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UNIT-7: PHYSIOLOGY AND INJURIES IN SPORTS


TOPICS IN SYLLABUS:
7.1Physiological factors determining components of physical fitness
7.2 Effect of exercise on Muscular System
7.3 Effect of exercise on Cardio-Respiratory System
7.4 Sports injuries: Classification (Soft Tissue Injuries -Abrasion, Contusion, Laceration, Incision, Sprain & Strain;
Bone & Joint Injuries - Dislocation, Fractures - Green Stick, Comminated, Transverse Oblique & Impacted)
INTRODUCTION
Physiology is the science of how living things work. Physiology is the study of the functioning of living
organisms.
Sports physiology is the study of the long-and short-term effects of training and conditions on athletes.
Exercise physiology is the study of how the body reacts to physical exercise, in both the long and short
term, and how the body adapts to ongoing exercise and any changes to a routine.
7.1 Physiological Factors Determining Components Of Physical Fitness
Physical fitness is the ability to carry out tasks without undue fatigue.
The four basic components of physical fitness are Endurance, Strength, Speed , Flexibility all these
fitness components are influenced by various physiological developments in the body systems.
1. Physiological Factors Determining Endurance
The various Physiological factors which determine the endurance of a person are Endurance

mentioned below:
i. Lactate Threshold : Endurance is determined on the basis of lactate Physiologic
threshold. The quicker accumulation lactic acid means less endurance al
Component
Flexibility s Strength
and vice-versa. Of
fitness
ii. Muscle Composition factor: Endurance is determined on the basis
of muscle fibre types slow twitch and fast twitch. Endurance athletes generally
possess high percentages of slow-twitch muscle fibres in muscles. Speed

iii. Gender: Endurance is determined on the basis of the gender of person. It is well
known fact that endurance varies between men and women.
iv..Age : Endurance is determined on the basis of the of age. Endurance decreases with age
young people have more endurance than aged.
v. Cardiac hypertrophy: Endurance is determined on the basis of the heart size and volume.
vi. Resting heart rate: Endurance is determined on the basis the resting heart rate of a person less
resting heart rate means more endurance and vice –versa.
vii. Cardiac Muscles: Endurance is determined on the basis the strength of cardiac muscles .The
powerful cardiac muscles result in improved cardio-vascular endurance.
viii. Maximal Oxygen Uptake or Aerobic Capacity/VO2Max.Capacity:
It can be defined as the maximum volume of oxygen that can be consumed by the working muscles per
minute. Maximal Oxygen Uptake is an important determinant of their endurance capacity during
prolonged exercise.
2. Physiological Factors Determining Strength
The Physiological factors which determine the strength of a person are mentioned below:
(i) Size of the muscle: Strength is determined on the basis of amount of muscle mass. Although, there
is a no correlation between the two, more muscle mass does not necessarily mean stronger. For
example, power lifters tend to be stronger than bodybuilders, but bodybuilders have a larger amount
of muscle mass. This occurs for different adaptations that take place during training.
ii. Body weight: Strength is also associated with the body weight of person. If the body weight is ideal
on the scale of BMI strength will be more while as in case of below normal (low weight) or above
normal (obese) the strength will be less.
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iii. Muscle composition factor: Human skeletal muscle is composed of two fiber types’ fast twitch
and slow twitch. The fast twitch fibres are capable to contract faster and therefore produce more
force.
iv.Gender: Strength is also associated with the gender of person. It is well known fact that
muscle strength varies between men and women.
v.Age : Strength is determined on the basis of the of age. Strength decreases with age young
people have more strength than aged.
(iv) Limb Length: Another strength factor that is naturally determined is limb length. Persons with
short limbs tend to be able to lift more weight because of advantageous leverage factors (arms and
legs).
3. Physiological Factors Determining Speed
The Physiological factors which determine the speed of a person are mentioned below:
i. Muscle composition factor: Muscle is composed of two types of fiber fast twitch and slow twitch..
