APPENDIX 6

COMMON INJURIES ASSOCIATED WITH VARIOUS SPORTS

Almost any of the injuries and medical problems described in this book could occur during participation in any sport or vigorous physical activity. The most likely ones associated with popular sports are listed below, sport by sport.

AEROBIC DANCE: Muscle, ligament or tendon sprain or strain in any area of the shoulder, arms, abdominal wall, pelvis, legs, ankles and feet; "runner's knee"; shin splints; hamstring injury; foot or leg exostosis or stress-fracture.

ARCHERY: Epicondylitis ("tennis elbow"); finger sprain or strain; strain of upper-arm muscles, especially biceps; pneumothorax; puncture wounds (from off-target arrows).

BASEBALL: Epicondylitis ("tennis elbow" or "pitcher's elbow"); strain of upper-arm muscles; olecranon elbow fracture; radio-humeral elbow-joint sprain; shoulder dislocation; acromio-clavicular strain; shoulder bursitis; shin splints; finger fracture or dislocation; lacerations; contusion; abrasion; puncture wound (from cleats); hematoma under fingernail or toenail.

BASKETBALL: Finger dislocation or fracture; thumb sprain; ankle sprain; groin-muscle sprain; "runner's knee"; shin splints; shoulder dislocation; acromio-clavicular strain; shoulder bursitis; hematoma under toenail; contusion; abrasion; laceration.

BOATING (INCLUDES SAILING, CANOEING, KAYAKING): Cold injury (hypothermia); heat illness; wrist sprain or strain; shoulder tendinitis and bursitis; epicondylitis ("tennis elbow"); knee contusion or abrasion (from kneeling).

BOWLING: Epicondylitis ("tennis elbow"); toe contusion; back, shoulder or arm sprain or strain.

BOXING: Facial laceration, especially around the eyes; jaw fracture; head injury, including concussion, epidural hematoma, subdural hematoma, or cauliflower ear; neck sprain or dislocation; internal abdominal injury to spleen, liver or kidney; hematoma under fingernail or toenail; contusions; abrasions.

CYCLING: Perineum (area between the scrotum and anus in males, between the vagina and anus in females) contusion or pressure injury, causing numbness in genitals and upper legs; boils on buttocks due to heat and moisture; carpal-tunnel syndrome; "runner's knee"; sprain or strain of pelvic, upper-leg or lower-leg muscles, tendons, and ligaments; ankle sprain; contusions; abrasions; lacerations.

DIVING: Hand, thumb, wrist or shoulder sprain or strain; head and neck injuries; back strain; Osgood-Schlatter's disease.

FENCING: Hematoma under toenail; contusions; abrasions; lacerations; puncture wounds; back, shoulder or arm sprain or strain.

FOOTBALL: Every injury listed in this book. Most common ones include those to head, neck, knee, ankle, and pelvic and leg muscles.

HANDBALL: Finger dislocation or fracture; thumb sprain; ankle sprain; groin-muscle sprain; "runner's knee"; shin splints; shoulder dislocation; acromio-clavicular strain; shoulder bursitis; hematoma under fingernail or toenail; contusions; abrasions; lacerations.

HIKING & BACKPACKING: Muscle, ligament or tendon strain or sprain in any areas of the shoulder, arms, abdominal wall, pelvis, legs, ankles or feet; "runner's knee"; shin splints; hamstring pull; foot or leg exostosis; stress-fracture; hematoma under toenail; contusion; abrasion; laceration; puncture wound; snakebite.

HOCKEY: Every injury listed in this book. The most common ones include those to the head, neck, knee, ankle, and pelvic or leg muscles.

GOLF: Epicondylitis ("tennis elbow"); shoulder bursitis and tendinitis; upper back sprain; contusions or head injury from flying balls.

GYMNASTICS: Neck or back strain; radius (bone in forearm) stress-fracture; shoulder, elbow, wrist, knee, ankle or foot sprain or strain; Osgood-Schlatter's disease; shin splints; hematoma under nailbed; contusions; abrasions; lacerations.

JOGGING: Muscle, ligament or tendon sprain or strain in any area of the shoulder, arms, abdominal wall, pelvis, legs, ankles and feet; "runner's knee"; shin splints; hamstring injury; foot or leg exostosis or stress-fracture; contusions; abrasions; lacerations; puncture wounds; snakebite.

MOUNTAIN-CLIMBING: Abrasions; contusions; lacerations; shin splints; dislocation, fracture, sprain or strain of any muscle group or joint; snakebite; head injuries; internal chest or abdomen injury; altitude sickness; dehydration; cold injury (hypothermia or frostbite).

RACQUETBALL: Eye injury; hematoma under toenail; contusions; abrasions; lacerations; shoulder-area bursitis; sprain or strain of the shoulder, neck, back, arm, wrist, hip, upper leg, knee, lower leg or ankle; shin splints; epicondylitis ("tennis elbow").

