Staying active through sports is a fantastic way to keep healthy, but unfortunately, it can increase your risk of injury. From sprains and strains to more severe conditions, sports injuries can sideline your performance goals and affect your everyday life.
Fortunately, with the right strategies and habits, you can prevent many common sports injuries. Understanding how these injuries happen and taking proactive steps can help you stay in the game and avoid unnecessary setbacks.
Physical therapy at Eastside Sports Rehab plays an important role in preventing injuries and treating them when they occur. By improving your movement patterns and addressing muscle imbalances, you can stay active and reduce your risk of getting hurt.
Keep reading to learn about some of the more frequent sports injuries–and what you can do to prevent them.
Four Common Sports Injuries (With Prevention Tips)
Ankle Sprains
Ankle sprains occur when you push your ankle too far out of its range of motion and overstretch or tear the ligaments in the joint. Strengthening exercises and balance training can help prevent these injuries.
Prevention is especially important for ankle sprains because one sprain weakens the joint and makes you much more susceptible to future sprains.
Shin Splints
Shin splints cause pain and inflammation in the bones, muscles, and tendons along the front of your lower leg. They often develop due to overuse or when you start an intense new exercise program.
You can prevent shin splints by easing into new workout routines and ensuring you’re performing cross-training activities to address muscle imbalances.
Tennis Elbow
Despite its name, tennis elbow isn’t limited to tennis players. It’s caused by repetitive motions that strain the tendons on the outside of the elbow–such as the swinging motions common in tennis.
You can prevent tennis elbow and similar repetitive use injuries by warming up properly, taking frequent breaks, and strengthening the muscles in your forearm.
Runner’s Knee
This condition causes pain and discomfort in the front of the knee, around the kneecap. It’s often due to weakness in the hip or thigh muscles (which support the knee joint) or improper knee alignment.
Strengthening your core and leg muscles is essential in preventing runner’s knee. These muscles help you run with proper form while also removing pressure from your kneecap.
Preventing Sports Injuries with Physical Therapy
The physical therapists at Eastside Sports Rehab are an important ally in helping you prevent sports injuries before they can happen! Our comprehensive evaluations will assess your movement patterns, strength, mobility, and overall biomechanics, helping us pinpoint any impairments that could set you up for an injury.
We’ll also provide you with a customized program to address impairments, including targeted exercises, biomechanical corrections, and personalized strategies to help you safely participate in your favorite sports and recreational activities.
If you’re looking to improve performance and reduce the risk of sports injuries, call our Bellevue, WA clinic today to learn more about how our tailored physical therapy programs can support your active lifestyle.