The fast twitch fibres are capable to contract faster and therefore produce more speed for short
duration (sprinters).
ii) Body Fat : Fat acts as excess baggage when trying to run ,higher range of body fat negatively
affects speed.
iii). Flexibility or ROM (Range of movement of joints).The flexibility of the joints also determines
the speed. Proper flexibility of the involved joints contributes to movements that are coordinated,
resulting in longer and faster strides and greater speed. Thus, flexibility plays an important role in
determining speed.
iv.Age : Speed is determined on the basis of the of age. Speed decreases with age young people
have more speed than aged.
(v) Neuromuscular Responses: Neuromuscular responses affect speed. Faster responses lead to faster
muscle contraction thus leading to faster speed.
vi).Gender: Speed is also associated with the gender of person. It is well known fact that speed varies
between men and women.
vii) Anaerobic Capacity : Speed is dependent on the anaerobic energy systems., an athlete
having a better anaerobic capacity will have a better speed.
4. Physiological Factors Determining Flexibility
The Physiological factors which determine the flexibility of a person are mentioned below:
i. Joint Structure : Joint structure determines the flexibility of a joint. e.g.The ball and socket joint
of the shoulder has the greatest range of motion of all the joints and can move in
each of the anatomical planes .
(ii) Age : Flexibility is determined on the basis of the of age .Range of motion and flexibility
decreases with age. Children have more flexibility than adults.
(iii) Gender : Flexibility is determined on the basis of the of gender. Females tend to be more
flexible than males.
(iv)Connective Tissue : Deep connective tissue such as fascia and tendons can limit Range
of Motion. Ligaments do not seem to display any elastic properties. However, with exposure
to stretching they may extend to a new length.
v.MuscleBulk : Size of skeletal muscle or muscle bulk can adversely affect ROM. It may be
difficult for very bulky athletes to complete certain stretches.
7.2. EFFECT OF EXERCISE ON MUSCULAR SYSTEM
Muscles:Muscle can be defined as a specialized tissue which enables the body and its part to move and
give shape to the body. They account for nearly 40% of body weight.
Short-Term / Immediate Effects/During exercise effects on Muscles:
1. Increase in blood flow towards muscles: The volume of blood flow to muscle tissues increases
during exercise. It can increase by up to 25 times especially during demanding exercise.
2. Depletion of Glycogen stores: Glycogen stores deplete in the muscles due to excessive exercise
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3. Fatigue: Exercise can cause muscle fatigue which is short-term decline in the ability of a muscle to
generate force to perform the task efficiently.
4. Exhaustion: When exercise continues through muscle fatigue after a certain time it can lead
to muscle exhaustion.
5. Cramp: Muscle cramp is powerful, on-going, uncontrolled muscle contraction due to over-exercise
of muscles receiving insufficient blood circulation. It can be painful.
Long Term Effects of Exercise on Muscles:
1.Change in size and shape of Muscle : Regular exercise helps in enlarging cells of muscles
which helps in changing size and shape of muscles.
2. Increase in the Strength of Muscles : Regular exercise helps in developing stronger muscles .
These become stronger by getting more nutritious food.
3.Increase in Co-ordination : Regular exercise and especially use of specific muscles for the same or
similar skilled tasks Improves muscle control and balance e.g. dribbling a ball in a game of Basketball
leads to improved co-ordination.
4. Improved blood supply Regular exercise helps to the development of the capillary network and
increase the number of capillaries as a result of this blood flow to the muscle increase.
5. Increase in muscle glycogen stores: With regular training muscles are capable of storing a larger
amount of glycogen which increases muscle glycogen stores.
6. Delays fatigue : Regular exercise increases the lactic acid tolerance by the muscles. Which results in
delay in fatigue. Thus, muscles can work for long time and with greater efficiency.
7.3 Effect Of Exercise On Cardio Vascular System
Short-Term / Immediate Effects/During exercise effects on Cardio Vascular System
1.Increase in heart rate : One of the short-term effects of exercise is an increase in heart rate. From an
average heart rate of 72 beats / minute ,heart rate increases as per the intensity of exercise can increase
up to 220 beats/minute.
