common injuries of track and field

Basketball, baseball, rowing, swiming, and gymnastics aren't your type? I know the feeling. So, do you like jumping? Throwing? Running? Try Track and Field! With jumping you can pole vault (sounds fun, dangerous, and everything your mom told you not to do). You can also high jump, triple jump, or do the long jump. Don't like jumping? You can throw! Some different types of throwing include shot put, discus, and javelin throwing. That's javelin, not javelina. You are not throwing Mexican pigs. Throwing's not your cup of tea? How about just plain running? You can sprint or run
long distance. You can also jump over hurdles (why this is classified under running, I don't know) or run cross country (you don't have to run from one side of a country to another to do this). Jumping, throwing, sprinting, and running long distance. Which one is for you?

Common Injuries

What are the most common types of track and field injuries? Well I’m sure you can guess what parts of the body are injured the most. Did you guess? It’s the leg, thigh and knee. The most common sites of injury were the leg (28%), thigh (22%) and knee (16%).
A lot of the strains sprains and scrapes were from falls. I guess you need to look where you’re going when you are running.

The most common running injury to people who run a lot is runner’s knee. You have pain behind the knee cap during running and when you press your knee cap against the bone behind it. You can keep the knee cap from rubbing by wearing , special inserts in your shoes, and strengthening exercises so that the muscle pulls your knee cap inwards.

Another injury people talk about a lot is shin splints. What are "shin splints" I hear you ask? Well, it can mean anything from tendonitis to stress fractures. The correct name is "Medial Tibial Stress Syndrome" (MTSS). You often have a dull ache in both legs which becomes worse when you are running. You may have swelling around the lower leg and ankle. If you only have pain and swelling in one leg you might have a tibial stress fracture (microscopic fractures in the bone caused by overuse). You will have to reduce the amount of running and apply ice for 20 minutes after exercise 2-3 times a day. Sometimes athletes will tape their shins for support and this also helps the swelling go down. An anti-inflammatory medication like ibuprofen may help the pain. To help prevent shin splints you should do exercises that help strengthen the lower leg.


Prevention

Wear proper running shoes
Make sure you stretch and warm up before running
Do not run on icy or uneven surfaces
If you run in the dark make sure you can be seen
If something hurts stop running and rest
Drink plenty of fluids, don’t become dehydrated.