Being involved in a sport is a great way to live a lifestyle that is healthier and more active. It is good for respiration, your heart, muscular strength, and so much more. The problem is you cannot simply think about the advantages and benefits. You have to be prepared for what might go wrong.

While in some cases you could rely on many different things to improve your health, including things like astrology, when it comes to sports, knowledge is what will help you the most. So, here are the most common sports injuries you need to be aware of.

Strains

These are the most common sports injuries you could have and they appear because we naturally use numerous tendons and muscles as we play or exercise. Such moving parts are very susceptible to ending up stretching much more than possible. They can also move in unnatural ways. Both of these would lead to damage in the form of strains.

The most common muscle strains affect your hamstrings, quads, and groin muscles. Fortunately, they are usually minor and will heal in time. However, this is only if you do rest while you recover.

Sprains

Muscle strains affect muscles and sprains affect ligaments, which are tissues connecting bones. As the ligaments will turn in the wrong direction, they can end up torn or pulled.

The most frequent sprains are those affecting your ankles. Then, we should be aware of wrist sprains, elbow strains, and knee sprains.

Remember that sprains are painful and will take more to heal when compared to strains. Sometimes, immobilization is needed to protect from extra injuries.

Knee Injuries

Your knee is a complicated joint. It has to deal with so much wear and impact as you do sports. This is why we need to look at injuries affecting them as a separate category.

The common injuries to be aware of are ACL (anterior cruciate ligament) tears. Then, there are also fractures, dislocations, or cartilage tears.

Most knee injuries are debilitating and painful. Sometimes, you need surgery to recover. To avoid knee injuries, it is vital that you have the best possible posture while you do sports and you need to go through very good warm-up and stretching routines.

Fractures

Contact and impact sports can result in bone fractures (usually to feet, legs, and arms). All of these are quite painful and will take weeks to recover from. Sometimes, surgery is needed.

In order to reduce fractures risk, you need to properly warm up, use good technique, and keep your muscles flexible and strong. Make sure you do not play through your pain. A sprain or a strain can easily make the bone more vulnerable to a fracture when not properly treated.

Tennis Elbow

Although the name implies it, you do not need to play a game of tennis to get this injury. In fact, the most common sport that causes it is golf. Simply put, tennis elbow means you are injured because of repetitive motions. Elbow ligaments are strained due to repetitive activity and overuse. Pace yourself so you do not end up with such an injury.

Related:How To Diagnose Elbow Pain