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- Start Here
- Prevention and Risk Factors
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- Related Issues
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Summary
Exercising is good for you, but sometimes you can injure yourself when you play sports or exercise. Accidents, poor training practices, or improper gear can cause them. Some people get hurt because they are not in shape. Not warming up or stretching enough can also lead to injuries.
The most common sports injuries are:
- Sprains and strains
- Knee injuries
- Swollen muscles
- Achilles tendon injuries
- Pain along the shin bone
- Rotator cuff injuries
- Fractures (broken bones)
- Dislocations
If you get hurt, stop playing. Continuing to play or exercise can cause more harm. Treatment often begins with the RICE (Rest, Ice, Compression, and Elevation) method to relieve pain, reduce swelling, and speed healing. Other possible treatments include pain relievers, keeping the injured area from moving, rehabilitation, and sometimes surgery.
NIH: National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases
Start Here
- Common Sports Injuries (American Academy of Family Physicians) Also in Spanish
- What Are Sports Injuries?
(National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases) Also in Spanish
Prevention and Risk Factors
- Golf Injury Prevention (American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons)
- Sports Safety: MedlinePlus Health Topic (National Library of Medicine) Also in Spanish
Related Issues
- Exercise-Induced Urticaria (American Academy of Family Physicians) Also in Spanish
- Knee Bracing: What Works? (American Academy of Family Physicians) Also in Spanish
- Venous Thromboembolism and Marathon Athletes (American Heart Association) - PDF
Specifics
- Burners (American Academy of Family Physicians) Also in Spanish
- Chronic Exertional Compartment Syndrome (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) Also in Spanish
- Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) Also in Spanish
- Concussion (American Academy of Family Physicians) Also in Spanish
- Concussion in Sports (American College of Sports Medicine) - PDF
- Foot Health Facts for Athletes (American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons)
- Golfer's Elbow (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research)
- Hamstring Injury (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) Also in Spanish
- Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome (American Academy of Family Physicians) Also in Spanish
- Shin Splints (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) Also in Spanish
- Shoulder Impingement/Rotator Cuff Tendinitis (American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons)
- Shoulder Instability (American Academy of Family Physicians) Also in Spanish
- Sports Hernia (Athletic Pubalgia) (American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons)
- Sprains (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) Also in Spanish
- Stress Fractures (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) Also in Spanish
- Tennis Elbow (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research)
- Tennis Elbow (Lateral Epicondylitis) (American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons)
- Concussion (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
Statistics and Research
- Biomarkers Identified in Collegiate Athletes That Could Help Predict Time Needed to Recover From Concussion (National Institute of Nursing Research)
Clinical Trials
- ClinicalTrials.gov: Athletic Injuries (National Institutes of Health)
Journal Articles References and abstracts from MEDLINE/PubMed (National Library of Medicine)
- Article: Un "boxing" the reality: Knowledge, attitude, and perception of orthodontists, dental...
- Article: Sports-related fractures in the geriatric population at a level I trauma...
- Article: Epidemiology of Musculoskeletal Injuries in Golf Athletes: A Championship in Portugal.
- Sports Injuries -- see more articles
Find an Expert
Children
- Ear Injuries (For Parents) (Nemours Foundation) Also in Spanish
- Sever's Disease (Nemours Foundation) Also in Spanish
Teenagers
- Ankle Sprains (Nemours Foundation) Also in Spanish
- Dealing with Sports Injuries (Nemours Foundation) Also in Spanish
- Heads Up to High School Sports (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
- Jumper's Knee (Patellar Tendonitis) (For Parents) (Nemours Foundation) Also in Spanish
- Quadriceps Contusion (Nemours Foundation) Also in Spanish
- Runner's Knee (Nemours Foundation) Also in Spanish
- Sports and Concussions (Nemours Foundation) Also in Spanish
Men
- Testicular Injuries (Nemours Foundation) Also in Spanish
Patient Handouts
- Achilles tendon repair (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
- Back pain and sports (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
- How to avoid exercise injuries (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
- Medial epicondylitis - golfer's elbow (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
- Returning to sports after a back injury (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
