Sports Then and Now

Injuries are an inherent risk of sports. Players can take all of the precautions possible; eat well, take care of their bodies, and stretch sufficiently before all activity, but when it comes game time, some injuries you just can’t prevent. Here are six common injuries that can sideline a player for the whole season:

ACL Tear

The knee is arguably the human body part most susceptible to injury in sport, and every year, ACL tears bench players for the rest of the season. Knee injuries are by far the most common injury in the NFL, accounting for almost 20 percent of all total injuries. For ACL tears, surgery and a good deal of physical therapy is almost always required before a player can return to the field, and many times the athlete is never able to reach the same levels as before their injury. Sometimes, however, ACL tears can actually be treated without surgery.

High Ankle Sprain

While knee injuries are usually fairly severe, not all ankle injuries are season-ending. The high ankle sprain can be, however, and is one of the most common season-ending injuries behind knee injuries.

Torn UCL Muscle

In baseball, the far and away most common injury is a torn UCL muscle in the throwing elbow. This injury is becoming more prevalent amongst pitchers, who are putting more stress on their elbow, throwing hard than ever before. To repair the torn UCL muscle, players must undergo “Tommy John” surgery, with rehab lasting at least a calendar year. The upside to this surgery is that many players come back throwing harder than they used to.

Hand Fractures/Tears

The need for athletes to frequently use their hands in sports makes that area susceptible to serious injury. There are many small bones and ligaments in the hand region, which also makes healing a difficult process, and can sideline a player for an extended period. For instance, rookie sensation Trevor Story of the Colorado Rockies was sidelined for the year after tearing the ulnar collateral ligament in his thumb, leaving him looking for the best personal injury attorneys in Denver, Colorado.

Herniated Discs

Mostly prevalent in contact sports, herniated discs in the lower back are caused by repetitive motion or trauma, and can land a player on the injury report for up to 12 weeks. But contact isn’t necessarily required for discs to become a problem.

Dislocated Shoulder

Typically caused by a hard hit or an awkward fall, dislocated shoulders can be an extremely painful and damaging injury, sidelining an athlete for up to a year.

Overall, there are tons of fairly common injuries that occur among athletes. Sadly, a lot of these injuries can even put them out for a season. However, with new advancements in medical technology it is becoming easier and easier to treat these kinds of injuries.