2. Increase in stroke volume : Stroke volume is the amount of blood pumped out by the left ventricle
per beat from. It is about70 ml/beat . During intense, physical activity stroke volume increases up to
110-130ml/beat from 50 to 70 ml/beat. • In trained athletes stroke volume increases to as much as
150-220ml/beat
3. Increase in cardiac output : Cardiac output is the amount of blood pumped out by the heart in a
one minute. It is a product of stroke volume and heart rate. It increases from the typical 5 liters per
minute, to up to 40 liters per minute, during strenuous exercise.
4- Short-term changes in blood flow: During exercise blood is diverted away from less active parts
such as the digestive organs, kidney and liver to the working skeletal muscles.
5.Blood vessels expand at the skin’s surface: During exercise the blood vessels near the skin expand
to allow more blood to the surface of the body to release heat, causing skin to redden. This helps to
cool the body down during exercise.
Long-Term Effects/Adoptations in the long run on Cardio Vascular System
1. Increase in heart size : Regular exercise leads to increase in size and strength of heart muscles. The
heart walls grow stronger and thicker.
2. Decrease in resting heart rate: Regular exercise helps the heart become more efficient.
which helps to decrease heart rate at rest.
3. Stroke volume increases at rest: Regular exercise helps the heart become more efficient
and heart becomes capable to pump a larger quantity of blood with every beat which helps to
increase stroke volume at rest.
4. Increase in capillaries - Regular exercise helps to the development of the capillary
network and increase the number of capillaries as a result of this blood flow to the muscle increase.
5. Reduced risk of Heart diseases :The cardiovascular system realizes a countless number
of benefits from regular exercise such as reduced risk of Heart diseases helping us to
live healthier life.
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6.Increase in blood volume :Regular exercise helps the body to produce a greater number of red blood
cells and increase Blood volume in the body.
7.Faster recovery rate : Regular exercise leads to faster recovery rate. An athlete’s heart rate
becomes normal earlier compared to a beginner.
7.3 EFFECT OF EXERCISE ON RESPIRATORY SYSTEM
Short-Term / Immediate Effects/During exercise effects
1. Respiratory rate increases: The total number of respirations per minute is called
respiratory rate,It is about 12-18 /minute.During exercise respiratory rate increases from around
18 per minute to up to 80 /minute.
2. Amount of air inhaled and exhaled increases: During exercise the amount of air inhaled and exhaled
in each breath also increases from around 0.5 litres to up to 4.5 litres.
3.Oxygen debt: During intense exercise, If muscles can’t get enough oxygen by breathing body
reverts to anaerobic respiration but this leads an oxygen debt that needs to be repaid during rest.
4. Increase in tidal Volume:The amount of air breathed in and out of the lungs with each breath is
called tidal volume. During intense exercise tidal volume increases from 500ml per breath up to 2
litres.
5. Slight decrease in Vital Capacity: The maximum amount of air that can be inhaled in and exhaled
out of the lungs by the forceful inspiration and expiration is called vital capacity. During exercise there
is a slight decrease in the vital capacity.
Long-Term Effects/Adoptations in the long run
Regular training leads to a more efficient respiratory system, which can handle the exercise more
easily.
1 .Increases tidal volume: Participation in regular exercise programme helps to increases the tidal
volume.
2. increases vital capacity: Participation in regular exercise programme helps to increases the vital
capacity.
3. More Alveoli For Gaseous Exchange: Participation in regular exercise programme helps to increases
number of alveoli available for gaseous exchange so more oxygen is available for the working
muscles.
4.Improved Efficiency Of The Lungs: With regular training the respiratory muscles increase in
strength which improves the efficiency of the lungs..
5.VO2 max (Aerobic Capacity) Is Increased: Regular training results in larger respiratory
volumes, which allows more Oxygen to be diffused into the blood flow (VO2 max) i.e. VO2 is
increased.
6. Avoids second wind : A beginner might feel the second wind during exercise but an athlete
hardly feels it during his course of activity.
7.4 Sports injuries: Classification, Causes & Prevention:
Sports injury is defined as any damage to tissues as a direct result of participating in sport and
exercise.
