The group of conditions and disorders of the musculoskeletal system that are caused by participation in athletics or other forms of exercise. Sports injuries may involve injury to the bones, joints, muscles, ligaments, and tendons. They are generally caused by overtraining, overuse, or trauma that occurs while a person is engaged in athletic activities. The injuries may include twisted ankles, painful joints, side stitches, shin splints, blisters, and stiff, sore muscles. Muscular discomfort is usually a sign of a person exerting himself or herself too strenuously or over too long a period. It can be prevented by doing warm-up exercises to stretch the muscles before an activity, by avoiding overtraining, and by slowing the pace for 5 minutes at the end of an activity to cool down.
Injuries incurred while engaging in sports activities fall under the category of sports injuries. Common examples include broken bones, head injuries like concussions, muscle strains or compartment syndrome, tendon issues like tendinitis or ruptures, ligament sprains, as well as dislocated or partially dislocated joints. Some conditions labeled as ‘sports injuries,’ such as tennis elbow, are actually the result of overuse.