Sports injuries are very common, especially in sporting activities. Particularly competitive individual and team sports cause these types of injuries. Rather than writing down the causes of all joint and sports injuries one by one, we will examine knee joint and sports injuries under the 2 most common headings.
Meniscus Tear
Meniscus tear is one of the most common knee injuries. Any activity that causes you to forcefully bend or rotate your knee, especially a sudden load of your entire body weight, can lead to a meniscus tear. There are two C-shaped pieces of cartilage in each of your knees that act like a cushion between your shinbone and thigh bone (meniscus). A torn meniscus causes pain, swelling and stiffness. You may also feel a block to knee movement and have difficulty fully extending your knee.
Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injuries
These are located inside your knee joint. They cross each other to form an “X” with the anterior cruciate ligament in front and the posterior cruciate ligament in front. Cruciate ligaments control the back and forth movement of your knee.
The anterior cruciate ligament can be injured in several ways:
- Changing direction quickly
- Stopping suddenly, slowing down
- Landing on one leg after a high jump
- Sports that involve direct contact or collision, such as football
Symptoms
- Pain with swelling.
- Loss of full range of motion
- Tenderness along the joint line
- Discomfort while walking