Classification of Sports Injuries :Sports or performance injuries can be classified according to either
the type of body tissue damaged or the cause of the injury .
Classification (A) If injuries are classified according to the type of body tissue damaged, the
categories are:
1Soft-tissue injury 2. Hard-tissue injury.
1. Soft-tissue injury : A Soft tissue injury (STI) is the damage of muscles, ligaments and tendons
throughout the body. These are the most common injuries resulting from participation in sport. They
include the following: (a) Contusion (b) Abrasion (c) Laceration(d)incision(e)Sprain (f) Strain
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2. Hard-tissue injury: Hard-tissue injuries are those involving damage to the bones of the skeleton.
They range from severe fractures and joint dislocations to bruising of the bone. They can be classified
into: 1. Bone injury 2. Joint Injury

Classification (B) If injuries are classified according to cause, the categories are:
1. Direct injury, 2. Indirect injury and 3. Overuse injury.
1. Direct injury : A direct injury is caused by an external blow or force causing injury at the point of
contact. Direct injuries can be caused by a collision with another player or being struck with an
object. Examples of injuries that result from external forces include bruises, joint and ligament
damage, dislocations and bone fractures.
2. Indirect injury : Indirect injury usually involves the athlete damaging the soft tissues such as the
ligaments, tendons or muscles of the body through internal or external forces, e.g. a beach volleyball
player overstretching to reach a ball straining a hamstring.
3. Overuse injury: An overuse injury is sustained from continuous or repetitive stress, incorrect
technique or equipment, or too much training, e.g. tendonitis in the shoulder of a swimmer from
excessive amounts of training.
Causes of Sports Injuries:
Injuries in sport happen as a result of external force from outside your body or internal force from inside
your body. Injuries can be caused due to following factors.
1. Improper Proper Playing Surface: Training and competition done on an improper surface can
result in injury.
2. Incorrect techniques: Incorrect techniques can cause sporting injuries. An example of how you
could suffer from an acute injury by not having the correct technique would be in rugby, players are
always diving in at each other, making tackles and getting hurt, if you have the incorrect technique
you could suffer from a very serious injury due to you having the wrong technique.
3. Improper Equipment: Improper or heavy equipment can cause lower back or arm pain. Ill-fitting
helmets and shoes may also cause injuries. A runner may experience an injury if he wears shoes that
do not provide enough support.
4.. Nutrition : Nutrition can cause a sporting injury to a player not having enough energy and maybe
making silly mistakes that could lead to either them or someone else picking up an injury, all down to
them not having the correct nutrition.
5. Fitness levels : Low fitness levels can cause a sporting injury because if someone has low fitness
levels, they will fatigue very quickly, might make mistakes which could lead to an injury.
6. Age : Age could cause a sporting injury as an individual gets older their bone strength decreases. Bones
are not able to handle forceful of impact
7.. Improper Warm-up and cool down : Not doing warm up before participation in activity and
cooling down after the activity is finished can result in injury.
8. Overuse : Overuse or repetitive movements may be the number-one cause of sports injuries.
Runners, swimmers and tennis players are particularly susceptible to overuse injuries, including
tennis elbow, tendinitis, shin splints and shoulder impingement.
Prevention of Sports Injuries :
1. Proper Playing Surface: Training and competition should take place on an appropriate surface
that allows for the demands of the sport to be met and reduces the forces going through the body. A
risk assessment should be conducted on all training environments to identify risk and hazards and
look to reduce these.
2. Planning a session : Any training programme should be carefully planned considering frequency,
intensity, duration, and type of training method. If programmes are carefully periodised it allows a
gradual specific adaptation to imposed demands and reduces damage to the tissues as a result of
training.
3. Proper Warm-up : A well-structured warm-up is necessary to either prepare the individual
physically and mentally or aid recovery from sport/exercise.
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4. Protective Equipment : The use of protective equipment varies across different sports and
exercises. Protective equipment’s can prevent harmful movements, reduce or disperse shock and
force, and act as a shield to block force.
5. Obeying the rules: If all performers are aware of and obey the rules of the game then injuries can
be reduced. Individuals should be coached in the differences between assertion and aggression to
limit injuries.
