There are many dangers that come into playing sports. Here at East Noble, we encourage our students to get involved in extracurricular activities, one of which is sports. However, there are risks that come with it that athletes, and parents, should be aware of and how to help prevent common injuries from happening.

Athletic trainer, Meagan Goss, sees numerous amounts of athletes in her office with injuries, many of which are the same for several different students. The most common injuries are ankle rolling/twisting, shin splints, and pulling muscles. After talking to strength training coach and track coach Kerry Nelson, and athletic trainer Meagan Goss we have tips to help treat and prevent common sports injuries that may be fatal if left uncared for.

Ankle Rolling: The recommendation for ankles is wearing ankle braces during practices and games where there is a lot of running and cutting involved such as basketball, football, volleyball, soccer, and possibly tennis. The ankle braces help stabilize the ankle and give it extra support, decreasing the risk of hurting it. If you do have a hurt ankle, do the following steps each day to help increase healing rate: ABC’s, rocker board, slant board, heel raises, band stretches, ice, and tape.

Shin Splints: Shin splints are commonly found on runners, which is severe pain in the shins due to overuse and wear on the shins from acts such as running and jumping. There is not much to do for shin splints but it’s always something to look out for. Investing in leg sleeves can help heal and possibly prevent shin splints. Always ice your legs after exercise and perform ice massages to help minimize pain.

Muscle Pulling: Many athletes pull or strain muscles, mainly from not stretching properly. Athletes who do not stretch properly, as often as they should, or play with cold muscles are putting themselves at an increased risk for muscle strain. To prevent this, make sure your body is stretched and warmed up before going out there. For sports who are outdoors need to make sure they stay warm; jogging a down and back helps a lot if you have not been playing for a bit. Ice, rest, and stretching are the keys to a better recovery.