What Are The Most Common Knee Related Sports Injuries?
The knee is the most important joint. It is even more true when it comes to sportspersons who have to perform well in various demanding activities. This post elaborates on major musculoskeletal injuries that are most common in athletics.
Knee-Related Sports Injuries
The following are major knee injuries in sports. Once any of these occur to the knee, make sure that the medical care is ensured on time or it might cause permanent disability.
Runner’s Knee: This condition causes knee pain around the kneecap (patella) and is an umbrella term for several conditions that can lead to such pain, i.e., anterior knee pain syndrome, patellofemoral malalignment, chondromalacia patella, and iliotibial band syndrome.
Overuse due to repetitive movements leads to this condition. Runners, hikers and cyclists are most at risk.
Fracture: A break affecting a bone is called a fracture, which often results as a consequence of an intense injury. Fractures are common during sports collisions and can occur to any of the bones in the knee, including
- The lower end of the thigh bone
- The upper head of the tibia
- The patella or the kneecap
Dislocation: An intense trauma is sufficient to result in the dislocation of the kneecap or the patella. Often a dislocated kneecap occurs along with other damage such as cartilage or other soft tissue ruptures.
Sprains: Ligament injuries are common in sports such as football, soccer, and basketball. A ligament injury is referred to as a sprain. There are three types of sprains, categorised as Grade 1, Grade 2, and Grade 3.
The first denotes mild stretching, while the latter two represent partial and complete tearing. Pivoting, twisting, cutting, and overextension lead to these problems without the right technique.
Meniscal Tear: Each knee has two pads of protective soft tissue and each such pad is called a meniscus. A hit, fall or any traumatising event during sports can cause damage/tear to the meniscus. Furthermore, such injuries often accompany a complete tear of a ligament.
Tendon Injuries: A tendon is a connective tissue that attaches a muscle to a bone. It is the second major stabilising factor in the knee after the ligament.
A partial or complete tear of a tendon is a severe sports injury with serious consequences. While mild stretching can be treated with rest and even physiotherapy, partial and complete tears are mostly managed with knee arthroscopy.
If an injury doesn’t heal with rest itself naturally, consult the best doctor for sports injury in Delhi or anywhere near you.
Other Musculoskeletal Injuries in Sports
Additional joint injuries that are also prevalent in sports are as follows.
Rotator Cuff Injury: The rotator cuff is a group of muscles and tendons that provide stability to the shoulder joint. Overuse or a sudden traumatic event can cause such injuries in sports. The tendon, muscle or bursa, a fluid-filled bag, becomes inflamed and hampers mobility.
Sometimes, a rotator cuff injury can be severe due to a complete tear of a tendon or a muscle.
Such shoulder injuries are very common in sports of tennis, baseball, weight-lifting, and swimming. These sports involvements require repetitive overhead motions.
Impingement: It is another shoulder-related sports injury. Reaching up repeatedly without rest causes tendons or bursae in the shoulder to rub against the shoulder blade or the scapula. This internal friction leads to tendonitis or bursitis. The condition causes pain and mobility restrictions. Swimmers are most at risk.
Instability: This is a condition where the shoulder ball is forced to move away from the socket, commonly known as shoulder dislocation. It can happen due to a severe hit or trauma. Loose connective tissues in the rotator cuff are the major risk factor.
Tennis Elbow: Excessive engagement in tennis or even other racket sports results in the overuse of muscles and tendons in the elbow. Micro tears and damage occur as a result of repeated movements. Consequently, inflammation causes restricted mobility.
Medial Epicondylitis: Golfers and other sportsmen who repeatedly use their wrists or press their fingers or hands tightly are most likely to develop this condition. It is a form of tendinitis (inflammation of the tendon) and is also known as a golfer’s elbow.
Leg Muscle Sprain/Injuries: A strained inner thigh muscle is called a groin pull. It is common among soccer, football, hockey, and baseball players. Other leg injuries related to straining of the muscles are hamstring strain and shin splints.
Ankle Injuries: Tendinitis and sprains are also common in the ankle during sports, especially those demanding for the lower parts such as the knee, the leg, the ankle and the foot.
If the injury doesn’t correct itself with enough rest and first aid, it can be serious and you might require intensive medical care. Thus, consult a foot and ankle specialist in Delhi or nearby as soon as possible.
The Best First-Aid Model for Sports Injuries
It is composed of four components such as rest, ice application, compression, and elevation. Follow these after a sports injury to reduce pain, discomfort and post-injury swelling.
Rest: Try not to move the injured part. Keep it still and in a comfortable position. Immobility is crucial for preventing the injury from becoming worse.
Ice: Take the ice pack and apply it to the affected area; 15-20 minutes at a time for every 2-3 hours after the injury.
Compression: Use an ACE bandage and compress the site of the injury. Neither wrap the bandage too tightly or too loose for effective results.
Elevation: If the sports injury affects a part below the wrist, make sure that you also elevate the injured part at the heart level while lying on the back. This technique is called elevation and it can be practised along with the above instructions.
Conclusion
This post has discussed various joint bones and soft tissue-related sports injuries. In short, an injury in sports activities either happens due to overuse or a traumatic event.
Athletes who try to overdo or are exposed to sports for the first time particularly suffer from overuse syndrome. In that case, they must ensure adequate rest for relief.
In case of mild trauma, follow R.I.C.E. immediately. In addition, pay attention to activity modification as well. When the injury is intense, ensure medical care as soon as possible.