What are the most dangerous sports? This question is at the heart of many debates, especially for those who don’t enjoy watching or playing contact or aggressive sports.
The good news is that there isn’t one sport that stands out above the rest. Sure, players are more vulnerable to injury based on their position and how they perform in competition, but the difference between sports is negligible.
That being said, it’s always smart to know what you’re getting into before trying a new sport or taking up an old favorite seriously. This includes knowing how your body responds to stress and strain before you become overwhelmed by training or during intense moments of action. Now let’s take a look at which sports cause more injuries than others.
Football
Football has long been known as America’s favorite contact sport. Setting aside fantasy football leagues, this game is all about hitting hard and tackling with the same fervor. If you’re not into that sort of game, this sport might not be for you. But let’s say football is your thing; how easy is it to get injured? To say the least, very easy.
This contact sport causes more injuries than nearly all other sports in America. When they make contact with someone else’s body or if their shoulder hits the ground wrong, players are susceptible to concussions and broken bones. The surrounding muscles can also tear apart during games leaving players limping later on in life.
Football also causes a golfer’s elbow, an injury on the inside of the elbow, and affects people who use repetitive motions involving the wrist and finger flexion. Even though it might be difficult to play football from suffering a golfer’s elbow, players can still lead active lives with the help of regenerative treatment and medicine such as stem cell and peptide therapy to help it heal naturally.
Cross Country
Cross country running can cause stress fractures in athletes who are not conditioned for the specific demands of the sport. This is because running for long periods requires you to lift your knees and lower leg instead of keeping them straight like when walking.
To avoid this injury, athletes must change their form or ease into training slowly by allowing enough recovery time in between workouts. Also, they should replace lost electrolytes with water instead of sports drinks that can dehydrate runners too quickly.
The most dangerous aspect about this sport isn’t knowing how far or how fast to run: it’s making sure your legs and ankles are healthy enough to take the strain and pounding from extended use in competition. Some students may not be able to handle it while others will suffer injuries due to overuse.
Boxing
Most people know that hand injuries are common among boxers. However, they may not understand exactly why the bones break so easily or how other parts of the body suffer as well.
This sport doesn’t only affect hands; it affects other things like feet and legs which can be just as bad if not worse than the wear and tear on the arms. On top of that, boxing is one of those sports where athletes tend to get into trouble with illegal substances because there’s a lot of pressure sometimes to perform at your very best level. This puts you in danger for more than just getting injured during competition; it also spirals out of control easily when drugs are involved.
Ice Hockey
People who don’t like strong contact sports like football usually love ice hockey because it doesn’t include the strategy of other games and has less overall physicality. However, that’s not to say it can’t cause injury; in fact, this game causes more than its fair share.
This sport is especially dangerous for ankles since skates are so sharp and unforgiving. There’s also the hazard of flying pucks, sticks, and playing on ice which makes you more likely to fall or slip when compared to other games where players are grounded. The amount of time participants spend sitting on benches also leaves them susceptible to sudden injuries from behind.
Judo
Falling is a natural part of this sport but that doesn’t mean it can’t cause serious injuries. For those who don’t know, judo is a practice where competitors take each other down to the ground and make their opponent submit by putting them in a hold or controlling their breathing.
Since you’re going for an all-out takedown, there’s a lot of pressure on joints including ankles and knees which take more damage from years of sparring. Not only that, people who spend time practicing this sport also have to protect themselves from being too open with their arms since that leaves them susceptible to elbow strikes.
Despite all these dangers, kids usually love this sport because they see professionals using it as well as close friends who play against one another at school.
Just because a sport is popular or endorsed by Olympic athletes doesn’t mean it won’t cause more injuries than others who seem unpopular. Some of the most dangerous sports are also some of the most fun to watch on TV. The best thing you can do as an athlete is take precautions and realize that even if you’re playing a “safe” sport like soccer or baseball, your body might not be conditioned enough to handle long-term play without getting hurt.
It’s important to research the games before participating so you’ll never get caught off guard when something serious happens out on the field or rink during practice or a tournament. Never underestimate the dangers involved in competitive sports since each one comes with its own set of risks.