6. Regular fitness testing: All participants in a sport should be able meet the demands of that sport or
exercise. Individuals must be fit enough to train or compete. Regular fitness testing will ensure
individuals have the basic fitness to participate safely and effectively.
7. Balanced diet: Active individuals have increased nutritional requirements to meet extra energy,
hydration and recovery needs. Increasing carbohydrate, fluid, and protein intake can play an
important role in injury prevention by delaying fatigue and promoting recovery.
9. Proper Cool Down : Make cooling down the final phase of your exercise routine. It should take
twice as long as your warm up. Slow your motions and lessen the intensity of your movements for at
least 10 minutes before you stop completely. This phase of a safe exercise program should conclude
when your skin is dry and you have cooled down.
Soft Tissue Injuries: (Injuries of Skin) (Abrasion, Contusion, Laceration, Incision, Sprain &
Strain)
1.Abrasion :It is the injury of skin in which skin is scrapped or rubbed by friction. It is normally a
minor injury but can be serious if some foreign matter is stuck in it. It may be caused by a fall on hard
or rough surface. Such injuries occur in sports like wrestling, football, cricket, hockey, track and field
etc.
Signs and symptoms of Abrasion:
1. Scrapping of skin with some burning pain.
2. Some bleeding or oozing at the abrasion spot.
Prevention of Abrasion:
1.Wear protective gear.
2.Avoiding poorly maintained fields.
Management /Treatment Steps of Abrasion:
1.Wash area of abrasion with soap and warm water.
2.Take immediate medical assistance if some foreign material is stuck deeply in the wound.
3.Clean and apply antibiotic ointment.
4.Cover the wound lightly during day time uncover it at night.
5. Anti-tetanus injection should be taken.
6. Repeat the dressing and cleaning of part every day till it heals
2.Contusion : A blow anywhere on the surface of the body causing bleeding from ruptured small
capillaries below the skin without any breaking of skin is called contusion. In such cases there is
slight bleeding in muscular tissues while the outer skin remains unbroken. Such injuries take place in
sports like Boxing, Gymnastic, Basketball, Hockey, Cricket etc.
Signs and symptoms of Contusion :
1.Discoloration under the skin, this starts from redness to turning blue or black gradually.
2.Swelling and pain on contused part.
3. Stiffness over the area.
Preventions of Contusion :
1.Use protective gear like skin guard, batting gloves, elbow guard etc. as per requirement.
2.Abiding rules and regulations of sports activity.
Management /Treatment Steps of Contusion :
1.Contusion should be treated immediately with ice application for some duration.
2.Apply cold compress for few hours.
3.After two days massage should be done over the affected part to reduce swelling.
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3.Laceration (Wounds) :It is the cut over the skin caused by sharp object. In such cases bleeding is
caused.
Signs and symptoms of Laceration:
1.Bleeding occurs from affected part.
2.Severe pain occurs at the affected part.
Preventions of Laceration:
1.Wear protective gear.
2.Avoiding poorly maintained fields.
3.Use sharp edged object carefully.
Management /Treatment Steps of Laceration:
1.Clean the surface of the affected part.
2.Stop bleeding at the earliest by compression or by pressing.
3.Cover the affected part with medicinal cotton bandage or apply Band-Aid.
4.Repeat dressing or padding over the wound. If bleeding continues then apply further pads or
dressing.
5. Anti-tetanus injection to be given within 24 hours.
6.If injury is deep go for stitches at the earliest.
4. Incision : Incisions are caused by a sharp, cutting object, such as broken glass; they are also caused
when the impact causes the skin to be split over an underlying bone. The wound has sharp, even cuts
with smooth edges that tend to bleed freely.
Signs and symptoms of Incision :
1. Cuts may be deep or shallow, long or short, and wide or narrow.
2. Bleeding depending on the depth and extent of a cut.
Preventions of Incision : :
1.Wear protective gear.
2.Avoiding poorly maintained fields.
3.Use sharp edged object carefully.
