Injury 101: A look at some of the most common sports injuries

An injury is the lingering threat in sports that nobody ever wants to happen. Unfortunately, it’s completely unavoidable under certain circumstances, especially in contact sports. Depending on the severity or degree, it can either greatly affect one’s performance or end one’s career.

La Salle’s athletes, in particular, have been struck hard by injuries this season, from Thomas Torres’ foot fracture last year to Ara Galang’s recent horrific knee accident. Some attribute it to
mere wear and tear while some say it’s just all misfortune, as it can happen to anyone.

In light of the recent mishaps, The LaSallian looks at the most frequently sustained major or minor injuries while doing athletic activities.

ACL Tear

The anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) is one of the four major ligaments in the knee. It plays a vital role in stabilizing the knee when pivoting and planting the feet, which is a very important movement when playing sports. When torn, it can take someone out of any sports activity for a period ranging from six to twelve months.

ACL tears occur when the said ligament gets overextended, usually felt as a ‘pop’ in the knee that is succeeded by sharp pain. Most are caused by sudden stops after quick movements, or when someone plants their feet in an awkward position after landing. It is prevalent even amongst non-contact sports such as volleyball and track and field.

Depending on the damage, some may require going under the knife immediately. Surgery is the only way to treat ACL Tears and it can be very costly.

Tennis Elbow

The lateral epicondylitis or tennis elbow is caused by overworking the tendons of the forearm connected to the outside of the elbow, which leads to elbow pain due to the inflammation of the tendons. It is closely associated to ‘golfer’s elbow’ because they have the same cause and symptoms, only differing in the location of the inflammation.

This kind of injury is not limited to tennis players, or even to players in other sports. Even simple activities that require strenuous, repetitive forearm motions can lead to tennis elbow.

In most cases, the tennis elbow’s development is gradual. A mild pain is felt at the start and will get worse over time when constantly used in strenuous activities. That is why the simplest way to treat this injury is to rest the arm. The use of tennis elbow straps is also advisable as it may help alleviate the pain. If the pain doesn’t subside after six months, the doctor would recommend undergoing a surgery.

Hamstring Strain

Hamstring strain is somewhat similar to ACL tears in terms of how this injury is triggered. For the former, the overstretching of the muscles behind the thighs causes the strain. As they get extended, tears form in the tendon or muscles, which worsen when untreated. Strains can also be initially felt
by a popping sensation followed by immense pain.

Causes can vary. But among the more commonly cited reasons would be lack of stretching before exercising. Not warming up leaves the muscles prone to sudden extension, which can lead to small tears. Injuries like this are very common among teenagers due to their growth spurt.

The good thing about hamstring strains is that they can heal on their own. Rest is advised for the meantime and icing the hurting area can help lessen swelling pain. Painkillers are optional but may be prescribed depending on the degree of the injury.

Ankle Sprain

Ankle sprain is probably the most common injury for both athletes and non-athletes. It is caused by twisting the ankle or, in tagalog terms, tapilok. By twisting the ankle, the ligaments around it are either stretched or torn. When this happens, swelling and maybe some bruising occurs.

The severity of ankle sprains varies. Oftentimes, people only get minor sprains. Pain is felt when the ankle is moved or touched, while recovery time would only take one night to as long as one week. When the sprain is more severe, walking or even putting some weight on it would be impossible, as the person would feel excruciating pain in the swollen ankle area.

After twisting the ankle, the best way to prevent it from worsening is to rest, apply ice and cold compress, and elevate it.

Shin Splints

After a quick run, some people may find their front bone in their lower leg suddenly starting to ache. This would be shin splints, a very common lower
leg injury sustained in any sport that requires intense running. Shin splints are one of the most prevalent lower leg injuries in the world because even slight stress to the tibia can lead to it.

It can be attributed to many causes, but is more correlated with the swelling of leg muscles that surround the tibia. Sometimes, it is the shin itself that receives damage in the form of small stress fractures that if left as it is, may lead to more serious bone damage. Flat-footed people are more prone to suffer from splints.

Much like other minor injuries, shin splints heal up on their own when rested properly. Icing the swelling area can alleviate the pain. The use of orthotics may help people with flat feet.

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Accidents happen and they may result to injuries whether we like it or not, especially in the field of sports. It is always useful to know a thing or two about these lingering injuries. Having knowledge on how these injuries are inflicted and how to treat them might help prevent people from getting these and making them worse.