Injury Prevention & Rehabilitation

Question 1

What is an acute injury?

Answer 1

An injury which occurs suddenly in the duration of an event

Question 2

What is a chronic injury?

Answer 2

A injury which occurs over a long period of time causing long-term discomfort and aches and pains during an event

Question 3

What are the characteristics of a acute injury?

Answer 3

• Sudden swelling and severe pain
• restricted movement
• deformation
• weakness

Question 4

What is a dislocation and where does it commonly occur?

Answer 4

An injury caused by abnormal movement to a joint caused by a fall or blow during commonly occurring in contact sports

Question 5

What are the characteristics of a dislocation?

Answer 5

• swelling
• pain
• visibly abnormal
• restricted movement

Question 6

What is done to treat dislocations?

Answer 6

• manipulation at a joint is done to reposition bones
• medication to reposition bones
• a splint/sling to restrict movement allowing rehabilitation
• protective equipment is worn

Question 7

What is a sprain?

Answer 7

When one or more ligaments are stretched, twisted or torn. Often when a muscle is under excessive pressure

Question 8

What is a strain?

Answer 8

When a muscle fibre tears or stretches. Often occurs when a muscle is stretched beyond its limit or forced to contract too quickly

Question 9

How are sprains and strains treated

Answer 9

RICE Proceduce
- Rest
- Ice
- Compress
- Elevate

Question 10

What is a chronic injury?

Answer 10

An injury which occurs due to excessive pressure on bones and muscles. Where muscles, bones, become weaken over time performing. An overuse injury rather than mechanical.

Question 11

What are the characteristics of a chronic injury?

Answer 11

• dull ache at rest
• pain while performing
• swelling

Question 12

What is an example of a chronic injury?

Answer 12

Achilles Tendonitis

Question 13

What is Achilles tendinitis.

Answer 13

Occurs due to the overuse of the Achilles’ tendon where it breaks down and rubs against the bone causing swelling & pain in an athlete’s Achilles’ tendon.

Question 14

What is a stress fracture?

Answer 14

When the muscles are overused causing bones to support the excessive weight (bone overload)

Question 15

What is tennis elbow?

Answer 15

Over-use of the muscles attached to the elbow and used to straighten the wrist. Muscles and tendons inflamed while there’s tears by the elbow

Question 16

What is screening?

Answer 16

A method used to identify people who may have complications playing sport; helps prep for exercise; enhance performance and reduce injury.
Can also highlight past or current injury

Question 17

Give examples of tests used in screening

Answer 17

• Electrocardiogram (ECG) - electrodes place of the chest, w/ wires connected to print out electrical activity of the heart
• assessing muscular imbalances, core strength, range of movement, mobility and postural alignment and if there are any issues, programme is formed to improve performance

Question 18

What are the disadvantages of screening?

Answer 18

• not 100% accurate:
- can give false positive (miss a problem)
- can give false negative (identify a problem that doesn’t exist)
• gives player anxiety if they have a health problem

Question 19

Give some examples of protective equipment

Answer 19

• football - ankle/shin pads
• rugby - scrum cap, gum shield, body armour
• cricket - batting pads, thigh pads, box, helmet, gloves
• hockey - gum shield, gloves helmet, leg guard, pads, kickers, face mask for short corners
• squash - eye guards

Question 20

How does warming up impact performance?

Answer 20

• reduces possibility of injury as increases muscle temp and therefore elasticity
• HR and RR increased so starts delivery of O2 and nutrients to working muscles, prepping muscles, joints and tendons for strenuous activity

Question 21

What is the structure of a warm up?

Answer 21

1. Pulse raiser/ CV exercise e.g. jogging = gently increasing heart rate + breathing rate + activating vascular shunt towards muscles
   2 . Stretching / flexibility exercises
   3 . Skill-based practice / movement patterns

Question 22

What are the 4 types of flexibility training?

Answer 22

• active stretching
• passive stretching
• static stretching
• ballistic stretching

Question 23

What is active stretching?

Answer 23

Where a stretched (and relaxed) antagonist muscle position is caused by the contraction of its agonist.
e.g. lifting leg up and holding it in a position

Question 24

What is passive stretching?

