Piriformis Syndrome

The piriformis muscle is a small muscle that runs from the spine's base through the buttocks. It helps you rotate your leg outward, away from your body. Because the sciatic nerve tends to run close (or even through) the piriformis, if this muscle becomes tight, it can exert pressure on the nerve. This causes pain that radiates down the leg (sciatica pain) in a condition known as piriformis syndrome....

Entrapment of the Median Nerve

Median nerve entrapment, also known as carpal tunnel syndrome, may not be known as a sports injury, but in fact the condition can be caused by activities such as swinging a squash or tennis racket. Symptoms commonly include numbness and tingling in the hands or wrist, and pain when moving the fingers or hand. You also may feel weak when you try to carry bags, and as though you are losing fine muscle...

Osteitis Pubis

Groin injuries can be some of the most painful and most difficult to treat; one such injury is known as osteitis pubis. This condition occurs when the base of the bone where the two halves of the pubic bone meet in the middle (the pubic symphysis) become inflamed. Bony growths can also develop around the pubic symphysis. Osteitis pubis is most common among soccer players and runners and causes intense...

Stress Fracture of the Fibula

The fibula is one of the two bones that make up the lower leg, and is the thinner of the two (the other bone is the tibia). Because your lower leg can bear quite a bit of weight and strain during sports that require running and jumping, these bones are prone to stress fractures, or tiny cracks in the bone. Although the fibula is the site of a stress fracture less often than is the tibia (because the...

Plantar Fasciitis

Plantar fasciitis is among the most common causes of foot pain. It occurs when the thick band of connective tissue that runs across the bottom of the foot, known as the plantar fascia, degenerates, causing a sharp pain that is worst when you wake up in the morning and which may temporarily go away as your foot warms up and becomes more limber; the pain may return if you sit for long periods of time....

Navicular Stress Fracture

In many sports, the foot can take quite a beating, and over time, this can lead to a stress fracture. The navicular, a bone in the foot that sits atop the heel bone, can be vulnerable to stress fracture, and this injury is rather common among athletes who do a lot of jumping and running. Sports that particularly increase the risk of navicular stress fracture include track and field, ballet, football,...

Extensor Tendonitis

The five tendons that stretch across the top of the foot are collectively known as the extensor tendons, and like other connective tissue, if these tendons become inflamed, it can cause pain and swelling, and this condition is known as extensor tendonitis.  The extensor tendons help pull the foot upward into an "L" shape, working as a team with the calf muscle, which pulls the foot downward. Athletes...

Footballer’s Ankle

As every athlete knows, repetitive motions can lead to wear and tear which can give way to painful injuries over time. The movement of kicking--such as in sports like soccer, also known as football--is no different. The repetitive strain kicking a ball can place on the connective tissue, or ligaments, in the front of the ankle, can lead to the painful condition known as footballer's ankle. Because...

Muscle Contusion

Muscle contusions, in which the skin and underlying muscle is bruised, can occur in any contact sport, such as football, hockey or rugby, or during any activity that increases the chances of falling on a hard surface, such as figure skating. Usually this injury is minor and doesn't even require taking a break from training. Sometimes, however, a particularly serious contusion can cause long-lasting...

Myositis Ossificans

A muscle contusion, when the skin and underlying tissue become bruised, can be a painful condition. But infrequently, this injury can give way to myositis ossificans: the growth of bony protrusions within the bruised muscle. After six or seven weeks, this bone growth stops and is slowly reabsorbed; still, the bone itself remains and can be felt through the muscle and skin. Even after this resorption,...