UNIT 2.- SPORT INJURIES: SYMPTOMS AND TREATMENT · cardiovascular exercises to prepare the body for...
Transcript of UNIT 2.- SPORT INJURIES: SYMPTOMS AND TREATMENT · cardiovascular exercises to prepare the body for...
UNIT 2. Sport injuries: Simptoms and tratment. Página 1
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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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?