What is Sports Health?

Sports are your biggest passion. You regularly engage in sports or it’s your greatest dream to do so. You enjoy playing matches with your friends on the soccer field or showing off your basketball skills on your days off. But did you know that there is a risk of injury while playing sports? For both professional and amateur athletes, sports injuries are a significant area of modern medicine.

It is recommended that individuals considering taking up sports should consult a doctor and identify the risk factors related to the sport they are interested in. Especially when starting sports at a young age, it is crucial for doctors to provide guidance in choosing the appropriate sports branch.
 

Sports Injuries and High-Risk Disciplines

Sports such as soccer, rugby, and ice hockey are among the highest-risk disciplines. In terms of injury frequency, soccer is the most risky sport. It is followed by contact sports like rugby, ice hockey, and basketball. In terms of injury severity, high-speed sports such as motorcycle racing, car racing, and skiing stand out.
 

Soccer: The Riskiest Sport

Soft tissue injuries are among the most common sports injuries. Muscle and skeletal injuries are more frequently seen in the lower extremities. Among direct contact sports, soccer has one of the highest risks of injury. Approximately 50% of injuries are caused by direct contact. About 30% of injuries result from fouls. Defenders are at a higher risk of injury compared to other players. Most injuries in soccer occur in the lower extremities, with this rate varying between 56-76%. Upper extremity injuries occur at a rate of 23%, and head injuries at 14%.
 

How are Sports Injuries Diagnosed?

The diagnosis of sports injuries begins with experienced physicians taking a detailed history to understand the mechanism of injury and estimate the potential damage to the athlete. The diagnosis is confirmed through physical examination and necessary imaging techniques. Sports injuries usually involve the musculoskeletal system. X-rays and CT scans are used to show bone structures, while MRIs are used to show soft tissues.
 

How are Injuries Treated?

The goal in treating sports injuries is to return the athlete to their best performance as soon as possible. Treatment is divided into conservative and surgical methods.

Medical and physical therapy are parts of conservative treatment. Regardless of the method chosen for treating musculoskeletal injuries, the goal is to maintain the player's flexibility and range of motion in the joints during the healing process and to ensure they can return to sports as soon as possible without a decrease in muscle strength and endurance. Surgical treatment is preferred if it can return the athlete to sports more quickly or with better performance than conservative treatment. Recent developments in sports traumatology include chondroplasty, free cartilage transplantation, the application of arthroscopy to different joints, meniscus sutures, and new techniques in ligament surgeries.