8 Most common injuries by body part

The most common sports injuries explained - from rotator cuff tears to plantar fasciitis.

Whether you play football or rugby, you consider yourself a keen runner or cyclist, or perhaps you enjoy hiking, you’re at risk of injury. Unfortunately, that’s a fact of life. 

The more sports you play or physical activity you partake in, the more likely you are to develop either an overtraining injury, such as Achilles tendonitis, or a direct injury, such as an ankle sprain hiking a trail in the Swiss Alps.

According to WebMD, common sports injuries include hip flexor strains, ACL injuries, and shoulder pain. But these are just a few common injuries picked up from contact sports, cycling, and other forms of physical activity.

Anyways, with this in mind, the remainder of this blog post will highlight the most common sports injuries by body part, beginning with shoulder injuries.

Shoulder injuries

The University of Rochester states two frequent types of shoulder injury:

• Rotator cuff tears

• Shoulder instability 

Shoulder injuries are more common than other injuries, mainly as we use our shoulders daily and for all kinds of sports.

Think about it: from throwing a ball to lifting weights and even riding a bike, our shoulders are actively engaged and at risk of an overuse injury. 

Rotator cuff tears

Rotator cuff tears can happen from inactivity, causing the tendons to degenerate and lose strength. 

You can also injure your rotator cuff lifting heavy objects or weights - it’s a common injury for weight lifters and bodybuilders.

Shoulder instability 

When the shoulder joint is pushed beyond its normal limits, you run the risk of instability. Shoulder instability can cause weakness in the arm, usually treated by extended rest or, in some cases, surgery. 

Wrist injuries

Alongside the shoulder joint, the wrists are another commonly injured body part.

Our wrists are also involved in many sports and daily activities, from throwing a ball to working behind a desk - typing all day and placing strain on your wrists.

And if you ride a bike, your wrists endure additional strain, especially when riding rocky or uneven terrain.

Common wrist injuries include:

• Wrist sprains

• Tendon inflammation or tears

Wrist sprains

Wrist sprains occur when the ligaments that support the wrist extend beyond their natural reach. 

Often, these sprains happen when you fall onto an outstretched hand.

Tendon inflammation or tears 

If you fall and don’t sprain your wrist, you might still have a tear. A wrist tear can also accumulate over time.

Inflammation, on the other hand, is a typical injury for those who grip and lift objects with their wrists or fingers.

It’s another super common injury but less severe than a tear, a sprain, or a break of the wrist.

Back injuries

Back pain reportedly affects eight out of ten people at some point during their lives, as stated by MedlinePlus. That’s 80% of people.

And back injuries are no different, often contributing to the many complaints.

There are many types of back injuries caused by heavy lifting or sedentary behaviour, to leaning over on your road bike. It’s almost unavoidable…

Anyways, frequently reported back injuries include:

• Sprains and strains

• A fractured vertebrae 

• Herniated disks 

Sprains and strains

Sprains and strains may occur from a sudden injury or, over time, gradually.

If you’ve pulled a muscle in your back, expect to recover in three to four weeks.

But sometimes, this can be more serious and may require rehabilitation exercises, plenty of stretches, and advice from a doctor. 

A fractured vertebrae

Fractured vertebrates are often caused by car accidents, falls, or high-impact sports. You can also fracture your vertebrae by falling off a bike or colliding with another vehicle. 

This is a painful injury that can take upwards of six weeks to heal, but in most cases, surgery won’t be required. 

Herniated disks 

A herniated disc, also known as a “slipped disc”, may occur due to several reasons, including old age, exercising too hard, lifting heavy objects or weights with incorrect form, or being inactive or overweight, as stated by the NHS.

Thigh injuries

The thigh contains many muscles, from the quadriceps to the hamstrings and less well-known muscles such as the pectineus. 

As you’d likely expect, thigh injuries are a common sports injury - we use these in all sports and in daily life! 

If you happen to injure your thigh, chances are it could be a:

• Charley horse - contusion of the quadriceps muscle

• Muscle strain

Charley horse - contusion of the quadriceps muscle

Don’t be fooled - this is not a horse injury. Also known as a “muscle spasm,” the charley horse can occur in any muscle but is more common in the quadriceps.

Causes of muscle spasms vary, but may include inadequate blood flow to the muscles, general injury, exercising in the heat (or cold), dehydration, or a lack of stretching, among other potential factors.

Muscle spasms usually go away on their own - re-hydrate, stretch, and avoid exercising in those extreme temperatures. 

