Sprained Wrist
Putting your hands in front of you to break a fall can bend your wrist backwards, putting immense strain on the ligaments that hold together the bones of your wrist. This can result in a wrist sprain. Therefore, sports that put you at risk of falling, such as figure skating, gymnastics, skiing, skateboarding and hockey, also increase the risk of wrist sprain.
If you've sprained your wrist, you'll...
Iliotibial Band Syndrome
Your knee’s structure is complex, and it’s responsible for supporting the weight of your body. These two factors make this joint the most commonly injured—in fact, between 5 and 6 million people each year seek treatment for knee injuries. One of these injuries is known as iliotibial band syndrome, or ITBS.
The iliotibial band is a strip of connective tissue known as a ligament that stretches...
Patellar tendonitis
The tendon that connects the knee cap, or patella, with your shin bone is known as the patellar tendon. Without it, you couldn't extend your lower leg to do things such as jump, kick a ball, pedal a bicycle, or run. But when you do these activities repeatedly, or if you have problems with alignment in your legs, feet or hips, this tendon can become overly stressed, causing it to become inflamed. This...
Fracture of the Talus
You may have never heard of the talus bone, but without it, you would be unable to walk. This bone is located between the base of your leg bones and your heel bone, providing a crucial source of stability so that your legs and feet can support your body weight. A fracture of this bone is called a talar fraction, and it occurs mainly as a result of a car accident or a fall, and with increasing frequency...
Little League Elbow
Throwing a baseball or softball can put significant strain on the elbow—and for children, whose bones are still growing, this can lead to an overuse injury known as Little League elbow.
Before puberty, the elbow contains a growth plate made of cartilage that is soft and less durable than hard bone, and which hasn’t yet reached its full length. The growth plate is attached to the muscles...
Chronic Compartment Syndrome
In your arms and legs, the muscles, blood vessels and nerves are grouped into compartments by tough tissue called fascia, which is designed to keep these groupings in place. The fascia's stiffness can become a problem, however, if your muscle swells. That's because the fascia cannot stretch, and the swelling can put intense pressure on the vessels, nerves and muscles of the affected limbs.
There...
Acute Compartment Syndrome
The nerves, blood vessels and muscles in your arms and legs are grouped into compartments by tough tissue called fascia that keeps these groups in place. Although the fascia's stiffness is what helps hold tissue in place, the rigidity of the fascia can become a problem if your muscle swells, since the fascia cannot stretch. For this reason, swelling can put intense pressure on the vessels, nerves and...
Foot Sprain
When the joints of the foot are torn or otherwise damaged due to excessive or repetitive stress placed on the foot, it can damage the foot's cartilage and connective tissue. This injury, known as a foot sprain, also can result from a forceful twisting of the foot during sports, especially contact sports (such as football), running and gymnastics. It can also be due to long-term strain among people...