Shoulder separation, torn ulnar collateral ligament, fractured scaphoid, herniated disc, torn anterior cruciate ligament and sprained ankle. Better to learn of these injuries by reading rather than by personal experience.

Fortunately, there are ways of preventing all six -- some more effective than others.

Shoulder separations occur when one lands hard directly on one's shoulder. In football, at least, the most effective measure is good shoulder pads that fit well. Also keep in mind that, in contact sports, muscle is armor. The more muscle surrounding one's shoulder, the more there is to absorb the shock of a hard fall before that shock reaches the ligaments of the acromio-clavicular joint.

When it comes to tearing the ulnar collateral ligament in the elbow, the cause may seem to be just one throw but it's actually overuse. Once unheard of teenagers, it has become commonplace in that age group, too. The remedy? Pitch counts, prohibiting breaking balls at lower levels, and a whole-body strengthening program, which includes the muscles of the abdomen and torso.

Throwing should not be done by the arm alone. When it is, even more stress is placed on the UCL.

Fractured scaphoids are the result of sudden and violent falls, with all of one's weight landing on an outstretched palm. Runners in particular should be wary of slippery surfaces and avoid them. When it comes to the injury occurring in a contact sport, though, there isn't much to do except hope for good luck.

Disc injuries in the lower back, much like UCL tears, are usually not the result of one incident, even if they seem to be. Intervertebral discs wear out over time, the result of the abuses of too much abdominal weight, too much sitting, overly tight hamstrings, and weak low back and torso muscles.

Effective prevention comes from faithful attention to strength and flexibility.

Women tear their anterior cruciate ligaments at a rate far greater than men.

Women also have weaker hamstrings, relative to their quadriceps, than men do.

With training, a woman is able to improve her hamstrings to quadriceps ratio to a level approximating a man's. That combined with jump/landing training lowers her risk of ACL tear to that of man.

Ankle sprains may be last on the list but are certainly not least, being the most common of sports injuries. But perhaps not for long. The simple investment of approximately $50 in a pair of lace-up ankle braces reduces their frequency by 65-90 percent. If ankle brace use was universal in competitive sports, athletic trainers could better spend their time at something other than the traditional task of taping the joint.

Despite the best preventive measures, though, these injuries will still occur.

The goal then becomes full and rapid recovery. The best initial response to these mishaps, one and all, is ice, for 15-20 minutes on and just as long off.

It gives rapid pain relief, minimizes swelling, and does not interfere with the healing process like anti-inflammatory medications do.

SUNDAY SPECIAL

NFL players hide, fear concussions

Thirty of 160 NFL players surveyed by The Associated Press say they have hidden the effects of a concussion.

The AP spoke to five players from each of the NFL's 32 teams from Nov. 2-15 and found many consider head injuries a frightening but perhaps inevitable part of the job.

Of the players the AP interviewed, half said they've had at least one concussion and 61 missed playing time. Two-thirds think playing in the NFL is significantly safer than it used to be. -- AP

"You get a concussion, they've got to take you out of the game. So if you can hide it and conceal it as much as possible, you pay for it the next day, but you'll be able to ... stay in the game." -- Washington Redskins fullback Mike Sellers.

"I've had times where I walked up to the line, where I know the play, but don't know what to do." -- Oakland Raiders tight end Tony Stewart.

"If you get a little headache or something, you're not going to say anything. This is football, and everyone gets their heads rattled a little bit." -- Indianapolis Colts safety Jamie Silva.

"I don't want to come out of games. I always feel that's some kind of weakness. Somebody hits me and takes me out of the game, I feel weak. So if something happens, I take a minute to try to re-gather myself and then go back." -- New Orleans Saints defensive lineman Anthony Hargrove.

"I'm sure there have been guys who didn't realize they had a concussion and just kept playing. It's a violent game. The head injuries are the most dangerous to play with. We're trained to play no matter what. If you can run, and you're able to focus and know your responsibilities, you're usually out there playing. You wouldn't have enough players if no one played hurt. Especially if you're, like, on special teams, you're going to do everything you can to stay in the game." -- Kansas City Chiefs safety Mike Brown.

"If you're worried about concussions, you're in the wrong business." -- Carolina Panthers fullback Brad Hoover.

"A lot of people think we're gladiators, but we're human beings. We get injured and we've got the rest of our lives to worry about. Playing football is like a vapor -- it's here and it's gone -- and you still have the rest of your life to live." -- New York Jets offensive lineman Damien Woody.

"I've known of players hiding concussions. ... Sometimes players aren't real sure. They hit their head, they get a little cuckoo for a little while. It happens all the time." -- Kansas City Chiefs center Rudy Niswanger.

"You can't worry about it, because when you start worrying about it, you start playing tentative. You have to just go out and play the game the way you know to play the game and hope and pray you come out injury-free. You can't fear one injury more than another." -- Oakland Raiders linebacker Isaiah Ekejiuba.

"I would not hide that. That's not something you hide. That puts you in a terrible position, as well as the team. I think that would be the worst thing you could do in a situation like that. So if I ever got a concussion, I would definitely tell. I don't know how you could hide a concussion." -- New England Patriots defensive lineman Mike Wright.

"My wife worries about it a little more than I do." -- New York Giants tight end Kevin Boss.

"I want every person who leaves this to be as healthy as possible when they leave. We all give up stiffness in knees, backs, joint pain stuff. You don't want to give you your brain." -- Indianapolis Colts center Jeff Saturday.

"Now that I'm getting older, I start thinking about it more. In 10 years, am I going to be one of those guys that's suffering?" -- Denver Broncos defensive end Vonnie Holliday.

"I've been fuzzy-headed a lot. You use your head a lot, and at the end of my career, I'll probably be talking like Muhammad Ali." -- St. Louis Rams offensive lineman Jason Smith.