TRACK & FIELD EVENTS (SPRINTS, RELAYS, HIGH JUMP, DISCUS, LONG JUMP, HURDLES, JAVELIN THROW, POLE VAULT, SHOT PUT): Muscle, ligament or tendon sprain or strain of all areas of the shoulder, arms, abdominal wall, pelvis, legs, ankles and feet; "runner's knee"; shin splints; hamstring injury; foot or leg exostosis or stress-fracture; hematoma under toenail; contusions; abrasions; lacerations; puncture wounds.

SKATING (ICE SKATING, ROLLER SKATING): Coccyx (tailbone) fracture or contusion from falling; cold injury (ice skating only); foot stress fracture; "runner's knee"; shin splints; Osgood-Schlatter's disease; sprain or strain in the upper leg, knee, lower leg, ankle or foot; hematoma under toenail; contusions; abrasions; lacerations;.

SKIING (DOWNHILL SKIING, SLALOM SKIING, CROSS-COUNTRY SKIING): Osgood-Schlatter's disease; shin splints; hematoma under toenail; contusions; abrasions; lacerations; sprain or strain of ligaments, muscles or tendons of the back, neck, shoulder, chest, abdominal wall, arm, wrist, pelvis, leg, knee, ankle or foot; knee-cartilage injury; tendinitis and bursitis of the shoulder, knee or hip; epicondylitis ("tennis elbow"); dehydration; altitude sickness; cold injury (hypothermia); sunburn; injury to the retina of the eye from sun glare.

SOCCER: Every injury listed in this book. The most common ones are those to the hips, pelvis and lower extremities.

SOFTBALL: Epicondylitis ("tennis elbow" or "pitcher's elbow"); strain of upper-arm muscles; olecranon elbow fracture; radio-humeral elbow-joint sprain; shoulder dislocation; acromio-clavicular strain; shoulder bursitis; shin splints; finger fracture or dislocation; lacerations; contusions; abrasions; puncture wound (from cleats); hematoma under fingernail or toenail.

SQUASH: Eye injury; hematoma under toenail; contusions; abrasions; lacerations; shoulder-area bursitis; sprain or strain of the shoulder, neck, back, arm, wrist, hip, upper leg, knee, lower leg or ankle; shin splints; epicondylitis ("tennis elbow").

SWIMMING: Eye injury (from pool chemicals); verruca (warts) from poolside damp areas; sprain or strain of the shoulder, lower back, hip or knee areas; cold injury (hypothermia); sunburn.

SCUBA DIVING: Decompression illness; contact dermatitis (skin rash) if hypersensitive to wet suit material.

SURFING: Head injuries; sprain or strain of the shoulder, lower back, hip or knee; shin splints; cold injury (hypothermia); sunburn; contact dermatitis from wax on surfboard and sensitivity to wet suits; contusions; abrasions; lacerations.

TENNIS: Epicondylitis ("tennis elbow"); shoulder-area bursitis; eye injury; shin splints; hematoma under toenail; contusions; abrasions; lacerations; sprain or strain of the shoulder, neck, back, arm, wrist, hip, upper leg, knee, lower leg or ankle.

TRAMPOLINE: Sprain or strain of hand, thumb, wrist or shoulder; head and neck injuries; back strain; Osgood-Schlatter's disease.

VOLLEYBALL: Finger dislocation or fracture; thumb sprain; ankle sprain; shin splints; groin-muscle sprain; "runner's knee"; shoulder dislocation; acromio-clavicular strain; shoulder bursitis; hematoma under fingernail or toenail; contusions; abrasions; lacerations.

WATERSKIING: Head injuries; epicondylitis ("tennis elbow"); contusions; abrasions; lacerations; sprain or strain of the back, neck, shoulder, chest, abdominal wall, arm, wrist, pelvis, leg, knee, ankle or foot; shin splints; knee-cartilage injury; tendinitis and bursitis of the shoulder, knee or hip; cold injury (hypothermia); sunburn; injury to the retina of the eye from sun glare.

WALKING: Injuries are unlikely, but possibilities include muscle, ligament or tendon strain or sprain in any areas of the shoulder, arms, abdominal wall, pelvis, legs, ankles or feet; "runner's knee"; hamstring pull; foot or leg exostosis; stress-fracture; contusions; abrasions; lacerations; snakebite.

WATER POLO: Eye injury (from pool chemicals); verruca (warts) from poolside damp areas; sprain or strain of the shoulder, lower back, hip or knee; cold injury (hypothermia); sunburn; contusions; abrasions; lacerations.

WEIGHT-LIFTING: Strain or sprain of the muscles, tendons or ligaments of the neck, shoulder, arm, wrist, fingers, abdominal wall, hip, pelvis, leg (especially quadriceps), knee, ankle, foot or toes; elbow dislocation; dehydration from fluid loss due to sweating.

WRESTLING: Laceration of areas around the eyes; head injury, including concussion, epidural hematoma, subdural hematoma and cauliflower ear; neck sprain or dislocation; internal abdominal injuries to the spleen, liver or kidney; hematoma under fingernail or toenail; contusions; abrasions; shoulder dislocation. Almost any other injury is possible, but because this sport is usually well-supervised, injuries are minimal.