7.3. Rehabilitation of Injuries Flashcards
Rehabilitation definition
A programme devised to enable the athlete to return to the point o almost full, pain free range of motion
What does rehabilitation involve?
Restoring strength, flexibility, endurance, power
Without effective rehab, what happens to the athlete?
- Prone to re-injury of affected area
- Incapable of performing at pre injury standard
- Predisposed to injury in another part of the body
4 stages of rehabilitation
- Initial
- Intermediate
- Advanced
- Return to sport
Initial stage description
Considered to be from the time of injury to the point of almost full, pain-free range of motion
Function level of injured site in initial stage
Poor
Intermediate stage description
Resumption of daily activities and some sporting activity, with activity mainly skill related.
Progressive loading of connective tissue and bones to develop strength.
Function level of injured site in intermediate stage
Good
Sport in intermediate stage
Isolated skills
Advanced stage description
Resumption of functional activities related to the sport
Function level of injured site in advanced stage
Good
Sport in advanced stage
Commence sport specific agility work, skills, game drills
Return to sport description
Return to sport including full participation in training and competition
Function level of injured site in return to sport stage
Good
Sport
Full
What should the therapist continually assess when monitoring their progress?
- Pain
- ROM
- Swelling
- Help
- Redness
- Ability to perform exercises and functional activities
Reasons for stretching
ROM around a joint is restricted by injury due to:
- Pain
- Swelling
- Shortened muscles
Stretching will restore the normal flexibility of the joint
Benefits of stretching
- Increases flexibility
- Increases muscle relaxation
- Decreases muscle soreness
- Improves circulation
- Speeds up recovery process
Recommendations of stretching
- Precede stretching with an adequate warm up
- Heat can be applied to the area before stretching
- No stretching in early stage (first 3 days) - use PRICE
- Gentle static and passive stretching in mid stage
- Late stage add PNF to static/ passive stretching to develop ROM
Static stretching
Taking a joint just beyond its point of resistance and holding the position for up to 30 seconds
Dynamic stretching
Using a controlled movement, bounce or swelling motion to take a joint to the limit of its ROM
PNF stretching
The most effective form of stretching involves taking a joint just beyond its point of resistance and performing an isometric contraction for 10 seconds.
Relax the muscle and repeat 3 times
Massage definition
A manual therapy used in the assessment, treatment and management of soft tissue injury and pain.
Also known as soft tissue therapy
Lymphatic drainage
The carrying of waste products away from the tissues towards the heart
Reasons for massage
- Help treat soft tissue injuries
- Reduce tension in the musculoskeletal system
- Form part of an injury prevention programme
Benefits of a massage
- Realigns deeper levels of connective tissue
- Reduces muscle pain
- Breaks down scar tissue
- Improves circulation and blood supply to an area
- Improves lymphatic drainage to reduce swelling
- Increases the rate of removal of harmful bi-products
- Increases range of motion and flexbility
Recommendations of massage
- Not advisable in first 48 hrs due to risk of further damage or restarting bleeding
- Can be used once inflammation has subsided
- Use firm pressure and massage across the line of tissue as well as along it
- Do not use massage on bruising, ligament or tendon ruptures
Heat benefits
- Reduces muscle tension
- Provides pain relief
- Vasodilation of blood vessels
- Increases blood flow to injured site
Risks of heat
- Increases bleeding and swelling if applied in first 25 hrs of acute injury
- Burns
Examples of heat therapy
- Warm shower or bath
- Heat packs
- Apply for 15 mins
Cold therapy benefits
- Provides pain relief
- Vasoconstriction of blood vessels
- Decreases swelling
Risks of cold therapy
- Ice burns
- Superficial nerve damage
Examples of cold therapy
- PRICE
- Ice packs
- Ice wraps
- Ice baths- for muscle soreness
- Cryokinetics - ice plus rehab exercises- good for ligaments strains
- Cryostretching ice plus stretching to decrease pain from muscle soreness
Contrast therapies benefits
- Decreases swelling by alternating heat and cold
- Provides pain relief
- Increases blood flow to injured site
Risks of contrast therapies
- Increases bleeding and swelling if used in first 24 hrs of acute injury die to heat phase
- Burns
Examples of cold therapies
- Hot bath to cold bath
- 4 mins hot/ 1 min cold
- Repeat 3-7 times
- Always finish with cold to encourage vasoconstriction
Benefits of anti inflammatory drugs
- Inflammation occurs at the site of an acute or chronic injury due to release of chemicals and enzymes that initiate an inflammatory response.
- NSAIDs block these reactions and help inhibit the inflammatory response to reduce swelling.
Risks of anti inflammatory drugs
Can be detrimental to tissue repair as they can inhibit the natural healing process
Short term side effects of anti inflammatory drugs
- Rashes
- Headaches
- Nausea
Long term side effects of anti inflammatory drugs
- Increased risk of cardiovascular complications
- Gastro-intestinal bleeding
Examples of anti-inflammatory drugs
- Aspirin
- Ibuprofen
NSAIDs
Medication widely used in the treatment in sports injuries that have analgesic and anti-inflammatory properties
What injuries are anti inflammatory drugs good for?
All injuries
What injuries are heat, cold and contrast therapies good for?
- Stress fractures
- Dislocation
- Sprain
- Torn cartilage
- Exercise induced muscle damage
What injuries are massages good for?
Soft tissue injuries
What injuries are stretching good for?
Soft tissue injuries
