Prevent Common Sports Injuries

Learn the most common injuries for each sport and how to stay in the game, safer

Health care providers treat about 8,000 kids for sports injuries every day in the emergency department. However, many of these mishaps can be prevented. This chart shows the most commonly hurt parts of the body for 10 activities and ways to make playing safer.

How else can you avoid injuries? “You can emphasize teamwork and positivity, rather than just winning,” says orthopedic surgeon Robert Friedman, MD, with Lehigh Valley Orthopedic Institute. “You can also ensure children avoid playing when they’re too tired or in pain, and you can get children who are hurt proper rehabilitation to prevent repeat injuries.”

Robert L. Friedman, MD

Orthopedic Surgery

Orthopedic Sports Medicine

Activity	Commonly hurt	Required or recommended gear	Safety tip
Baseball	Shoulder, elbow, ankle, head/face	Batting helmet with face shield, breakaway bases	Avoid overuse injuries by following Little League pitch count limits by age.
Basketball	Ankle, foot, knee	Sport-specific footwear, mouth guard	After jumping, land with knees bent, not straight.
Bicycling	Arm, wrist	Helmet	Avoid riding at night or on uneven or slippery surfaces; consider taking a riding skills course.
Field hockey	Ankle, head/face, wrist, knee	Mouth guard, shin guards	Supplement skills training with cardiovascular, strength and flexibility exercises.
Football	Lower leg, ankle, foot, head (concussion)	Helmet, mouth guard, shoulder pads	Strength training and stretching can help prepare for this contact sport; don’t lead with the helmet when tackling.
In-line skating	Head, wrist	Helmet, wrist guard, knee and elbow pads	Skate on smooth surfaces, away from traffic.
Skateboarding	Ankle, head/face, wrist	Helmet, wrist guard, knee and elbow pads	Using a skate park or other controlled environment may increase safety; children younger than 5 should not skateboard.
Soccer	Ankle, knee	Shin guards, sport-specific footwear, mouth guard	Learn proper heading techniques and how to avoid collisions with other players; no heading for children ages 10 and younger.
Tennis	Elbow, shoulder, wrist	Sport-specific footwear, racket with proper grip size	Strengthening the muscles used to extend and bend back the wrist can help prevent common injuries.
Volleyball	Ankle, fingers, shoulder	Ankle brace or taping, kneepads	Use resistance training to strengthen lower back, legs and shoulders; avoid jumping on hard surfaces in practice.