A guide to common sports injuries (and how the pros fix them)

Whether you’re a weekend warrior, a professional athlete, or someone supporting them, sports injuries are often an unfortunate part of the game.

Physiotherapists, Osteopaths, and Exercise Physiologists are the go-to team for assessing, treating, and guiding recovery from these injuries. This blog is designed to offer insights for health professionals looking to stay sharp on clinical approaches—and for clients who want a better understanding of what happens behind the scenes when injuries occur.

We’ll break down common injuries—like sprains, strains, fractures, dislocations, tendinopathies, and concussions—and explore how health professionals assess and manage them using evidence-based methods. Expect clinical terms where they count, but explained clearly, so everyone can follow along and feel empowered in their recovery or practice.

1. Common sports injuries

1.1 Sprains and Strains

These are two of the most frequent injuries in sport.

• Sprains happen when ligaments (the tissues that connect bones) are overstretched or torn—usually from a sudden twist or fall. They often affect the ankles, knees, and wrists.
• Strains involve muscles or tendons (which connect muscle to bone). These are often caused by overuse, overstretching, or sudden forceful movements.

Clinical insight: Sprains and strains are graded from I (mild) to III (complete tear), which helps guide treatment and rehab plans.

1.2 Fractures

A fracture is a break in the bone and can range from tiny stress fractures to full-blown breaks that need urgent medical care. Common sites include the wrist (distal radius), collarbone (clavicle), and shinbone (tibia).

Rehab role: Once the bone is healed and out of a cast or brace, physiotherapists help restore mobility, strength, and confidence (Brukner & Khan, 2017).

1.3 Dislocations

Dislocations happen when a bone slips out of a joint—most often in the shoulder or fingers. It usually requires immediate medical attention to “relocate” the joint.

Prevention is key: After the joint is back in place, training the muscles around it to stabilise and improve proprioception (body awareness) helps reduce the risk of it happening again. Neuromuscular training like NEMEX are designed to do just that.

1.4 Tendinopathies

Tendinopathy is a fancy word for tendon pain that typically gets worse with activity. Common examples include:

• Achilles tendinopathy (lower leg)
• Patellar tendinopathy (knee)
• Lateral epicondylalgia, also known as tennis elbow

Did you know?
Almost half of all runners will experience Achilles tendon issues before the age of 45 (de Jonge et al., 2011).

Best practice treatment: Includes a structured loading program—this means progressively strengthening the tendon with heavy-slow resistance training or eccentric exercises (Malliaras et al., 2013).

1.5 Concussions

A concussion is a mild traumatic brain injury that can occur after a knock to the head or body in contact sports. Symptoms include dizziness, headache and cognitive issues.

Management tips: Early assessment is essential. Use a concussion flowchart, and refer to a GP or specialist if needed. Rest, gradual return to activity, and medical clearance are all part of a safe recovery.

2. Clinical assessment: The HOPRS framework + MD Health Full Body Assessment

Here’s how practitioners assess sports injuries in a structured, step-by-step way:

• History: How the injury happened (mechanism of injury), when symptoms started, any past injuries
• Observation: Swelling, deformity, gait, posture
• Palpation: Feeling for tenderness, heat, or irregularities
• Range of Motion(ROM): Comparing movement on both sides of the body
• Special tests: Specific tests for certain injuries (e.g. Lachman test for ACL tears) and Neer’s sign (shoulder impingement)
• Strength testing: Full-body and bilateral muscle group testing with dynamometer

3. Diagnostic imaging in sports injuries

Imaging helps confirm what’s going on beneath the surface:

• X-rays: Great for checking bones and spotting fractures
• MRI: Provides detailed images of soft tissue injuries
• Ultrasound: Good for seeing muscles and tendons in motion
• CT scans/Bone scans: Used for complex or hard-to-detect injuries

When to refer?
Sometimes imaging is needed straight away. Other times, it’s done if recovery isn’t progressing after 5–6 weeks of conservative treatment.

4. Evidence-based treatment & rehabilitation

Acute phase (First 72 Hours)

• Follow the POLICE protocol: Protection, Optimal Loading, Ice, Compression, Elevation (Bleakley et al., 2012)
• Avoid complete rest unless absolutely necessary—it can slow recovery

Subacute phase to return to sport

• Therapeutic exercises to improve ROM, strength and balance
• Manual therapy like joint mobilisations or massage
• Progressive loading: Exercises tailored to match the healing tissue’s ability and the demands of the sport

Return to sport criteria

• Functional tests (e.g., hop tests, Y-balance test)
• Psychological readiness (e.g., ACL-RSI scale)
• No pain/swelling during sport-specific drills

5. Prevention strategies for Allied Health professionals

• Pre-participation screening: Assessing movement patterns and identifying risk factors
• Neuromuscular Training: Especially important for preventing ACL injuries (Grindem et al., 2016)
• Education: Teaching smart load management, proper warm-ups and recovery routines
• Protective Equipment: Bracing, good footwear, and padding when needed

Final thoughts

Sports injuries are common—but with the right approach, they don’t have to be career-ending or confidence-crushing. Physiotherapists, Osteopaths and Exercise Physiologists are trained to guide recovery every step of the way, from the moment of injury through to full return to sport.

Physiotherapists, Osteopaths, and Exercise Physiologists play an essential role in managing sports injuries. A structured clinical approach—like MD Health’s—prioritises evidence-based care, patient safety, and return-to-sport success. Ongoing education ensures optimal outcomes across diverse athletic populations.

References

Do you have any questions?

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