Many times naturally talented people end up playing the sports their athletic gifts move them towards. Other times, playing a sport is more of a decision based on passion, or even financial desire. But regardless of what athletic direction is the gravitational center of a pursuit, there are always going to be injuries.

So, if you know what those injuries are, per sport or activity, they might help you either make a decision toward or against a sport, or at least prepare you for what the future may hold. Consider the case of concussion, Tommy John injuries, bad knees, ankle and foot pain, and the nasty grass and turf burns that you can get in some activities.

Concussions

For many people, concussions are synonymous with football. Football is the high-impact sport that makes you feel safe because of all of the pads and the latest helmet technology, but your head still can get knocked around, a lot, and very intensely from about the college level on upward into the pros. So if you’re concerned about head injuries, for your own athletic safety or for the safety of your kids, perhaps, reading about concussions before they become and issue is in your best interest.

The Tommy John Injury

If you make it up toward the professional levels of baseball, there’s always the potential to run into the need for Tommy John surgery. You’ll most likely hear about this occurring to hard-throwing pitchers, and sometimes they will even go through the surgery twice during their careers. On a basic level, a ligament in your elbow has to get replaced with a ligament from somewhere else in your body. And though it’s fairly invasive, because it’s so specialized in the sports world, it’s done regularly and effectively now.

Bad Knees

The classic issue of bad knees often comes from running too much too long. If you look up typical injuries for runners, knees are going to be at the crux of it. For long distance runners, it just comes with the territory, but by practicing proper technique all the time, you’ll give yourself less chance of severe injury.

Ankle and Foot Pain

Ankle and foot pain can come from various track and field events, and also soccer and lacrosse. Anywhere there’s a bunch of starting, stopping, or high impact – that’s where the trouble is going to start. And if you don’t take care of things like proper stretching and recovery periods after intense games, the possibilities increase as well.

Grass Burn

In any sport where there’s impact, grass or turn, and the ability to fall or slide, there the potential for grass burn, turn burn, or nasty road rash. These need to be taken care of right away, as they can leave the door open for infections as well as scarring.