unit 2.- sport injuries: symptoms and treatment · cardiovascular exercises to prepare the body for...

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UNIT 2.- SPORT INJURIES: SYMPTOMS AND TREATMENT

Every year, millions of teenagers participate in high school sports. An injury to a high

school athlete can be a significant disappointment for the teen, the family, and the

coaches. The pressure to play can lead to decisions that may lead to additional injury

with long-term effects. High school sports injuries can cause problems that require

surgery as an adult, and may lead to arthritis later in life.

When a sports injury occurs, it is important to quickly seek proper treatment. To

ensure the best possible recovery, athletes, coaches, and parents must follow safe

guidelines for returning to the game.

1. What are sports injuries?

Everyone from the average gym-goer to the

serious athlete is likely to experience some form of

injury at some point.

A sports injury is any sports-related injury that

occurs during exercise which involves the

musculoskeletal system including the bones,

muscles and cartilage.

The most common causes of sports injuries include

accidents, bad form, an inadequate warm-up or from performing exercises beyond

your current level of strength or fitness.

The most common types of sport injuries include:

Sprains

Strains

Knee injuries

Achilles tendon injuries

Fractures

Dislocations

2. Causes of sports injuries.

Everyone from well-conditioned athletes to weekend warriors can suffer a sports

injury.


Weakness in the muscles, ligaments and tendons following vigorous exercise is often

caused by inadequate fitness and a failure to warm-up properly as well as engaging in

an activity you’re not properly conditioned for yet. This is often a cause of injury.

When muscles are not used regularly muscle wasting can occur, meaning the muscle

fibres have become weakened, so when you do attempt to engage in vigorous exercise

beyond your physical capability you may feel tired quickly and this can lead to injury.

The good news however is that with regular exercise and training the muscles will

adapt and strengthen. Poor flexibility is another factor in unconditioned athletes

behind a sports-related injury.

Flexibility is important because it affects how the body moves. Muscles work together

to create smooth movement, so if there is tightness or inflexibility in one muscle it can

directly affect the opposing muscle and limit range of motion, which in time can

weaken the muscles and the joint.

Over time these muscle imbalances can affect posture and can cause injury.

The best way to improve flexibility is through regular stretching exercises, either static

or dynamic. If you struggle with flexibility these should be a daily part of your routine.

A thorough warm-up is also essential to prepare the muscles and joints for exercise.

There are, however, different causes behind different sports injuries. These are the

most common:

Overtraining

Simply put, this is doing too much, too often with insufficient rest between. A lack of

adequate recovery time coupled with amplified intensity

of training is the most common cause of overtraining.

Symptoms include:

- Excessive fatigue

- Troubled sleep

- Inability to concentrate

- Inability to perform the exercise or sport with the

correct technique.

A physiological sign of overtraining is also an increased

resting heart rate. The best way to avoid overtraining is to

ensure adequate rest between sessions.


Overuse

Repetitive strain injuries are caused by repeated actions which apply pressure to a

certain group of muscles, joint or area of soft tissue.

They usually worsen over time and include injuries such as tennis elbow, golfer’s knee,

thrower’s shoulder (impingement syndrome), plantar fasciitis and jumper’s knee

(patellar tendonitis).

Symptoms include:

- Gradual pain which worsens over time, sometimes with swelling and/or

bruising. Ensuring adequate rest between sessions is the best way to avoid an

overuse injury.

Improper warm-up

Failure to perform a proper warm-up can put you at risk for injury as the muscles and

joints are not prepared for exercise. A warm-up is necessary to increase body

temperature and circulation of blood to the muscles.

A 15-20 minute warm-up should include a combination of stretching and

cardiovascular exercises to prepare the body for exercise, increases performance levels

and helps to prevent injuries.

Poor technique

Any exercise or sport which is performed repetitively with bad form is a recipe for

injury.

Over time the symptoms of injuries being caused by improper technique will be

exacerbated and can either lead to a more serious condition or result in more acute

injuries.

The best way to avoid repeatedly performing an exercise/sport with the incorrect

technique is to make sure you use a professional coach or trainer to show you the

correct way to do things from the beginning and to ensure you’re wearing to

appropriate clothing, shoes and using the right equipment.

Impact

Perhaps the hardest to avoid, sports injuries caused by impact are most common in

contact sports such as football, rugby and boxing etc.


The impact of coming into hard contact with another person/object can force

unnatural or unexpected twisting and quick direction-change which can in turn cause

damage to connective tissue or even joint dislocation.

Common injuries here include cuts, bruising, head injuries, muscle pain and dislocated

joints, spinal injuries, ligament and tendon damage, fractures and head and spinal

injuries.

As impact and contact is often a requirement of many sports the only way to reduce

the risk is to wear protective clothing if possible, such as shin pads or helmets.

3. Common sports injuries.

A sports injury can be either acute or chronic. An acute injury is one which occurs

abruptly and is often the cause of injuries such as sprained ankles, fractures and

strained backs.

A chronic injury is one which does not come on

suddenly bur rather occurs as a result of overuse

of a certain limb or joint over a long period of

time.

Generally the most common causes behind

sports injuries are from unintentional accidents,

using bad form during an exercise, performing an

inadequate warm-up prior to exercise or doing a

sport or from performing exercises or partaking

in a sport which is beyond your ability.

Areas of the body most commonly affected include joints, ligaments, tendons.

Common injuries include sprains and strains, tendon injuries, fractures and

dislocations.

Sprains

Sprains occur when a ligament tears. Typically caused by trauma knocking a joint out

of position and damaging supporting ligaments. Areas most affected include ankles,

knees, and wrists.

Strains

Strains are caused by a twist, pull, or tearing of a muscle or tendon from

overstretching or over-contraction of a muscle.


