What Is the Most Common Sports Injury in Teens

What is a Sports Injury?

A sports injury is an injury commonly seen in individuals who engage in sports events or exercise. These injuries range from minor sprains and bruises to more serious fractures, dislocations or concussions. They generally occur in physically active people who use their bodies strenuously. However, injuries can also occur in experienced players who fail to warm up or overuse muscles during practice or play. Injuries may be acute or chronic—sudden or causing pain and mobility problems over time.

Most Common Sports Injuries in Teens

Sprains and Strains

A muscle sprain or strain can easily occur during athletic activity. An individual may be focused on play and achieving goals and may exert too much force on their bodies in the heat of the moment. These injuries can create ongoing pain and problems with mobility. Both traditional medicine and alternative healing methods like chiropractic can be used to treat these injuries.

Stress Fractures

A stress fracture is a tiny crack in the bone most often found in the foot and lower leg. This type of fracture occurs from overuse or from escalating force or frequency too quickly. Stress fractures may cause no discomfort early on. However, as time passes, the fracture can begin to create more pain and mobility problems. Teens often acquire stress fractures from repeated movements during practice sessions and play.

ACL and MCL Tears

Anterior cruciate ligament tears, often called ACL injuries, involve a ligament in the knee. They occur as a result of cutting or pivoting actions that teens perform during athletic activities, such as in soccer, basketball or football. A teen may hear a popping or snapping sound when the ACL tears. The knee will swell, feel unstable or be unable to bear weight. Similarly, a medial collateral ligament in the knee, called MCL, can also tear, leading to pain on the inside of the knee, swelling and joint instability.

Growth Plate Injuries

Teens who are still in their growing phases can be subject to growth plate injuries. Growth plates are areas of cartilage at the ends of the long bones of children and adolescents. This cartilage gradually hardens into new bone as individuals reach their late teens. Growth plates can become fractured and can lead to abnormalities in limb length if not properly treated.

Concussions and Head Trauma

Sports involving physical contact between players often lead to head trauma and concussions. However, head injuries can happen in any sport, whether or not it involves contact with other players. Slips and falls can occur, leading to head injuries that can be mild or serious. Neck or muscle injuries from falls are common, such as when a person tries to prevent the fall and moves in an unusual way.

Risk Factors for Teenage Sports Injury

Risk factors for sports injuries in youth include inadequate training, overuse of muscles, inadequate warm-up time and previous injury. Outdated or ill-fitting protective equipment also puts players at high risk.

Overuse Injuries

Overuse injuries are common during sports play because players concentrate on their performance with little regard to the strain or pressure they put on muscles, tendons and ligaments. Even repeated practice sessions can contribute to damage to these structures, resulting in injuries that can worsen and cause individuals to miss scheduled games.

Contact Sports

Contact sports like football, wrestling, boxing and martial arts involve physical contact between players, which can lead to various impact injuries. Strains, fractures, dislocations and concussions are among the most common injuries resulting from player contact.

Organized vs. Recreational Activities

More injuries occur during organized sports activities than recreational activities, usually because there is less contact with other players during common recreational activities. According to Johns Hopkins Medicine, "62 percent of injuries involved in organized sports occur during practice sessions."

Repetitive Movements

Repetitive movements, such as in tennis, gymnastics, basketball, swimming, running or track and field events, can lead to injuries from repeated stress on muscles, tendons and ligaments. Any sport involving repetitive motions can lead to injury if proper preparation and strengthening exercises are neglected.

Physical Activity Levels

Your teen's regular activity level can affect their vulnerability to injury during sports. Teens who engage in whole body strengthening throughout the year are less vulnerable to injury when participating in seasonal sports activity. This relates to muscle strength, flexibility and conditioning. Inactivity tends to increase injury risk across all sports.

Range of Motion Issues

Range of motion involves having the full range of motion a joint allows. In teens, limited range of motion problems can result from joint inflammation due to injury. Range of motion injuries can cause muscle stiffness, pain and poor function. These can result from sprains, fractures and joint dislocations.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the most common youth sports injuries?

The most common injuries are sprains and strains, pulled muscles and knee injuries.

What are the top 3 most common sports injuries?

According to the U.S. National Library of Medicine, the three most common sports injuries are sprains and strains, knee injuries and swollen muscles.

What is the most common sports injury?

The most common injuries in teen sports are sprains and strains from overuse and repetitive motions.

What youth sport has the highest injury rate?

According to St. Luke's Hospital Health, the school sport with the most injuries is football, with an estimated 455,000 injuries each year. Injuries sustained during games can be mild or severe and can often eliminate players from play.

What is the most popular injury?

If by "popular" you mean the most common injury, it is sprains and strains occurring during practice or play. Overuse and repetitive actions during practice and play put teens at risk for these injuries.

What are 3 severe sports injuries?

The most severe injuries associated with teen sports and recreation-related activities include head trauma, spinal cord injuries and compound fractures.

What is the most painful injury in sports?

Although a number of injuries could compete for this title, some that appear on most lists of most painful are torn Achilles tendon and dislocations of the shoulder, elbow or knee. Tears of ligaments in the knee can also be very painful. These injuries generally cause complete cessation of activity and need for immediate medical care.

What sports have a high injury rate?

Football, basketball, soccer and general exercise, which includes gymnastics, running and aerobics, all have the highest rates of injury.

What sport has the least injuries?

Swimming is a competitive sport with a very low injury rate. The buoyancy of water and lack of impact with the ground make it unlikely you will sustain common injuries associated with teen sports. Injuries that do occur generally involve arm problems from repetitive motions and back injuries from muscle overuse.

What high school sport had the most injuries?

Football is still the high school sport causing the most injuries in players. This results from impacts during play that are an intrinsic part of the game. Even today's protective sports equipment is unable to prevent many of these injuries. Good training, adequate equipment, proper warm-ups and refraining from play for those with injuries can help prevent more serious medical consequences.

Percentage of injuries in sports

Statistics for injury numbers in sports are usually broken down by age bracket. A National Health Statistic report from the Centers for Disease Control for 2011-2014 found there were 76.6 percent of sports or recreation-related injuries in the 5 to 14 years age group. In the 14 to 24 years age group, they noted a 55.6 percent rate of injury.