Persons most commonly affected: Sports Persons. Adults are less likely to suffer sports injuries than children, whose vulnerability is heightened by immature reflexes.

Organ or part of body involved: Muscles, and joints.

Symptoms and indications: Instability or obvious dislocation of a joint, pain, swelling and weakness.

Causes and risk factors: Common causes of sports injuries include: athletic equipment that malfunctions or is used incorrectly, falls, forceful high-speed collisions between players, and wear and tear on areas of the body that are continually subjected to stress.

Prevention: Always take time to warm up and stretch before physical activity. Research studies have shown that cold muscles are more prone to injury. Warm up with jumping jacks, stationary cycling or by running or walking in place for three to five minutes. Then slowly and gently stretch, holding each stretch for 30 seconds. Select the proper shoes for your sport and use them only for that sport. When the treads start to look worn or the shoes are no longer as supportive as they were, it