Answer 24

Using an external force to aid the stretched position
e.g. pushing against a partner or a wall

Question 25

What is static stretching?

Answer 25

Stretching whilst not moving; holding the muscle in the furthest place for up to 30 seconds
e.g. touching your toes

Question 26

What is ballistic stretching?

Answer 26

Using swinging and bouncing movements to push a muscle / body part further
e.g. swinging leg back and forth to stretch hamstring and glutes

Question 27

List rehabilitation methods of training?

Answer 27

• proprioceptive training
• strength training
• hyperbaric chambers
• cryotherapy
• hydrotherapy

Question 28

List recovery methods of training

Answer 28

• compression garments
• massage
• foam rollers
• cold therapy
• ice baths
• cryotherapy

Question 29

What is proprioceptive training?

Answer 29

Using jumping, hopping and balance exercises to restore lost proprioception and to teach the body to control the injured joint subconsciously
e.g. balance board

Question 30

What is strength training and what are the different methods used?

Answer 30

The use of resistance to prepare body for exercise and reduce chance of injury
• free weights - weights that have to be controlled when lifted, muscles have to stabilise while lifting e.g. DBS and KBs
• machine weights - used in early stages of injury; lifting weight that is under the control of a machine e.g. lat pull down machine / leg press / smith machine
• body weight - using body as resistance to improve core strength = improved imbalances that could lead to injury
• therabands - elastic latex bands that increase in strength as development occurs

Question 31

What are hyperbaric chambers?

Answer 31

Reduces recovery time by filling a chamber with 100% oxygen to reduce swelling and stimulate white blood cell activity and increase blood supply around injury site.

Question 32

What is cryotherapy (rehab of injured area)?

Answer 32

The use of cold temperature to treat injury e.g. Rest Ice Compression Elevation in injured area

Question 33

What is hydrotherapy?

Answer 33

The use of the buoyancy of warm water (35-37°C) to help support body weight to reduce load on joints / injury. Exercising against resistance of water strengthens injured area. It also improves blood circulation, relieves pain and relaxes muscles.

Question 34

What are compression garments?

Answer 34

The use of tight fabric to improve blood circulation, help blood lactate removal, reduce inflammation and problems relating to DOMS and prevent medical issues like deep vein thrombosis (blood clot in deep vein)

Question 35

What is a massage?

Answer 35

A treatment involving release of tension in soft tissues which can:
• increase blood flow to soft tissue so more O2 and nutrients can repair any damage
• removes lactic acid
• breaks down scar tissue which if not removed can lead to mobility problems in soft tissue

Question 36

What do foam rollers do?

Answer 36

‘Self-massage’ but relieves tension between the muscle and fascia (a fibrous layer of connective tissue that surrounds muscle group). Used to prevent injury and improve mobility.

Question 37

What do ice baths do?

Answer 37

A recovery method that involves sitting/standing in an ice cold bath for 5-10 minutes. Vasoconstriction around muscles and near surface as vasodilation occurs at the core to keep it warm. The flush of blood bring fresh oxygen to the working muscles, removing lactic acid, helping cells to better function and reduce soreness.

Question 38

What is cryotherapy (recovery in day to day exercise)?

Answer 38

Whole body cryotherapy involves stepping into a cryogenic chamber below -100°C for up to 3 minutes, initiating vascular shunt mechanism; when fresh blood returns to the muscles, more oxygen is provided, flushing out lactic acid, reducing inflammation and soreness.

Question 39

What is the importance of sleep and nutrition for recovery?

Answer 39

• Deep sleep is important for muscle recovery (3rd stage of NON-REM sleep) - where the brain waves are at their slowest, away from the brain to the muscles to restore energy.
•Minimum of 8-9 hours sleep is needed for a regular athlete.
• glycogen stores need to be replenished after exercise (first 20 mins post exercise = enhanced performance next day) Chocolate milk in first 20 mins post-exercise to optimise recovery
• 3:1 to 4:1 carbs to protein = resynthesise muscle glycogen more efficiently than carbs alone