Tendon injuries

Tendons can be torn or completely rupture which can be extremely painful. If the

tendon is completely ruptured it will need to be repaired surgically whereas a partial

tea, called tendinitis, is usually a cause of ageing or overuse.

Tendinitis: This refers to acute tendon injuries which occur with inflammation.

Tendinosis: This is a chronic condition which occurs over time from small

tendon injuries which don't heal properly. Inflammation is not characteristic,

although can occur at the initial injury.

Tendinopathy: Tendinopathy is a general term for tendon damage caused by

overuse, micro tears, and collagen degeneration, evidenced by inflammation,

pain, and weakness. The joint areas most commonly affected by tendinopathy

are the shoulder, elbow, wrist, hip, knee,

and ankle.

Joint injuries

Knee injuries most commonly often occur from

hard twisting or sharp bending movements, hard

landings, improper warm-ups and forceful

extension. Often damage is caused to the cartilage

or ligaments in and around the knee.

Fractures

Fractures can either be caused a result of hard, sudden impact (acute) or as a result of

repetitive stress to that bone over time (stress fracture).

Dislocation

Dislocations arise when two bones which are joined at a joint are dislocated from each

other. Those most are risk for this type of injury includes people who participate in

contact sports such as rugby, wrestling and martial arts. The joints most commonly

affected include the ankles, knees, shoulders, hips, elbows and jaw.

Concussion

Concussion is a mild, traumatic brain injury, common in many sports such as rugby and

cricket. Identifying a concussion and providing appropriate treatment as soon as

possible is vital, especially for younger athletes. One of the main areas for concern

with concussion is that players often return to play too soon.


Although concussion is generally short-lived and lasts between 7 to 10 days, this can

put them at risk for other concussions and repeat concussions can have long-term

consequences.

Common symptoms of concussion include drowsiness, headache, loss of

consciousness, memory loss, Irritability and confusion and balance problems with

dizziness.

4. Symptoms of sports injuries.

If you suspect you have an injury from exercise or sport, the first thing you need to do

is stop doing it and rest the affected area. Depending on the severity of the sport injury

you may need to seek medical advice.

The following symptoms are signs that you have indeed injured yourself and medical

treatment may be required:

Swelling

If there is immediate swelling with pain and/or numbness following a blow or fall or

hard knock, this is an indication of injury. If there is swelling of an old injury after fall or

collision, this could also indicate further injury.

Pain

If the pain is instant and does not subside within a few

minutes or hours, of if it gets worse, this is indicative of

a serious injury requiring medical treatment. Similarly if

it is a limb or joint which is injured and you cannot put

any weight on it or it feels unstable.

Bruising

Any signs of bruising on the skin following a blow or a

fall can signify an underlying injury. If tissue damage is

widespread, this can indicate a broken bone, dislocated

joint, sprain or torn muscle.

Reduced range of motion

If your joint cannot move easily through its full range of motion, or there is pain in

flexion or extension, this may point towards injury.


Weakness, tingling/numbness

Weakness in a joint or muscle and any tingling or numbness is the body’s way of

indicating there is a problem. If you experience all three symptoms together, seek

medical attention immediately.

Tenderness or stiffness

If a joint or muscle is excessively tender or stiff following exercise this is a good

indication there may be an underlying injury.

Muscle spasms

Muscle spasms are often due to dehydration and electrolyte abnormalities due to

overuse or exercise in extreme heat. Sometimes they can be eased with gentle

stretching, but if they occur.

5. Treating sports injuries.

Treatment for a sport injury depends on whether it is an

acute or chronic injury. The one thing you should do

however is immediately stop doing the exercise or sport

which is the cause of your injury until you have received

adequate treatment.

If the sports injury is causing you severe pain, swelling,

numbness, if you can’t stand on it or put weight on it, and

if there is any joint abnormality, then you need to seek

treatment immediately.

Otherwise home treatment, using the RICE method, should suffice until the symptoms

subside.

The RICE method involves:

Rest: Keep the weight off the affected joint or limb, using a crutch or walking

stick if necessary.

Ice: Use an ice pack (frozen veg or a proper cold pack from the pharmacy) on

the injured area for 20 minutes, several times a day. Don’t exceed the 20

minute limit.

Compression: Use a bandage or compression device to put an even of amount

pressure on the injured area. This helps reduce swelling.


Elevation: Keep the injured area elevated above heart level to reduce swelling.

Types of injury and treatment

Cuts: First try stop the bleeding using a cold compress or bandage and apply

pressure to the area until bleeding has ceased. Deeper cuts may need stitches.

Head injuries : Any type of head injury should be taken seriously injury has

occurred the head should be stabilised until a medical professional can assess

further.

Neck and spinal injuries: Injuries to the neck or spine must also be taken

seriously and treated as emergency cases. The neck and spine should be

stabilised immediately and the person must be kept very still.

Rehabilitation

Recovery and rehabilitation from sports injuries should be gradual and is intended to

assist the injured body part to regain normal function again. Early rehabilitation

includes getting the injured person moving again with gentle range-of-motion

exercises and light stretching and strengthening exercises.

Progression is the key principle and

depending on the severity of the injury this

can take up to a few months.

The point is to avoid pain at all costs and

not to return to your previous exercise or

sport until full range of motion and

strength is regained in the affected area.

QUESTIONS FOR THE EXAM.

1. What does ‘sport injury’ mean?

2. Which are the most common causes of sport injuries?

3. How many types of injuries in tendon know?

4. How be caused a fracture?

5. Which symptoms can be observed when an athlete has a sport injury?

6. Define the RICE method.

7. What is the key in injury’s rehabilitation and why?

unit 2.- sport injuries: symptoms and treatment · cardiovascular exercises to prepare the body for...

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