Many sports injuries can be prevented with proper conditioning and training, wearing appropriate protective gear, and using proper equipment.

Sports injuries can be either acute traumatic, which require immediate medical care, or chronic overuse injuries.

Exercise doesn't have to be vigorous to offer health benefits. Aim for at least 30 minutes of moderate physical activity daily, or on most days of the week.

Sports injury rates could be reduced by 25 percent if all athletes — professionals and amateurs — followed essential safety, conditioning, and preventive strategies.

Common injuries include a twisted ankle, sprained wrist, overextended elbow and damaged knee ligaments. Fortunately, you can take steps to help prevent joint damage.

Getting to the gym for a weight workout isn't always easy. That's why it pays to have weights at home as a backup, or even as a substitute.

Exercise is good for people of all ages because it helps lower blood pressure, reduce the risks for falls, and slow the body's loss of muscle and bone mass.

A lumbar strain is an injury to the lower back, which results in damaged tendons and muscles that spasm and feel sore.

Jumper's knee is also known as patellar tendonitis. It may be caused by overuse of the knee joint, such as frequent jumping on hard surfaces.

Runner's knee occurs when the kneecap rubs against the thighbone as it moves. The condition can be caused by a structural defect or a certain way of walking or running.

Good preventive steps: Warm up before you work out, alternate days for exercising certain muscle groups, and cool down when you're done.

Stress fractures are weak spots or small cracks in the bone caused by continuous overuse. They often occur in the foot after training for basketball, running, and other sports.

Shin splints involve damage to one of two groups of muscles along the shin bone that cause pain. The location of the shin splint pain depends on which group of muscles is damaged.