Sports injuries range widely in severity and the location on the body that sustains the damage. With that in mind, three of the most common severe sports injuries include: - Concussions: concussions are often mild, but they can have long-lasting neurological effects, such as chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), which can worsen with each consecutive concussion. Moreover, if you have already experienced one concussion, you are at increased risk of experiencing more concussions. • Torn anterior cruciate ligament (ACL): a torn ACL is one of the most painful sprains you can experience and can also significantly affect your ability to continue participating in sports and athletic activities that involve repeated impact on your knee. The ACL is one of the ligaments that hold the knee together. When it is torn, recovery can take eight months to one year until it is fully healed and fit for use again. • Broken leg: your femur and tibia, also known as your thigh bone and shin bone, are two of the most robust bones in your body. As such, they do not break easily. However, it is always a severe injury requiring a lengthy recovery period when they do break. Individuals generally have to wait one year before safely returning to play.