Malaysia's enthusiasm for sport has never been stronger. From badminton and football to the growing popularity of pickleball, padel and high-intensity fitness events such as HYROX, more people are embracing active lifestyles and reaping the benefits of regular exercise. Yet alongside this positive trend, healthcare professionals are seeing a rise in preventable sports injuries among recreational athletes.
Orthopaedic specialists Dr. Gan Eng Cheng and Dr. Raymond Yeak Dieu Kiat are seeing a growing number of soft tissue and ligament injuries among people who return to sport too quickly, increase intensity too rapidly, or ignore early warning signs from their bodies. While many assume that soreness is simply part of being active, persistent pain can sometimes indicate a more serious underlying problem.
"Many people assume shoulder discomfort is just tightness from sitting at a desk or a minor strain. Because the shoulder is the most mobile joint in the body, people often subconsciously adapt their movement to compensate for the pain, working around it rather than addressing it. This is one of the most common reasons rotator cuff issues go undiagnosed until the damage is already significant," says Dr. Raymond Yeak Dieu Kiat.
Sports that are often perceived as beginner-friendly can still place considerable stress on muscles, tendons and joints. Repeated changes in direction, sudden acceleration, jumping movements and high training volumes can increase the risk of injuries ranging from ankle sprains and tendon injuries to ligament tears. Risk factors such as poor warm-up habits, inadequate recovery, lack of conditioning, stress and improper footwear can further increase the likelihood of injury.
Dr. Gan sees this play out differently depending on the patient. “In younger patients, the most common presentations are shoulder and elbow tendinitis, ankle sprains, knee ligament tears, and delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS). In older patients, we more frequently see lower back and neck pain from pre-existing spondylosis, nerve impingement, and aggravation of underlying knee osteoarthritis. In the elderly, particularly those with osteoporosis, falls during activities can result in fractures.”
Meanwhile, pickleball players are lulled by the sport's low-impact reputation into skipping warm-ups and conditioning altogether. "The injuries I see from pickleball range from muscle soreness and gastrocnemius tears to Achilles ruptures, ACL tears, and shoulder and elbow injuries. The perception of low risk is itself a risk factor"
The profile of who is getting injured is shifting too. It is no longer just competitive athletes pushing too hard – it is enthusiastic beginners progressing in frequencies and intensities far faster than their bodies can adapt to. Dr. Gan points this to a combination of factors that consistently appear across cases: a competitive mindset, poor warm-up and cool-down habits, inadequate sleep, high stress, improper footwear, and a simple lack of prior experience in the sport.
One of the biggest challenges is that many people continue to play through discomfort, hoping it will resolve on its own. However, ignoring pain can alter movement patterns and place additional strain on other parts of the body, potentially turning a minor issue into a more serious injury that requires prolonged rehabilitation or even surgery.
The good news is that many sports injuries can be prevented. Proper warm-ups, strength training, adequate rest, gradual progression in training intensity and early assessment of persistent pain can significantly reduce the risk of injury. For those who exercise regularly, injury prevention should be viewed as an essential part of training rather than an afterthought.
As more Malaysians embrace active lifestyles, the goal should not simply be participation or performance, but long-term sustainability. Listening to the body, respecting recovery and seeking help when symptoms persist can help ensure that sport remains a source of health and enjoyment for years to come.
