Sport Anatomy: Sports Injuries Flashcards
What is an acute injury?
Injuries that happen suddenly
What is a dislocation?
An injury caused when the normal position of a joint is altered
How can a dislocation occur?
Caused by a fall or a blow, from playing contact sport
Characteristics of dislocated joints:
. swollen
. very painful
. visibly out of place
. may not be able to move it
How can you treat a dislocated shoulder?
. Manipulating the bones to reposition it
. Medicine
. Splint/sling
. Rehabilitation
- depends which joint is dislocated
What is likely when dislocating a joint?
You are likely to dislocate it again
How can you prevent dislocation?
Wearing protective gear during sports
What is a sprain?
When one or more of the ligaments are stretched, twisted or torn
How does a sprain occur?
When too much force is being applied to a joint
What is a strain?
When muscle fibres stretch or tear
How do strains occur?
When muscle is stretched beyond its limits or is forced to contract too quickly
How can minor sprains and strains be treated?
RICE - REST, ICE, COMPRESSION, ELEVATION
What are chronic injuries?
Occur as a result of playing sport or exercising for a long time
Characteristics of chronic injuries:
. Pain when performing
. Dull ache at rest
. Swelling
How is achilles tendinitis caused?
By overuse of achilles tendon
Who is achilles tendinitis common in?
Runners or older athletes
What happens to the tendon due to achilles tendinitis?
Causes tendon to rupture
Characteristics of achilles tendinitis:
. Lots of pain and swelling
. May look abnormal
What is a stress fracture?
. An overuse injury rather than a mechanical injury
. Muscles become stressed and transfers this stress to the bones causing a small crack
. Occurs when muscles become tired and the bones overload
What is tennis elbow?
The inflammation of the tendons of the elbow
How is tennis elbow caused?
Overuse of muscles of the forearm; sometimes caused by playing tennis or golf
What is screening?
. Tests or questions to identify any problems
. This can identify musculoskeletal injuries prior to performance
. An ECG (electrocardiogram) can assess and monitor the heart
Advantages of screening?
. Professionals use this to prevent injury. Involves assessing muscle imbalances, core strength, range of movement, postural alignment and mobility
. Detected problems are then worked on by strength and conditioning coaches
Disadvantages of screening?
. Screening can cause anxiety in performers or identify a problem that doesn’t exist (false positive) or miss a problem (miss negative)
. It isn’t 100% accurate
Purposes of screening?
. Identify past or current injuries and prevent further injuries
. Identify imbalances, assess joint mobility, identify postural weaknesses
. Identify cardiac risks or other general risks
What is protective equipment?
Creates a protective barrier between the performer and the object
How does a warm up prevent injury?
- Raises body’s muscle temperature
- Blood flow increases the amount of O2 and nutrients to the muscle
- Increased elasticity of muscles
- Joints and tendons prepare for strenuous activity
- Heart rate increases
- Respiratory rate increases
What are the three phases of a warm up?
- General pulse raiser
- Stretching
- Sports specific
What are the 4 types of stretching?
. Ballistic
. Active
. Passive
. Static
What is ballistic stretching?
Uses swinging and bouncing movements
What is active swinging?
When a stretched position is held by the contraction of an agonist muscle
What is passive stretching?
Use of an external force to help the stretched position
What is static stretching?
When a muscle is held in a stationary position for more 10 seconds or more
What is taping and bracing?
. Weak joints can be supported and made more stable
. Stops further injury and allows rehabilitation to begin
. Kinesiology tape is used on muscles as it has less flexibility
. Bracing is more substantial and involves hinged supports
. Extra stability
What is proprioceptive training?
Teaches your body to control the position of a deficient or an injured joint
How can proprioceptive training be done using a wobble board and why is it beneficial?
. The unpredictable movements of the balance board re-educates your body quickly
. Teaches the body to control the position of joints subconsciously
. Involves hopping, jumping and balancing activities
. Easily accessible
What are the different strength training methods?
. Free weights
. Machine weights
. Body weight
. Therabands
What are free weights and why can they be used?
