Depending on the intensity of your sport or physical exercise, you are subjecting your body to varying levels of intensity; some sports injuries are just facts of the practice. Not everybody will suffer a sports-related injury in their exercise or sports career, but these injuries are common enough that, if you do suddenly feel a pain or a pull, the options for treatment and prevention are readily accessible.

When it comes time for your sports practice or workout, the most important thing is to pay attention to your warm-up and cool-down stages. During these stages you get an opportunity to get the blood flowing, loosen up the muscles, and prepare your body for exertion. It’s easier to accelerate and decelerate slowly, rather than hopping off the couch into a sprint and setting back down on the couch again when you’re done. Stretch, drink water, build strength, and learn a good routine. This is the best form of prevention.

However, some injuries can’t be avoided so easily. In running or jogging, for example, your ankles, knees, hips, and even back have to endure hours of abuse. Over time, the running can take its toll, especially on the knees. There is a condition called ‘Runners Knee’ in fact, which involves a breakdown of cartilage behind the kneecap, which can turn arthritic or immobile if unaddressed. The best way to avoid Runner’s Knee is to work-out and strengthen your quadriceps and doing some strength-training on your upper legs.

Another common injury in sports is Tennis Elbow. Like Runner’s Knee, the injury derives from conditions caused by the sport itself, which is good news and bad news. Good because other people have dealt with it, and bad because sometimes recovery means putting your practice on hold. Tennis Elbow is a type of tendonitis, and golfers, baseball players, and of course, tennis players suffer from it. Treatment usually involves changing your technique and taking the stress off the affected tendons.

While sports injuries are common, they’re not always avoidable. Pay attention to what your body is telling you. Exercise should never be painful.