Management /Treatment Steps of Incision : :
1.Clean the surface of the affected part.
2.Stop bleeding at the earliest by compression or by pressing.
3.Cover the affected part with medicinal cotton bandage or apply Band-Aid.
4.Repeat dressing or padding over the wound. If bleeding continues then apply further pads or
dressing.
5. Anti-tetanus injection to be given within 24 hours.
6.If injury is deep go for stitches at the earliest.
5. Sprain : This is an injury of the ligaments. It occurs due to the overstretching of
ligaments .During exercise, ligaments sometimes become tense and get injured near the
joints with a bone or from a weak spot in the ligaments
Types : Sprains are of three types :
1. Mild : When there is slight tearing of some ligament fibres and there is no loss of function.
2. Moderate : When some tear of ligaments is accompanied with some loss of function.
3. Severe : Total rupture of ligaments with total loss of function.
Signs and symptoms of Sprain :
1.Swelling and softness at the affected area.
2.Acute pain on touching the affected area.
Preventions of Sprain :
1.Warming up before participation.
2.Wearing protective gear such as knee caps , elbow guards, bandages etc.
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Management /Treatment Steps of Sprain : First aid of sprain involves application of ‘RICER’
principle. But this has now been changed to ‘PRICER’ principle. ‘PRICER’ stands for Protection,
Rest, Ice application, Compression, Elevation and Referral.
P ’stands for Protection : “Prevention is better than cure”, so proper equipment should be used to
prevent any injury and if still injury occurs to prevent from further injury.
R ’stands for Rest :Then complete rest of injured part and restrict the movement.
I’stands for Ice application : Application of ice wrapped in a towel or plastic bag to stop internal
bleeding. Repeat it several times.
C’stands for Compression : Compression bandage reduces blood supply and stops bleeding.
E ’stands for Elevation :he injured part is elevated above heart level . It reduces the pressure of
blood.
R ’ stands for Referral :Refer the injured person to a qualified professional such as a doctor for
definitive diagnosis and continuing management.
6. Strain : It is the result of stress or force applied on tissues .Application of force result in some
deformity in tissues. This deformation is termed as strain. Strain may also be termed as an injury to
muscles or tendons connected to the bones.
Types of Strain :Strains are of three types :
(a) Mild : When there is slight muscle pull without any tearing of muscle or tendon.
(b) Moderate : When there is slight tearing of muscle or tendon and there is some loss of strength.
(c) Severe : When the muscles or tendons rupture. In such a case ,loss of strength occurs.
Signs and symptoms of Strain :
1.Pain on moving the body parts such as arms or legs.
2.Swelling in that area and loss of strength in movement.
3.Feeling as something broken inside.
Prevention of Strain:
1.Warming up before participation.
2.Wearing protective gear such as knee caps , elbow guards, bandages etc.
Management /Treatment Steps of Strain :
First aid of strain involves application of ‘RICER’ principle. But this has now been changed to
‘PRICER’ principle. ‘It’ stands for Protection, Rest, Ice application, Compression, Elevation and
Referral.
P ’stands for Protection : “Prevention is better than cure”, so proper equipment should be used to
prevent any injury and if still injury occurs to prevent from further injury.
R ’stands for Rest :Then complete rest of injured part and restrict the movement.
I’stands for Ice application : Application of ice wrapped in a towel or plastic bag to stop internal
bleeding. Repeat it several times.
C’stands for Compression : Compression bandage reduces blood supply and stops bleeding.
E ’stands for Elevation :The injured part is elevated above heart level .It reduces the pressure of
blood.
R ’ stands for Referral :Refer the injured person to a qualified professional such as a doctor for
definitive diagnosis and continuing management.
Hard Tissue Injuries:
Bone & Joint Injuries:(Dislocation, Fractures: Stress Fracture, Green Stick, Comminuted,
Transverse ,Oblique & Impacted)
Joint Injuries:
A joint is junction or articulation between two or more bones or between bones and cartilages. It is
because of the joints that human movement takes place.