Free weights are dumb bells, kettle bells are controlled by the individual whilst lifting. The varying degrees of weight can be used to build up to full strength and can target specific injured muscle groups more easily
What are machine weights and why can they be used?
The machine has control, there are set movement patterns. They are useful for early stages of injury as they are controlled
Why is body weight exercises used?
These exercises put less stress on the body, as the performer is only required to hold their own body weight, this allows injured muscles more chance of recovery
What are therabands and why are they used?
They are elastics that provide resistance. Resistance increases as injury improves. They offer variety in resistance so can also be used in early stage of injury
Pros and Cons of therabands?
+
. Different bands of varying resistance, allowing athletes to choose the correct resistance depending on the stage of their injury
-
. Therabands can snap causing further injury
Pros and Cons of body weights?
+
. Useful because they are low impact -> good for early stage of recovery
-
. Less opportunity to overload and build strength to high degree
Pros and Cons of machine weights?
+
. Provide athlete with a lot of control allowing them to improve strength
-
. range of motion by machine may be limited
. tends to focus on larger muscle groups
. movements don’t always mimic sporting actions
Pros and Cons of free weights?
+
. performer can make exercises sports specific
. ensures correct muscles are strengthened
-
. poor form/technique can lead to further injury
What is hydrotherapy and how does it help injury?
. In warm water (35-37 degrees)
. Improves blood circulation, relieve pain and relax muscles
. Buoyancy of the water supports the body reducing the load on the joints allowing more work than on land
. Exercising against the load of the water helps strengthen the injured area
. The buoyancy of water can help support injured joints (hydrostatic pressure)
. Can include squats, lunges, walking and running
What are hyperbaric chambers and how does it help injury?
. Pressurised like an aeroplane where they have 100% pure oxygen
. The pressure increases the oxygen breathed in and absorbed into the injured area
. Excess oxygen dissolves into the blood plasma reducing swelling as haemoglobin becomes saturated with O2
. Increases white blood cell production and supply to the joint
. Removes lactic acid
. Reduces recovery time
What is cryotherapy and how does it help injury?
. The use of cold temperatures to treat an injury
. RICE is used on common muscle strains (Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation)
. Limits pain and swelling by reducing blood flow
. Whole body cryotherapy (WBC) is a chamber cooled to below -100 degrees, people are given socks, gloves, and a swimming costume, can only stay for up to 3 mins
. Through vasoconstriction blood is taken back to the core to keep warm
. When placed back in a warm environment, the blood floods back bringing O2 to help injured cells
How do compression garments help injury?
. They improve circulation to stop deep vein thrombosis (DVT)
. They can be used in sport to reduce inflammation and aid lactate removal
. Also reduces delayed onset of muscle soreness (DOMS)
How do massages help injury?
. Regular exercise creates tension in soft tissue which is released by massage
. Benefits inc: - improved blood flow, increased nutrients and O2 to aid healing, removal of lactic acid, stretches soft tissue releasing tension and pressure, breaks down scar tissue which can cause mobility issues
How do foam rollers help injury?
. Releases tension between muscle and fascia
. Improves mobility and prevent injury by improving blood flow
How does cold therapy help injury?
. Cools the surface of the skin using ice causing pain relief
. Vasoconstriction on the vessels decreasing blood flow and reducing swelling
. Can reduce muscle spasms by reducing motor nerves
. Decreases metabolic rate
How does ice baths help injury?
. Body restricts blood flow
. Vasodilation occurs when you leave the bath so oxygenated blood rushes to the muscles bringing oxygen
. Speeds up recovery
What does a lack of sleep cause?
. Lack of REM sleep causes less blood to be available for recovery
. Inefficient sleep causes a reduction in growth hormone production
. Reduced concentration/ repair
. Cause tiredness
What is the effect of a lack of sleep on the performer?
. Low recovery and performance levels
. Fatigue and slow recovery
. Risk of injury increased
. Lack of concentration/ slow reaction times
How soon after should nutrition/energy be taken in after activity?
Within 20 minutes
Why should you consume liquid after activity rather than food?
Liquid is absorbed far more quickly than solid so provides a quick raise in energy levels from drinks to aid recovery
