Sports Injuries – Types, Causes and Treatment
Sports injuries affect muscles, tendons, ligaments and joints, and are common both in competitive athletes and in people who exercise for health. With suitable rehabilitation most of them recover well, and you can return to sport more safely.
What sports injuries are
Sports injuries are damage to the musculoskeletal system related to exercise, for example muscle strains, sprains, tendinopathies, bruises and joint overload. Some happen suddenly from a collision or an awkward movement, while others develop gradually from repeated overload.
The knee, ankle, shoulder, hip and lower back are the areas most often affected. Pain is not always proportional to the damage, so it is important to have the injury assessed before you return to full load.
In most people mild and moderate injuries recover within weeks when load is reintroduced gradually. Returning to sport too soon is a common reason for re-injury.
What contributes to injuries
- a sudden increase in training intensity or volume
- insufficient warm-up and recovery
- poor muscle strength and stability
- faulty movement technique
- unsuitable equipment or footwear
- a previous injury that has not fully recovered
How they show up
- pain during or after activity
- swelling and bruising in the affected area
- stiffness and limited movement
- muscle weakness or spasm
- a feeling of instability in the joint
- pain that returns with every load
How we can help
We start with a thorough assessment of the injury and of the loads that led to it. We use manual therapy, therapeutic massage, therapeutic exercise, kinesiology taping and methods such as laser, magnet, ultrasound, shockwave and TECAR, and Theragun and Normatec compression to support recovery after training. We return the load step by step, and if there are signs of a more serious injury, we will refer you to a specialist.
When to see a doctor
See a doctor if you cannot put load on the limb, if there is a visible deformity, a pop followed by severe pain, rapidly increasing swelling, numbness or loss of sensation. Also seek advice if pain does not settle after a few days of rest or is severe at night. These signs may point to a fracture or a more serious injury.
This page is for information only and does not replace an assessment by a specialist.