From Contact to Chronic: The Full Spectrum of Sports Injury Causes
Sport injuries can have multiple triggers—in many cases, not even sports-related! From accidents to dehydration, causes may come from the most unexpected sources. When referring to bone injuries, poor bone health is also one of the main reasons your musculoskeletal system can be at more risk during performance .
Types of Bone-Related Injuries
Acute Fractures
Broken shins, ankles, and arms are all considered acute fractures, which allude to the sudden breakage of a bone, usually as a result of a traumatic injury, like a fall, big impact or an accident.
Although they can’t necessarily be avoided—or predicted—, having strong bones can guarantee you are at lower risk of having an injury of this nature.
Stress Fractures
As opposed to acute fractures, stress-induced bone breakage is caused by overuse rather than a single traumatic impact, which leads to a chronic condition that results in the fracture.
Avulsion Fractures
Sports injuries like avulsion fractures occur when soft tissue, whether it is a muscle or a tendon, exerts so much force that it tears a piece of bone away from its attachment point. They usually take place around the knee or pelvis.
👩⚕️ Learn more about Bone Health: Are You Taking Care of Your Bones?
Is It Broken or Just Bruised? Your Sports Injury Symptom Checklist
Sports injuries encompass symptoms like:
- Persistent pain
- Swelling
- Bruising
- Redness
- Stiffness
- Weakness
But here’s a reminder: symptoms are not necessarily exclusive. For example: at first glance, a red, swollen ankle may be just as likely to be a sign of a simple sprain as to be a fracture. This to show it is extremely important to contact your doctor immediately after suspecting you have a sports injury, so they can run the proper tests and diagnose you accordingly.
3 Ways to Avoid Bone-Specific Sports Injuries
1. Train with proper technique and equipment
Whether you are a high performance athlete or a beginner at any discipline, inadequate warm-ups, improper technique or lack of the right equipment can lead to severe injuries.
Creating specific routines, or seeking for a coach to lead your training plan are great ways to be mindful about how you are preparing your body for any physical activity.
2. Never neglect rest
Rest can be as important as exercise itself. Having a consistent sleep schedule and searching for recovery treatments appropriate for your discipline should also be part of your wellness habits.
People often attribute sports injuries to traumatic impact during the performance, and although it is one of the main causes, chronic conditions can also lead to stress fractures that are often associated with insufficient rest and recovery time.
3. Fuel and hydrate accordingly to your needs
Drinking water before, during and after physical activity as well as having a proper meal plan that sticks to your nutritional needs as a high performance athlete allows your body to be stronger, perform better, as well as significantly reduce the risk of any injury.
👉 Read more: Sports Injuries, all you need to know
Bench the Pain: Take the Next Step to Injury Recovery
Think you may have an untreated sports injury? Contact us at Arch Orthopedic & Spine to book your next appointment in an office near you. Dr. Ashford and his team of experts in Watkinsville, Georgia, will assess your injury and determine the most appropriate approach to treatment
