Unit 4.

1 Sport Injuries And Rehabilitation

1 What is Sport Injury
A sport injury is any injury which disable an athlete. The degree of disability will vary with the nature of the injury. It is important to know: 1.1 What tissue is involved ? muscle, tendon, bone, ligament, etc. 1.2 Where is the injury ? serious head, neck and back injuries are treated differently than injuries to the limbs. 1.3 What kind of injuries is it ? strain, sprain, fracture. 1.4 How serious is it ? mild, moderate or severe

2. Types of injury

2.1 Primary Injury - common types - results directly from sporting action - 3 types
2.1.1 Indirect Injury (Intrinsic) - caused by the athlete themselves - involved mainly muscle, tendon & ligament tears e.g. from overstrectching, not executing a proper technique, fatigue, lack of fitness

2.1.2 Direct Injury (Extrinsic) - resulting from an outside source e.g. an external blow from another person or subject - occurs instantaneously - more severe - leads to fracture, dislocation, severe ligament & tendon injuries, muscle damage

2.1.3 Overuse injury

- results from inappropriate use of the body - generally arise from a sudden change in
frequency or intensity e.g.- increase number or intensity of training. - introducing hill climbing into a running programme. - caused by: a. poorly designed training scheduled b. poor technique

2.2 Secondary Injury - usually occurs as a result of an earlier often inadequately treated sports injury 3. What to do when injury occurs ? 3.1 Find out what happen - Use your head before your hands - Stay cool - Get as complete history of how the injury occured e.g. - what part is injury - where does it hurt - what was the athlete doing when it happen - what position was the athlete 3.2 Look at the injury - check for alignment, deformity, swelling, discoloration

3.3 Check for abnormalities

- does the injured part displaying any strange sounds (as a grating sensation in a fracture), smell (as in a burn) or feel (as in swelling) - observe the range of motion of the injured part and compare it with the normal, uninjured side - never have an athlete move a limb to check for abnormalities if you suspect a fracture or dislocation

3.4 Get medical referral

- if there is any doubt about the nature or severity of the injury, refer the athlete to a doctor

4. The three stages in injury care 4.1 First stage/Acute stage ( 0 - 24hours ) - when bleeding occurs 4.2 Middle stage ( 24 - 48hours ) - when bleeding can start up again 4.3 Final stage (48hours) - when therapeutic care can begin

Athlete must demonstrate full flexibility and strength, absence of pain and psychological readiness before they can return to competition.

5. The Six Major Categories Of Sports Injuries:

5.1 Soft Tissue Injuries - muscle, tendon, ligament 5.2 Fractures - bones 5.3 Dislocation - bones come out of a joint 5.4 Head Injuries 5.5 Internal Injuries - internal organ 5.6 Other Injuries - skin problem
Bruises, cuts, abrasions, strains are all soft tissue injuries, the most

common injuries in sport.

In the majority of cases, injured athlete should

not be allowed to return to action.

6.Care Of Soft Tissue Injuries: R.I.C.E Formula : R= Rest I = Ice or cold . C= Compression E= Elevation 6.1 Rest - injured part should be rested 6.2 Ice - ice or cold can be applied either directly or indirectly to the skin. - if applied directly,the source of the cold application should be kept in motion,as in light circular motion 6.3 Compression - usually done by wrapping with sterile bandage or tape or by direct, manual pressure.

6.4 Elevation - placing the injuried part above the level of the heart as in the injuried leg propped up on a support while the athlete is lying down.

7. Causes and Prevention Injuries

7.1 Causes of injuries 7.1.1 Over training - where you push beyond your limits 7.1.2 Poor training methods - where you increase the intensity or the amount of training rapidly 7.1.3 A structural abnormality - in your body that puts added stress on muscles, tendon, bones, joints & ligaments

7.1.4 A lack of flexibility - muscle tightened by hard exercise are more susceptible to injury 7.1.5 Muscle imbalance - where one muscle overpowers another that performs an opposite function 7.2 Preventation of injury

7.2.1 Conditioning - must be maintained all year round because it acts as an aid to prevention of injury - types of conditioning include o aerobic o muscular strength o flexibility

7.2.2 Stretching, Warm Up & Warm Down ( never forget or lazy to do ) - it helps: - by reducing muscle tension & makes the body feel more relax - prevents injuries such as muscles strain - makes strenuious activities easier - develops body awareness 7.2.3 Others Tips - Train but dont overstrain; - Have enough rest; - Rest if you are sick; - Obey the rules & regulation; - Playing area & facilities proper & safe;

7.2.3 Others Tips (continued) - Wear proper protective devices - Proper attire - Keep good hygeine - Use common sense

General preparation helps in dealing with an emergency when it occurs. Knowing the athletes, emergency care, having an accident plan & well-stocked first aid kit.