Young athletes train hard and push past their limits when being a part of a sports team. Continuous training to improve their performance and increase their chances of winning can put a lot of strain on their bodies while they are still developing. For this reason, they are more susceptible and prone to injury. This blog will discuss the common injuries among these athletes and the measures that can be taken to prevent and treat them as effectively as possible.
Shin Splints
This is an extremely common injury among athletes, especially those who run track or cross country. Shin splints occur frequently in runners because of the repetitive movement and wear of the lower leg. Some ways to prevent shin splints are
- Upgrade Footwear: Supporting your feet can provide support to the rest of your lower leg. This will put less stress on your shinbone and surrounding muscles and ligaments.
- Cross-Train: Cross-training helps reduce overworking a certain muscle group. Train different muscles at different intensities to avoid constant strain on the shins.
Some ways to treat shin splints if you are dealing with them are:
- Rest and apply ice
- Stretch the surrounding muscles
- Work with a physical therapist (scraping is a common treatment for those with shin splints)
Concussions
Concussions are extremely common in contact sports such as football, wrestling, or cheer. This happens when there is a collision that causes a direct impact to the head. It’s important to take the right precautions with concussions because they can cause major implications if they aren’t taken care of properly. Make sure to see a health professional if you are continually dizzy, confused, or react negatively to light. Some ways to treat a concussion are:
- Rest
- Medical evaluations
- Eye coordination exercises
- Gradual return to activity
To prevent them as much as possible, ensure you are following safety protocols and practicing the right tackling techniques.
Knee Injuries
Knee injuries, specifically ACL or MCL tears, are common among sports that involve a lot of twisting, turning, and jumping. Many athletes who play basketball will suffer from one of these injuries during their careers. This occurs when your knee twists out of line, causing the surrounding ligaments to tear.
Depending on how serious the injury is, treatment may include rest, surgery, and physical therapy rehabilitation.
To aid in prevention, ensure that you are properly warming up and using the right form during jumps and drills.
Sprains
Sprains can happen from landing wrong or turning suddenly. This is a common injury that happens in sports such as basketball and soccer, where you are constantly moving your feet.
This can cause the ankle to swell and produce pain when walking on it.
To prevent sprains during high-intensity workouts, make sure you are wearing supportive shoes and working on improving ankle balance and strength.
Some ways to treat a sprain are:
- Rest
- Compression and ice
- Bracing if more severe
- Physical therapy to try to keep it mobile and strong without further injury
Shoulder Injuries
Shoulder tears or dislocations are common in sports with overhead motions such as volleyball and baseball. This can occur from overworking or moving the shoulder awkwardly, causing it to dislocate or strain. This can cause shoulder pain and weakness.
These injuries often require surgery to fully heal. If not as severe, they will still require intense physical therapy Rexburg to ensure proper healing. To try and avoid this from happening, work on strengthening the shoulder and surrounding muscles, as well as warming up and stretching properly before any activity.
Conclusion
As a young high school athlete, you are susceptible to these injuries due to how intensely you train. Through this blog, you can find ways to manage these injuries if they ever happen to you. Staying safe and healthy will help you continue playing the sports you love for years to come.