As human beings we are extremely delicate and susceptible to injuries.
Weâre definitely not the toughest but where we lack in physical defense, we make up with intelligence and will power. As one goes about their daily activities or shall we call it living life, we always seem to find new ways of hurting ourselves.
Some people run into an accident, others play sports.
Regardless of the situation, we live in a tough world that can hurt us at any moment so it’s best to take good care of one’s health and body to live life to itâs utmost potential.
We will go through some of the common injuries incurred by people; whether it be an athlete or an average joe, and how to best go about treating it with the utmost positive results.
Table of Contents
Concussion
Also known as a mild brain injury, a concussion is the most common form of traumatic brain trauma.
The following symptoms can range from loss of brain function, as well as cause a variety of physical, cognitive and emotional symptoms. Some of these traits may not be recognized if the individual suffered a mild concussion or blow to the head. This injury is especially prevalent in contact sports such as Hockey, American football, Rugby, boxing etc.
Currently, there is an estimate of 3.8 million sports related concussions suffered annually in the US. Also, concussions may occur due to movement of the brain within the skull, which make most helmets generally useless in preventing the injury at high speeds.
As mentioned previously, there are three forms of symptoms that are associated with a concussion.
First is physical, in which the individual can incur dizziness, nausea as well as vomiting and even difficulty in balance.
Second would be cognitive, in which symptoms include confusion disorientation as well as having difficulty harnessing ones attention.
Finally, emotional symptoms may occur as well that range from arduous sleep patterns, even as far as distancing ones self and becoming difficult to reason with on a daily basis.
After all this you might be wondering what would be the most beneficial form of treatment for some of these symptoms?Simple, rest. Individuals who endure a concussion are generally recommended lots of rest both at night as well as some daytime sleep, until the symptoms dissipate.
Sprained Ankle
One of the most common injuries incurred.
This happens when the ankle twists or rolls either outward or inward; this leads to a tear of the ligaments that connects to the three bones that form the joint.
Sprained ankles usually occur when one changes direction sporadically or is jumping (especially sport related jumps).
Obviously there are preventative measures that have taken place to increase reflexes and to strengthen the muscle tissue.
A study in 2010 by Everet Verhagen on preventing ankle sprains stated one should focus on improving balance and coordination.
One exercise is as simple as standing on one foot and brushing your teeth then switching to your other foot.
Lower Back Pain
Everyone has gotten it at least once. Lower back pain is very easily attained, considering we live in a society where the majority of the time we spend is in a seated position.
Whether it is in your car, at work or at home, we spend most of our time seated and that sometimes leads to bad posture, which gives way to lower back pain. To make matters worse, stress and depression are other contributing factors as well.
Some of the more common symptoms are dull or sharp pains, sometimes-even muscle spasms.
Prevention is simple; strengthen your core.
Abdominal as well as back extensions are beneficial. If your stuck working a job that requires you to sit all day, then 15 min of stretching should be a priority, to avoid lower back pain.
Runners knee
Like the name states, this injury is most common with runners. It usually strikes individuals who walk, bike, jump and obviously run. The pain usually stems around the kneecap.
This can occur in a variety of ways. Constant bending as well as overstretching, falling on your knee directly. Weak thigh muscles commonly lead to this issue for runners.
Symptoms:
Swelling
Popping and or grinding in the knee
Pain around your kneecap
Pain when you bend your knee
One of the obvious treatments is resting the damaged knee as much as possible; ice will help reduce pain and swelling.
Elevate your knee by placing a pillow under it when lying down. Stretching and strengthening exercises will help alleviate the pain if the injury is not too serious.
Finally, some anti-inflammatory agents can help soothe the pain.
Achilles Tendinitis
An irritation and inflammation of the tendon that is located in the back of your foot.
Itâs a fairly common injury for individuals who exercise and or play sports on a recreational level. The name obviously derives from the Achilles tendon and is very painful when hurt.
Both lack of flexibility, as well as over-pronation are the most common mainsprings of this injury.
Age plays a factor as well; since we get older our tendons become more rigid and less flexible. Therefore, you are more prone in getting Achilles Tendonitis with age.
Also, a recent change in footwear could spark the problem, as well as long-distance runners having a high risk.
Symptoms include swelling of the tendon itself, as well as thickening or stiffness; all of which take several months to heal.
Luckily preventing it is not difficult.
Simply focus on exercises that strengthen your calf muscle and stretch the tendon as well.
One common way is to stand on a step with a very slightly raised platform with your heels hanging. Raise your heel then slowly go back down to starting position and repeat.
Remember to not overdue it or it might defeat the purpose of the exercise.
Hamstring Strain
Firstly, hamstring strains can occur without exercising or playing sports, due to a weak form and imbalances of strength.
So what is a Hamstring Strain you ask?
Simple, itâs when the muscle fibers are put under stress and tear or excessively stretch. The hamstring is an important component to your bodyâs movement; from bending to straightening your knees/legs as well as controlling movement from the hip.
Some of the symptoms to look out for are as follows:
Excessive and or sharp pain in the back of the leg
Swelling and or bruising
Pain when attempting to stretch or contract the muscle.
Prevention can be found through a couple of different exercises, as well as strengthening ones quads.
As stated by the British journal of sports medicine in 2009, they found that sprinters whose quads were twice as strong as their hamstrings were seventeen times more prone to strain their hamstring.
Some of these exercises will help develop the muscle and help protect from injury.
Nordic Curls
Deadlifts
Exercise Ball Hamstring Curls
These are some great starters to help build strength to avoid injury as previously mentioned. Donât overdue it as everything should be taken in steps, and slowly increase reps as you feel stronger.
Overall the focus was to help illuminate some of the most common injuries that occur to all kinds of people; from professional athletes to recreational weekend runners.
We are all very much susceptible to some of these injuries and itâs important to be aware when we are hurt as to not aggravate the issue into permanent damage or something worse.
It’s important for one to eat right and exercise to have a healthier and higher quality life. Not only will you strengthen your body but also mentally you will be more confident in your everyday abilities and feel better about yourself as a whole.
Be cautious, be aware of your body, so you can avoid some of these injuries and/or be able to treat them respectively for optimal healing and no further damage.
Health by choice, not by chance.
-David Aston
