Athletes play sports, and athletes get hurt. So what are some of the most common sports injuries? Let's take a look!

1. General Knee Injuries #commonsportsinjuries

According to studies, Injuries to the knee make up 55% of sports injuries. As a Sports Medicine specialist, Dr. Sterett obviously sees his fair share of these injuries. (Visit some of his posts on knee surgery to find out many of the specifics of how we treat certain specific injuries such as ACL and Meniscus Tears.)

We most often see knee injuries or patellofemoral syndrome (the kneecap moving against the leg bone, causing pain due to damaged tissue). Sports such as basketball, football, competitive running, and skiing all have their fair share of knee injuries.

If you are experiencing knee pain, consider resting and icing the joint. Here's a link to an article about what you can do to keep knee pain at bay.

2. Shoulder Injuries #commonsportsinjuries

Injuries to the shoulder comprise roughly twenty percent of sports injuries. Many of our favorite sports to play and watch involve heavy usage of the shoulder.

Serving a tennis ball, throwing a baseball, shooting a basketball, and spiking a volleyball are examples of common movements that result in shoulder injuries.

Common shoulder injuries include shoulder strains, shoulder dislocations, and shoulder separations.

3. ELBOW INJURIES #commonsportsinjuries

Tennis elbow (epicondylitis) is a condition caused by repetitive elbow motions that put strain upon the joint. Tiny tears in the elbow ligaments result in pain, either inside or outside of the elbow.

It is estimated that roughly seven percent of sports injuries are injuries to the elbow. These conditions are more likely to effect athletes who are over the age of 30.

4. HAMSTRING STRAINS #commonsportsinjuries

If you've ever watched an NFL football game or Olympic track meet, it's likely you've seen a hamstring strain at some point. When an athlete "overstretches" they can end up with tears in the tendons or muscles behind the knee.

Unfortunately, hamstring strains can take a while to heal-- sometimes between 6 and 13 months. During recovery, it's best to rest the injury as much as possible to increase the speed of recovery.

5. ACL Tears #commonsportsinjuries

A specific injury to the knee that Dr. Sterett sees often is the ACL tear. There are tons of links to education about ACL tears on this site, so we won't delve too far into it here. 

The ACL is also known as the anterior cruciate ligament, and it's one of the most important parts of the knee. In the past, we would hear ACL injuries referred to as "career-ending."

However, with advanced techniques and increased experience in dealing with these injuries, ACL tears that were once considered career-ending are now merely season-ending.

And that's good news for everybody.

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