Your teen made the team. Then the first text comes in about a rolled ankle, and the pride turns into a low hum of worry.

That worry makes sense. But the risk isn’t random. It follows patterns by sport, position, and training habits, and once you know the patterns, prevention gets a lot more practical. Here are the common football injuries and the other fall sports injuries we see most in Broken Arrow, which sports carry the most risk, and what actually lowers it.

What are the most common injuries in high school fall sports?

Fall camp starts hot and fast, and growing bodies take the hit. These five groups fill most sideline reports.

What are the signs of a concussion in a young athlete?

A concussion can throw off balance, thinking, and vision all at once. Watch for a headache that feels different from normal, confusion about what just happened, dizziness, and light or noise that suddenly feels like too much.

Symptoms don’t always show up on the sideline. They can build over several hours, so keep an eye on your athlete that evening, not just in the first few minutes after the hit.

In football, most concussions happen during tackling, on both sides of the hit. Football has the highest concussion rate of any high school sport, and game days carry more risk than practice.

The rule that matters most: an athlete with any concussion symptoms doesn’t go back in until a medical professional clears them. Full stop. That one rule protects long-term brain health more than any piece of equipment.

There’s no concussion-proof helmet, so prevention has to come from technique and strength:

• Keep the head out of the tackle
• No hits on defenseless players
• Strengthen the neck so it can absorb impact

A suspected concussion needs a medical evaluation first. Once your athlete is cleared, we can help with the neck pain and headaches that often hang around after a hard hit.

How common are ankle sprains and fractures in fall sports?

Very common. Ankle injuries are among the most frequent injuries in high school sports, and every fall sport puts ankles at risk, from hard cuts in soccer to tackles in football to uneven ground in cross country.

A sprain is a stretched or torn ligament, usually from a quick cut or someone landing on your foot. A fracture usually comes from a direct blow or a hard twist, and it brings sharp pain and trouble standing right away.

Most sprains heal well with ice, bracing or taping, and rehab. The mistake we see most is coming back too soon. A rushed return after a first sprain is how a one-time injury turns into a weak ankle that keeps rolling. Chiropractic care helps restore proper alignment and joint function, reducing pain and rebuilding stability in the ankle and foot so the fix actually holds.

What causes ACL and MCL tears in high school athletes?

Knee ligament injuries happen fast, from a sudden twist, a bad landing, or a direct hit to the side of the knee.

In football, running backs and linebackers see a lot of ACL injuries, while linemen deal with more MCL sprains from contact to the outside of the knee. For linemen, a hinged knee brace is worth a conversation with the coach.

Girls who play soccer face the bigger risk. Girls’ soccer players tear their ACL at a much higher rate than boys, and most of those tears happen with no contact at all, on a cut or a landing.

The good news is that neuromuscular training lowers the risk of non-contact ACL tears by strengthening the muscles that support the knee. Many programs run as an 8-week neuromuscular training block during preseason, with a couple of short sessions a week that teach athletes how to land, cut, and slow down. If your daughter plays soccer, landing mechanics training matters more than any brace.

In my years treating young athletes here in Broken Arrow, I’ve seen a torn ACL end a season and change a kid’s whole year. I’ve also seen how much a few weeks of focused training can change that outlook.

How do shoulder dislocations and separations happen?

A hard fall on an outstretched arm or a direct tackle can push the shoulder past its normal range. Quarterbacks and defensive backs see more dislocations. Linemen deal with more bruised rotator cuffs and shoulder instability from repeated contact.

• Broken collarbones
• AC joint separations
• Rotator cuff bruises
• Ongoing shoulder instability

A dislocation needs medical care first. After that, good technique and strength work around the shoulder blade help keep it from happening again.

What causes hamstring and quad strains?

Hamstring strains usually happen during sprinting, when the muscle at the back of the thigh gets stretched while it’s working hard. They’re common in fall camp, when training ramps up faster than the body recovers.

Quad strains hit the front of the thigh. Linemen pull them pushing off explosively from a stance, and any player can strain one on sudden starts and stops.

Both heal slowly when they’re rushed. Rest first, then targeted strength and flexibility work, gets athletes back without the strain returning two weeks later.

Which fall sports have the highest injury rates?

Every fall sport has its own pattern. Here’s where the risk sits.

Why is football the riskiest fall sport for injuries?

Football has the highest injury rate of any high school fall sport. Players collide at speed on almost every snap, so contact injuries and wear on muscles and joints pile up over a season.

