Sports injuries are incidents that the majority of athletes and coaches are familiar with. They can not only be painful for the athlete, but in many cases can disable the entire team. A disabled team member can hurt the outcome of games and can have enduring influence on the season as well. Just as one missing athlete affects a team, a disabled body part influences the entire body. Injuries such as sprained ankles, hyper-extended knees, and shin splints can be caused by poor form, lack of flexible muscle tone, and excessive use of the areas below the knees. Cited by medical doctors at the Cleveland Clinic, most athletes suffer from shin splints at one point or another. Here's how to avoid and heal these painful problems, as well as avoiding other recurring sports injuries.

Shin Splints: The Evils of Overuse and Impact on the Lower Leg

There are many symptoms caused by shin splints such as pain running through the front or sides of the calf and shin areas. This pain can be constant and debilitating, especially when applying pressure on the affected leg. Swelling in the area can make the leg feel tight as well as make puffiness visible around the muscles. Regardless of what type of sport, from cross country to basketball any athlete can suffer from these conditions. Shin splints treatment should be commenced within minutes to jump-start the tissue repair process. Treatment for shin splints guidelines followed by sports therapists includes rest, elevation, and icing of the painful area for 1 - 2 days. Ongoing physical therapy and preventative exercises include lower leg weight bearing moves and stretching of the Achilles tendon and the group of long muscles that run from the knee to the ankle.

Twisting Injuries: How Weak Muscles Affect the Tendons and Ligaments

Another type of injury that is seen in impact sports is twisting of the ankle and knee. This is caused by either a blunt-force injury, which cannot be averted, or from weak muscles of the knee, lower leg, and ankle. Weak muscles can be strengthened with weight bearing or exercises prescribed by a physical therapist that target the knee and ankle. Weak muscles lead to loosened joints in the ankles and knees so that simple movements or shifts in position can cause twisting injuries. Another effective measure for preventing these types of injuries are to provide the feet with the ideal amount of arch support. This can be accomplished specially-designed orthotic arch supports made for sports activities. The doctors at the Cleveland Clinic also suggest taping the arch for additional arch support during sports activities.

Tearing Injuries: Why They Occur in the Lower Leg

Rupturing of the connective tissues are also typical kinds of sports injuries. This is most commonly found in the Achilles tendon and anterior cruciate ligament. An Achilles injury is commonly caused by little flexibility in the heel tendon due to inadequate stretching technique. This is a crucial stage in the warmup process that must be taken seriously. Slow stretches without much force are recommended for all sports participants. Experts in kinesiology advise a half-minute stretch followed by a short rest and then a repeat stretch. Anterior cruciate ligaments (ACL) are found in the knee and help maintain the knee structure together. Injuries to this part of the body can be averted by strength training the knee , calf and quadriceps through leg extension exercises and curls. Orthotic insoles can help prevent both of these kinds of injuries by giving proper arch support, ideal cushion, and proper foot form.