Joints are classified according to their mobility
1.Immovable joints 2.Slightly movable joints 3.Freely movable joints
As movement is involved around the joints, they are liable to injury. The common joints injuries are:
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Dislocation :It is an injury of joint in which adjoining bones are displaced from their original
position. Dislocation is mainly caused due to direct or indirect impact over the joint. It may be simple
dislocation, fractured dislocation or complicated dislocation. A common way to refer to dislocation of
joint is described the joint as being “pulled out of its socket”
Subluxation: partial displacement
Luxation: complete displacement.
Signs and symptoms of Dislocation :
1.Sudden pain in the affected area.
2.Loss of power and movement.
3.Swelling at the affected part.
4.May have some temporary paralysis of the injured limb.
5.Pinching or cutting of blood vessels or nerves.
6.There may be visible deformity if the dislocated bones lock in the dislocated position.
Prevention of Dislocation :
1.Always obey the rules and regulations of the game.
2.Avoid practicing during the fatigue.
3.Always use protective gears while playing.
4.Proper warming up and conditioning should be done.
Management /Treatment Steps of Dislocation :
1. Immoblise the joint and keep patient in comfortable position
2.Keep the person warm with blankets to prevent shock
3. Apply cold compression by ice packs to reduce pain.
4. Provide support by using string and bandage to reduce bleeding in the affected area.
5. Any attempt to reduce a dislocation is only to be made by the doctor.
6. After the dislocation has been corrected, the joint may be need to be immobilized for up to 8
weeks.
Fracture:- A breakage in bone is known as fracture. This can simply be a crack in the structure of the
bone or a complete break producing two or more fragments.
Classification of fracture:-Fractures are first categorized by how the skin over the broken bone is
affected. The skin is either closed or open.
1.Closed fracture :- It means there is no open cut in the skin over the site of fracture.
2.Open fracture:- Open fracture means there is an open cut in the skin over the site of fracture or a
part of the bone is sticking out through the skin.
Types of fracture:-
1. Green stick fracture 2.Comminuted fracture
3.Tansversal fracture 4. oplique fracture 5. Impacted fracture
1.Green stick fracture:- This type of fracture is very common in small kids. The bone may crack
and bend without breaking into pieces or parts.
2.Comminuted fracture:- When a bone is broken into more than 2 pieces it is called Comminuted
fracture.
3. Transverse Fracture :This type of fracture is caused due to breaking of bone at the right angle
with the axis of the bone.
4.oplique The oblique fracture is broken at an angle across the bone and is usually the result of a
sharp angled blow to the bone.
5.Impacted fracture:- When the end of the broken bone enters into other bone it is called as
Impacted fracture.
Causes of fracture:- Bones have tough structure and is normally able to tolerate strong forces , but
bones can be fractured .
1.If they suffer direct impact or As a result of fall or collision.
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2. Elderly people are at increased risk of fracture because they tend to be more prone to falls and have
reduced bone strength.
3.Children are also more likely to have falls and accidents which can result in a fracture partly
because they are less aware of hazards.
4.If the bones are exposed to strong bending and twisting.
5.sports that require repetitive movements - such as bowling a ball in cricket or rowing - can result in
stress fractures in other parts of the body.
Symptoms of Fracture:-The most obvious (clear) symptoms of a fractured bone are:
1. Pain, especially on movement and tenderness or discomfort on touch.
2. Swelling and bruising at the site of fracture.
3.The fractured bone may have an abnormal bent, the limb may assume an unnatural position .
4.It may be impossible to move a fractured part of the body .
5. If the fracture is near the skin the irregularity of the bone may be felt.
Prevention of Fracture:
1. Warm-up properly before participation..
2.Sports equipment should be of good quality.
3.Use appropriate sports gear.
4.Avoid poorly maintained fields.
Management /Treatment Steps of Fracture: Following steps may be taken to handle the fracture of a
bone:-
1.Do not try to set the bone yourself.
2.Use principal of RICE.
3.Immobilize the fracture bone.
4.Stop bleeding, if any.
5.Take the patient to doctor.
6.In case of compound fracture neither use any antiseptic nor wash the wound.
7.It should be plastered by the doctor for realignment.

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