Athletic activity is a great way to maintain fitness and is terrific for our overall health. However, any activity that causes stress on joints and soft tissues, can cause injuries. There are 3 common knee and shoulder injuries that athletes encounter.
The meniscus is a wedge-shaped cartilage in the knee joint. There are two menisci in each joint that act as “shock absorbers” between your thigh and shin bone. Meniscus tears are the most common knee injuries among those who play contact sports. When you hear your doctor talk about torn knee cartilage in the knee, s/he is usually referring to a torn meniscus.
The Anterior Cruciate Ligament, or ACL, runs diagonally in the middle of your knee. The ACL prevents the tibia from sliding out and provides rotational stability in the knee. Skiers, soccer, basketball and football players are at high risk for ACL injuries due to the stress on the knees.
The rotator cuff is a group of four muscles that cover the head of the upper arm or humerus. The rotator cuff helps you lift and rotate your arm. Injured or torn rotator cuff tendons can become inflamed and painful. You should get immediate medical evaluation if you are experiencing persistent shoulder pain and difficulty in reaching or overhead movements.
For any joint injury, it is recommended that you seek urgent medical attention to prevent the injury from worsening and to restore motion and function in the affected joint.
