of the best ways to prevent overuse injuries is to talk to an expert before the season starts. If you or your child have experienced overuse or other injuries in the past, make an appointment with a Summit Orthopedics sports medicine specialist this off-season. Our staff can help you learn how to achieve your athletic goals with less risk of joint or
muscle pain.