Most Common Football Injuries to Look Out For

admin - 29 October 2012 - 9:19 am

It’s football season, which means it’s time for football injuries. The most common of these injuries are to the knee, ankle, leg, shoulder and head – and they are what football fans should be on the lookout for during the NFL season since some of our favorite players are likely to acquire one or more of these injuries.

Most Common Football Injuries to Look Out For

Knee injuries:

ACL (anterior cruciate ligament) injury: The ACL is one of four ligaments in the knee, which connects the bones of the upper and lower knee. An ACL injury is a tear in the ligament and can range anywhere from mild to severe.

MCL (medial collateral ligament) injury: This injury typically occurs after impact to the outside of the knee, which causes the MCL to stretch or tear. The MC ligament attaches to the femur and tibia.

Meniscus tear: The medial meniscus is used as a cartilage pad between the joints of the thigh and shin bones. Meniscus tears are typically caused by twisting or turning abruptly, usually with the foot in place while the knee is bent.

Ankle injuries:

A sprain, the most common ankle injury, is an injury to a ligament, muscle or tendon surrounding a joint. There is an estimated 25,000 people get ankle sprains each day.

Leg injuries:

Hamstring strain: This is when one of the three hamstring muscles is torn.

Contusion: This is also known as a dead leg, which happens after a direct hit to a muscle and causes muscular injury and bleeding.

Hip pointer: Hip pointer injuries happen after impact to the hip bone and lead to severe pain and bruising and bleeding to the abdominal muscles.

Shoulder injuries:

Dislocation: This results from a fall or hit, which causes the top of the arm bone to come out of the shoulder socket.

AC (acromioclavicular) joint injury: The AC joint sits between part of the shoulder blade and collar bone. When it is injured, damage happens to either one or both of the ligaments.

Stingers: This is an injury brought on by a blow to the head, leading to trauma to the brain. This results in a stinging pain that may extend down the arm.

Head injuries:

Concussion are the most common head injuries and are caused by a strike to the head, which results in some trauma to the brain. Mild concussions lead to confusion, memory loss and a headache, while a severe concussion can cause loss of consciousness and extended confusion.