Football can be a dangerous sport. It results in many injuries to athletes who participate. Despite the fact that players wear safety equipment and take precautions to avoid major injuries, they happen frequently. It’s helpful to learn about the injuries that occur most often if you or someone you know plays football. This can help you understand the dangers of playing football and how to recognize the symptoms of common injuries. Let’s go over the five most common football injuries so you know what to look for and how to handle these issues.

Concussions

Image by Ben Hershey is licensed with Unsplash License

One of the most common football injuries sustained by players of all ages is a concussion. This head trauma happens when players tackle each other. The force causes the head to snap unnaturally and can create many symptoms. While some players may lose consciousness, this isn’t always the case. Signs of a concussion include:

• • Headache.

• • Dizziness.

• • Vomiting or nausea.

• • Loss of balance.

• • Memory problems.

• • Poor judgment.

• • Drowsiness.

• • Blurry vision.

• • Numbness or tingling.

These issues may be temporary, but a concussion can cause serious problems that could be permanent. After sustaining a concussion, football players need close monitoring. They should seek medical attention to assess the extent of the trauma. A player shouldn’t return to the field until a medical professional has cleared them and given their consent. This can sometimes take weeks or months. In some instances, a concussion can cause permanent loss of the ability to get back in the game.

Knee Injuries

Knee injuries are another common football issue that can affect a player’s ability to perform well. These injuries often happen because of the repetitive motions used in playing and practicing for football games. The knee has four ligaments that connect the joint to the thighbone and the shinbone. Over time, the ligaments can become strained, and when a player takes a blow to the knee, they can experience severe pain if one of these ligaments gets torn or becomes unattached. This affects a football player’s ability to bend their knee properly.

Patellar tendonitis, also known as jumper’s knee, is another problem with the knee that football players can have. It’s an overuse injury that may happen when a player runs, falls, or moves their knee too far in one direction or another. Sometimes, wrapping the knee or applying ice can help relieve pain or swelling associated with these injuries. However, treatment for these types of conditions may require surgery or other medical procedures.

Dislocated Shoulders

The shoulder comprises three different joints working together to provide a wide range of motion for the arm. Football players repetitively throw the ball and need to use a great deal of the motion provided by this joint to perform this task. They do this over and over, so it’s not surprising that injuries like a dislocated shoulder are common in the sport. It happens from a strong force or a blow to the shoulder that knocks the ball of the arm out of the cupped socket of the shoulder. The arm can be fully or partially dislocated.

If the shoulder becomes dislocated, you may notice that it looks deformed. It can cause sharp, shooting pain, and the player won’t have the ability to move their arm. If this happens, they need to ice the joint and seek medical attention immediately. The team at Orthopedic Specialists of North Texas can remedy this issue by relocating the joint, but there’s a high chance of the shoulder becoming dislocated again in the future.

Sprained Ankles

Sprained ankles happen among people of all ages and in a variety of groups, but they’re also very common among those who play football. An ankle sprain occurs when the ligaments in the ankle are stretched beyond their normal range. A twist or misstep usually causes this to happen, but for football players, it can also happen when landing wrong after jumping or if someone falls on the foot and causes it to move in a way that’s unnatural.

If a player suddenly can’t support their weight on their ankle or if they experience sharp pain when walking, they likely have a sprained ankle. They should get off of the ankle right away and apply ice to the injury. Elevating the foot is also recommended to help with pain and swelling. Wrapping the ankle with a bandage to apply pressure will help with swelling and pain as well. Recovery from an ankle sprain can happen within days, but recurrence of this type of injury is common.

Strained Muscles

Football is an intense sport that requires a great deal of physical activity. This is why strained muscles are a common occurrence for those who play the game. Hamstring strains are one of the more common types of muscle strains. The hamstring runs from the back of the leg down to the knee, and it can become stretched when running, jumping, or kicking, either repetitively or in a way that isn’t natural.

On the front of the legs are the quadriceps, a group of muscles that get strained when playing sports like football. It happens for similar reasons as a hamstring strain. Both types of muscle strains can cause a lot of pain and discomfort. These muscles can tear or pull, and depending on the severity, they may need to be treated with surgery or with noninvasive methods. Proper stretching can help prevent muscle strains, but they may still happen regardless of the precautions taken because of overuse.

Don’t suffer from any of these types of injuries another day. Let the team at Orthopedic Specialists of North Texas treat your football injury and help you get back out on the field, if possible. We have experts who understand the common injuries related to playing football, and we can help to relieve your pain and allow you to live your life to the fullest. Contact us today to schedule an appointment. We’ll examine your injury and determine the best method of treatment for you.