Proper tackling technique, neck strengthening, and fewer full-contact practices lower the risk. Nothing removes it completely, which is why spotting injuries early matters so much.

What injuries are common in soccer?

Most soccer injuries are lower body. Girls’ soccer stands out for knee injuries, which is why the ACL section above matters for so many families.

What injuries do cross country runners get?

Cross country injuries are mostly overuse, not contact. They build over weeks as mileage climbs faster than recovery.

• Stress fractures
• Shin splints
• Runner’s knee
• Tendinitis
• Ankle sprains on uneven ground

Too many miles too soon, worn-out shoes, and skipped warm-ups are the usual causes. Pain that shows up every run and keeps getting worse is a signal to back off and get checked, not push through.

What injuries do volleyball players get?

• Ankle sprains from jumping and landing, often on a teammate’s foot
• Patellar tendinopathy, pain just below the kneecap from repeated jumping
• Finger and thumb sprains from blocking
• Shoulder overuse from hitting and serving
• Knee injuries, including ACL tears, especially in girls

A past injury, a rushed warm-up, and weak landing technique all raise the risk.

How can high school athletes prevent fall sports injuries?

Most of what keeps athletes on the field is simple. It just has to happen every practice, not once in a while.

Does warming up and stretching really prevent injuries?

Yes. A dynamic warm-up with jogging, leg swings, skips, and sport-specific movement gets muscles ready for hard work and lowers injury risk before practice or a game. Save longer static stretches for afterward, when they help with tight spots and next-day soreness.

We can check your athlete’s flexibility and movement and build a routine around the spots that are tight.

What protective equipment should high school athletes wear?

• A helmet that fits and is reconditioned and certified on schedule
• Shoulder pads that fit snug, with no gaps
• Knee pads for volleyball
• Sport-specific shoes that support the ankle
• A mouthguard for contact sports

Gear only works if it fits. A helmet that slides around or pads that leave gaps won’t protect much.

One more thing to ask about: only about 37 percent of U.S. high schools have a full-time athletic trainer, according to the National Athletic Trainers’ Association. Ask your school whether they do. If not, know ahead of time who you’ll call after a hard hit or a bad ankle roll.

Why does good technique matter so much?

Teens grow fast, and good form protects joints that are still developing. Learning to land, cut, tackle, and throw correctly prevents a lot of injuries before they start. Good coaching builds strength, flexibility, and endurance the right way, and strength training done right builds support without hurting growth. A helmet doesn’t help much if the neck under it isn’t strong enough to hold the head steady on impact.

Fall sports injury questions parents ask

These come up every season, usually in the hours after a game when nobody’s sure whether the next call goes to the coach or to a clinic.

What sport has the highest injury rate in high school?

Football has the highest injury rate of any high school fall sport, and the highest concussion rate of any high school sport. Girls’ soccer sits near the top too, especially for ACL tears.

How can you tell if it’s an ankle sprain or a fracture?

A sprain usually brings swelling, bruising, and pain that eases at rest, and most athletes can put some weight on it. A fracture tends to cause sharp immediate pain, visible deformity, and no ability to bear weight. Tenderness right on the bone is the clearest warning sign. Imaging is the only way to be sure.

How long should a high school athlete sit out after a concussion?

There’s no fixed number of days. An athlete stays out until symptoms are gone and a medical professional clears them, then returns through a step-by-step protocol instead of going straight back to full contact. Going back while headaches, dizziness, or trouble concentrating are still there is what turns a manageable concussion into a long recovery.

When should a young athlete see a doctor after a sports injury?

Get seen the same day for any suspected head injury, an inability to bear weight, visible deformity, numbness or weakness in a limb, or a joint that gave way during the play. For everything else, give it about a week. Pain, swelling, or limited motion that hasn’t improved in seven days needs a professional look, not more rest.

Can a chiropractor treat a high school sports injury?

Yes, for muscle and joint injuries like ankle sprains, knee and shoulder strains, and hamstring or quad injuries, usually alongside rest, bracing, and rehab. Suspected concussions, fractures, and dislocations need a medical evaluation first.

Get your athlete checked in Broken Arrow

If your athlete is limping, rubbing a shoulder, or just not moving right after a game, don’t wait it out. Eastern Oklahoma Chiropractic works with young athletes from Broken Arrow and the surrounding area on sports injuries and recovery.

Book an appointment and we’ll find out what’s going on and get your athlete back on the field safely.

The post The Injuries High School Athletes Actually Get In Fall Sports first appeared on Chiropractor Broken Arrow.