Unit
V
Athletic
injuries
Meaning common athletic injuries strain,
sprain, confusion, laceration, fracture, dislocation, symptoms, prevention and
Treatment.
Sports injury
Ryan Miller of the Buffalo Sabres suffers an ankle
sprain.
Sports injuries are injuries that occur in
athletic activities. In many cases, these types of injuries are often due
to overuse or acute trauma of a part of the body
when participating in a certain activity. For example, runner's
knee is
a painful condition generally associated with running, while tennis elbow is a form
of repetitive stress injury at the elbow. Other types of
injuries can be caused by a hard contact with something. This can often cause a
broken bone or torn ligament or tendon
Injuries are a common occurrence
in professional
sports and
most teams have a staff of Athletic Trainers and close
connections to the medical community. Controversy has
arisen at times when teams have made decisions that could threaten a players
long-term health for short term gain.
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Contents
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Sports injuries can be broadly
classified as either traumatic or overuse injuries. Traumatic injuries account
for most injuries in contact sports such as Association
football, rugby league, rugby union, Australian rules football, Gaelic football andAmerican football because of the
dynamic and high collision nature of these sports. These injuries range from
bruises and muscle strains, to fractures and head injuries.
A bruise or contusion is damage to
small blood vessels which causes bleeding within the tissues. A muscle strain is a small tear
of muscle fibers and a ligament sprain is a small tear
of ligament tissue. The body’s response to these sports injuries is the same in
the initial five day period immediately following the traumatic incident –
inflammation.
Inflammation is characterized by pain,
localized swelling, heat, redness and a loss of function.
All of these traumatic injuries cause
damage to the cells that make up the soft tissues. The dead and damaged cells
release chemicals, which initiate an inflammatory response. Small blood vessels
are damaged and opened up, producing bleeding within the tissue. In the body’s
normal reaction, a small blood clot is formed in order to stop this bleeding
and from this clot special cells (called fibroblasts) begin the healing process
by laying down scar tissue.
The inflammatory stage is therefore
the first phase of healing. However, too much of an inflammatory response in
the early stage can mean that the healing process takes longer and a return to
activity is delayed. The sports injury treatments are intended to minimize the
inflammatory phase of an injury, so that the overall healing process is
accelerated. intrinsic and extrinsic factors
A warm-up program has
been founded to decrease injuries in association football.[1] Many athletes
will partake in HGH Treatment for Athletic Enhancement as a way to
prevent injuries.[dubious – discuss]
Injury can be minimalised by doing an
effective warm up, this consists of a heart raiser to get your pulse up,
followed by sport specific dynamic stretches (stretches whilst moving). To
reduce the risk of injury:
Time off. Plan to have at least 1 day
off per week from a particular sport to allow the body to recover.
Wear the right gear. Players should
wear appropriate and properly fit protective equipment such as pads (neck,
shoulder, elbow, chest, knee, shin), helmets, mouthpieces, face guards,
protective cups, and/or eyewear. Young athletes should not assume that
protective gear will protect them from performing more dangerous or risky
activities.
Strengthen muscles. Conditioning
exercises before games and during practice strengthens muscles used in play.
Increase flexibility. Stretching
exercises before and after games or practice can increase flexibility.
Use the proper technique. This should
be reinforced during the playing season.
Play safe. Strict rules against
headfirst sliding (baseball and softball), spearing (football), and body
checking (ice hockey) should be enforced.
Stop the activity if there is pain.
Avoid heat injury by drinking plenty of fluids before, during and after
exercise or play; decrease or stop practices or competitions during high
heat/humidity periods; wear light clothing.
Sports-Related Emotional Stress
The pressure to win can cause
significant emotional stress for a child. Sadly, many coaches and parents
consider winning the most important aspect of sports. Young athletes should be
judged on effort, sportsmanship and hard work. They should be rewarded for
trying hard and for improving their skills rather than punished or criticized
for losing a game or competition.
Using proper equipment is key in
preventing injury.[2] The NFL is conducting tests with new helmet
designs that could reduce the number of head injuries in the league.[3]
Doctors believe fatigue can be a
contributing factor in sports injuries because it is more difficult for the
body to protect itself when fatigued. Stopping an activity at the first sign of
fatigue can prevent sports related injuries.[4]
Sports injuries can be treated and
managed by using the P.R.I.C.E.S... DR. ABC, and T.O.T.A.P.S regimes:
P – Protect
R – Rest
I – Ice
C – Compression
E – Elevation
S - Stabilize
D – Danger
R – Response
A – Airway
B – Breathing
C – Circulation
T – Talk
O – Observe
T – Touch
A – Active movement
P – Passive movement
S – Skills test
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