Nothing’s more inconvenient to an athlete than a sports injury before, in between, or after a game. Even if you take all the steps to prevent it, it is out of your hands when you get hurt. Playing out in the field can make athletes susceptible to injuries. Therefore, it’s vital to know what to do when they occur. Proper diagnosis and treatment are needed to ensure a fast recovery.
Let’s talk about the ten most common types of athletic injuries and where you can go for athletic injury treatment in Baltimore, MD.
1. Mallet Finger Injury
This injury is more common in basketball players. But any athlete playing with a hard ball, like in football and volleyball, is liable to get this condition.
Mallet finger injury happens when something hard and with great force hits your extended finger. This physical trauma causes swelling, redness, bruising, and an inability to straighten your fingertip.
2. Golfer’s Elbow
Medial epicondylitis, or golfer’s elbow, occurs when an excessive force bends the wrist to the forearm. It causes pain from the elbow to the wrist. It can happen when pitching a baseball or swinging a golf club, hence its name.
This injury doesn’t just affect golfers. Serving in tennis with great force or using a tightly strung racket can cause it. Throwing a javelin can also result in this injury.
3. Pitcher’s Elbow
Even adolescent athletes get injured when playing out on the field. Pitcher’s elbow, or medial epicondyle apophysitis, happens due to the following:
- Over-repetitive throwing
- Over-head arm motions
- Racket use
Because their bones and muscles are still growing, this injury affects the natural growth of children and teens playing competitively.
Pain from the inner elbow is associated with this injury. The strong movement causes excessive strain on the tendons and ligaments of the joint. Despite its name, it can also occur in other sports, such as softball, volleyball, and tennis.
4. Rotator Cuff Tear
Athletes participating in rowing, baseball, softball, and tennis can experience rotator cuff tears due to repetitive shoulder movements. A rotator cuff is a group of tendons and muscles in your shoulder.
An accident or a fall that causes a dislocated shoulder or broken collarbone can also result in this condition.
Signs of a rotator cuff tear include weakness, pain, and a popping or clicking sound when moving your arm.
5. Fractures
Stress fractures from repetitive motion or prolonged impact are common in athletes. It can be the partial or complete break of the bone.
There are many types of fractures, and they all differ in where the break occurred in the body. It is associated with sudden pain, swelling, deformity of the injured area, and bruising.
6. Sprains and Strains
A sprain in the thumb is typical during a skiing injury or when playing racquet sports. A knee sprain is also likely when pivoting during physical activity.
There is a significant difference between a sprain and a strain. The bands of tissue that connect two bones are affected in a sprain. Meanwhile, a strain is an injury involving the tissue connecting the muscles to the bone or the muscle itself.
Symptoms of a sprain and strain include pain, swelling, redness, and limited ability to move the affected area.
7. Tennis Elbow
Tennis elbow typically results from the force of the tennis racket hitting balls when playing in the backhand position. The tendons used in this technique can become damaged during play.
A weak shoulder or shoulder blades and an improper backhand stroke can cause tennis elbow. This injury can also affect athletes in other racquetball sports.
The pain starts along your forearm and elbow that worsens over time. Lifting and gripping objects can also be painful when you have this injury.
8. Wrist Injury
An athlete’s hands are never still when playing a sport. Hitting a tennis ball and driving cross-country can result in repetitive stress and wrist injury. The sudden impact and falling forward to your outstretched hand can also lead to some damage.
These injuries from various sports have wrist pain in common as a result. Bowling, gymnastics, and snowboarding all have a higher risk of joint aches and injury.
9. Skier’s Thumb
Skier’s thumb is a typical winter injury. It happens when the ski pole plants onto an outstretched hand or thumb – causing a partially torn or ruptured ligament.
It can also occur when the equipment pulls against the hand and tears at the ligament. Symptoms of this injury include pain and swelling, numbness, and inability to move the thumb freely.
10. Shoulder Dislocation
In contact sports, a shoulder dislocation is more common than you’d think. A sudden force from playing football and hockey can pull the shoulder out of place.
Sports involving falls, such as gymnastics, volleyball, and downhill skiing, also have athletes who are susceptible to shoulder dislocations.
A dislocated shoulder can have these symptoms:
- Swelling or bruising
- Intense shoulder pain
- Deformed shoulder
- Inability to move the shoulder
Sports Medicine Doctor in Baltimore, MD
Our shoulders, arms, wrists, and hands are all vulnerable to injury when playing a sport. In Greater Chesapeake Hand to Shoulder, we can help you get medical attention and the highest quality healthcare you need to get back on your feet. Located throughout Maryland, our board-certified orthopedic surgeons open our doors to you for medical treatment exclusively in the upper extremities. Our sports medicine doctors have access to the latest technology and state-of-the-art equipment to ensure our patients receive proper treatment.
To know more, call us today at (410) 296-6232. You may also use our online request form to schedule an appointment with our orthopedic doctors.
