Anytime during the week after 4 p.m. and on the weekends starting at around 11 a.m. up until the lights go out at 11 p.m., you can look out onto the intramural fields at the University of Tennessee campus and see students playing sports. The intramural fields are a popular place for students to relieve some of the stress of classes while at the same time getting some exercise as well as a little healthy competition. But sometimes, that competition can be a little unhealthy - at least for the bodies of students.

The sprained ankle is a very common injury that occurs when playing sports. A sprained ankle occurs when the ligaments that connect the bones in the ankle, foot or lower leg are either torn or stretched. When playing sports, this can occur when the ankle is accidentally rolled or when the foot is caught in the playing surface (in this case, artificial turf), an especially common occurrence for those who wear cleats when playing sports.

To treat a sprained ankle, WebMD.com recommends taking the PRINCE approach: pressure, rest, ice, NSAIDS (pain relievers such as Advil or Motrin that reduce swelling and pain), compression and elevation. Quickly treating a sprained ankle can prevent ankle problems down the road. You should wait until you can painlessly hop on your injured ankle before returning to the field.

A second common injury is the muscle strain or muscle pull. This injury occurs when the muscles and tendons are unnaturally stretched during physical activity. The muscle strain can happen even more easily when a person fails to stretch prior to performing physical activities. It seems that many students that use the intramural fields think that because they are just ‘playing around,' they do not need to stretch.

Treatment of the muscle strain is similar to that for the sprained ankle, again using the PRINCE method.  WebMD recommends stretching and establishing a warm-up routine before performing any strenuous activities.

A third, much less common injury that can occur while playing recreational sports is the broken bone. There is no real way to prevent the broken bone other then exercising caution while playing sports. The problem that arises at the intramural fields is when students of various athletic abilities play together. Because those that played sports in high school usually play at a faster speed and higher level than those who didn't, serious injuries can often occur.  

eMedicineHealth.com recommends seeking medical attention when you experience a large amount of swelling or deformity. You should immediately go to the emergency room if there is visible bone sticking through the skin or if you lose movement or sensation in the affected area of the body.

The University of Tennessee RecSports offers an onsite training staff that is equipped to deal with minor injuries. For more serious injury, the University of Tennessee Medical Center provides emergency care to UT students.