Did you know that high school athletes account for an estimated 3 million injuries each year and that most of these injuries occur during practice? Contact sports such as football can be expected to result in a higher number of injuries than a non-contact sport such as swimming. However, all sports have a potential for injury, whether from the trauma of contact with other players or overuse/misuse of a body part. The most common sports injuries affecting high school athletes include the following:

Achilles tendonitis: The Achilles tendon is located on the back of the ankle and can become inflamed when overused, leading to pain and difficulty with running or jumping.

Concussion: A concussion is a brain injury that normally results from a blow to the head.  A concussion can lead to difficulty with balance, concentration, or vision; dizziness; headaches; and nausea.   

Groin strain: The groin muscles are located on each side of the body where the belly meets the legs.  A groin injury may be the result of a direct blow or a fall where the leg is turned into an abnormal position.

Shin splints: Shin splints are the inflammation of the muscles that surround the inner shinbones.

Lower back pain: Lower back pain occurs in any area below the ribs and above the legs.  This area bears most of the body's weight, so it is easily injured when you lift, reach, or twist.

Pulled muscle: A pulled muscle occurs from overuse of a certain muscle.

Tennis elbow: Tennis elbow occurs when repeated movements in the hand, wrist, or forearm leads to soreness or pain in the tendon of the outer elbow.

Ankle sprain: An ankle sprain can occur from a blow or fall directly on the ankle or by twisting, jerking, jamming, or abnormally bending a limb. They can also occur from overuse of the area through repetitive movements.

Shoulder injury: A fall, direct blow, or abnormal twisting or bending of the shoulder can cause strains, dislocations, tears, and sprains.  Shoulder injuries can occur from overuse when too much stress is placed on a joint or tissue by repetition or overdoing an activity.  

Knee Injuries: Knee injuries include sprains, strains, tears, dislocations, and fractures caused by a direct blow, a fall, or an abnormal twisting or bending of the knee. Repeated activities can lead to irritation and inflammation of the joints and tissues surrounding the knee.

Thankfully, most of these injuries can be prevented with strength-training and/or proper preparation. To learn more about how to prevent these common injuries, make sure to tune-in next month!