Athletes and sports enthusiasts often suffer many different types of sports injuries. However, the top 3 sports injuries that occur are those that affect the shoulder, hip, or knee joints. For some reason, these parts of the body are more prone to injury than others.
Let’s take a closer look at the types of sports injuries that affect these joints, and why they take place.
Knee Injuries
Knee related injuries are among the most frequent sports injuries. Knee injuries may involve damage to the cartilage or ligaments, often resulting in aches, pain, and swelling. A tear or sprain of the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) is a common knee injury that can destabilize the knee. It is prevalent among athletes in sports like basketball and football. A meniscus tear is another common knee injury, which is the result of twisting while the foot is planted firmly on the ground.
Shoulder Injuries
The shoulder muscles are held together by the rotator cuff muscles. This group of muscles is responsible for shoulder movement. When the shoulder muscles are overused, such as often occurs during sporting activities like softball and swimming, the rotator cuff muscles may weaken and impair shoulder movement. Shoulder dislocation, strains, and sprains can also occur.
Hip injuries
A labral tear of the hip joint is one type of injury that often affects the hip joint. Symptoms include pain and stiffness in the hip that restricts mobility. Hip dislocation and a fracture of the femur bone are also common hip injuries. The hip tends to be more vulnerable to injury, because it bears a lot of weight.
You can learn more about these sports injuries and how to prevent them, by contacting orthopedic surgeon Dr. Frank McCormick. Dr. McCormick has offices in Miami, West Broward, Orlando, and Palm Beach. You can call (954)-640-6010 or (617) 803-5832 to schedule an appointment (click here).