Muscle strains 

Similarly to how you can easily pull a muscle in your back, you can also strain your thigh muscles, including the hamstring and the quadriceps.

Typically, stretching and a few days off should be plenty to fix a muscle strain. 

Knee injuries

Ah yes, knee pain… a complaint many of us will have at one time or another.

Knee pain can be the result of injury, arthritis, or even instability and muscle weakness in other areas, such as the hip flexor muscles.

OrthoInfo mentions a few common knee injuries, including:

• A knee fracture or dislocation

• Meniscus tear

• ACL tears

A knee fracture or dislocation 

Knee fractures are mainly caused by direct impact to the patella (the knee joint). This could include a motor vehicle accident, a fall onto the knee joint, or another form of impact.

Beyond a fracture, the knee may dislocate due to a heavy blow - this often takes six weeks or more to heal and usually requires a brace to take the weight off the knee, allowing it to fully heal.

Meniscus tear

A meniscus tear may happen due to excessive rotation of the knee - caused by kneeling, squatting, or placing an excessive load on the joint.

ACL tears 

ACL tears are especially common in skiing, occurring due to an excessive and sudden twisting motion - such as changing direction when going down a slope.

You can often hear an ACL snap - almost like a popping noise.

Most ACL tears will require surgery.

Lower leg injuries

The lower leg consists of many muscles, bones, and ligaments. So it likely comes as no surprise that it’s also a common site of injury.

Think about it: there are the calves (made up of two muscles, the gastrocnemius and the soleus), the tibialis anterior, and the Achilles tendon, which connects the muscles from the back of the calf to the heel bone.

Lower leg injuries include:

• Achilles tendonitis

• A tear in the calf

• Shin splints

Achilles tendonitis 

An overuse injury common in runners and others who are active on their feet for long periods.

Treatment includes rest, cold therapy, and stretches to treat - sometimes lasting longer than twelve weeks. 

A tear in the calf

A sudden overstretch may rupture your calf muscle. But you can also tear the calf muscle over time, thanks to overtraining and pushing the muscle beyond its limit.

Expect full recovery in three to twelve weeks, depending on the grade of the tear.

Shin splints

You hear it time and time again: people complaining about shin splints. Often, it’s a result of excessive training (usually running), as mentioned by BUPA.

However, shin splints is just another word for “pain of the shins,” which could result from various other issues.

Ankle injuries

Ankle injuries and sports go hand in hand - from sprains and breaks to the infamous plantar fasciitis.

Injury to the ankle can result in a loss of short-term mobility and morbidity, further injuries, and a lack of functional stability, as mentioned in an article by the National Library of Medicine. 

Usual suspects of ankle injuries include:

• Plantar fasciitis 

• Ankle sprains

Plantar fasciitis 

Plantar fasciitis is another frequent injury amongst runners.

It’s a common cause of heel pain affecting upwards of two million people in the United States, as found by a 2014 study. 

The plantar fascia connects the heel bone to the toes - it supports the arches of your feet and absorbs shock when walking or running.

Surgery is not always required for recovery, but is sometimes an option depending on the severity of pain.

Ankle sprains 

A rolling or twisting motion may cause an ankle strain or worse, a break.

Ankle sprains are one of the more widely caused injuries, not only for athletes, but everyday people, especially when alcohol is involved… we all know someone who’s gone over on their ankle after one too many glasses of wine.

Recovery may take as little as two weeks or as long as twelve weeks to recover from a serious ankle sprain. 

Foot injuries

Finally, we have foot injuries. The foot has twenty muscles and twenty-six bones - it’s a recipe for injury.

Foot injuries often overlap ankle and lower leg injuries, including plantar fasciitis and Achilles tendonitis - two serious injuries that are often difficult to recover from. But rest assured - it can be done!

Frequent foot injuries include:

• Bunions

• Achilles tendonitis 

• Plantar fasciitis 

Bunions

Bunions are thought to be genetic, but pressure on the big toe joint may lead to the development of bunions.

If you have bunions, it can be difficult to walk or wear shoes.

The only way to get rid of bunions is through surgery.

To summarise

There are many common sports injuries, from torn muscles and ligaments to sprains, breaks, and bunions.

To minimise your risk of injury, we recommend thorough preparation & listening to your body - know your limits and avoid pushing beyond these too often.

And while some injuries can’t be avoided, you can minimise your risk by slowing down when riding your bike over tough terrain, performing dynamic stretches before exercise to fully warm up the joints, and treating yourself to a regular sports massage.