Sporting Injuries Flashcards
How is an acute injury different to a chronic injury? Provide one example for each.
Acute injuries occur following a sudden trauma, such as a collision in a tackle. They cause immediate pain and can cause a loss in function of the damaged area. E.g. Broken ribs following rugby tackle.
Chronic injuries are ones that develop over time and get worse due to repeated stress on the injured area. E.g. Tennis elbow.
What are each of the following statements describing:
- Injury to a muscle
- Acute injury to a tendon
- Pain in the shins due to exercise
- Chronic injury to a tendon
- Blanket term to describe injuries to muscles, tendons and ligaments
- Strain
- Sprain
- Shin splints
- Tendonitis
- Soft tissue damage
Name 3 examples of overuse injuries and how each one is characterised.
Tennis elbow - A tendon injury from repetitive motion of the arm similar to a tennis swing.
Shin splints - Pain in the lower legs due to exercising
Tendonitis - Swelling of tendons that restrict movement, resulting in pain and stiffness of joints.
What are appropriate levels of response (how to treat) each of the following?
- Fractures
- Soft tissue damage
- Blisters
- Concussions
- Fractures need to be treated by medical professionals. An x-ray is necessary to determine the extent of the damage and as a result, determine how treatment continues.
- Rest, Ice, Compression and Elevation (RICE).
- To treat a blister, the damaged area needs to be sterilised and cleaned but then left to heal on its own. Do not burst as this can cause an infection.
- Apply a cold compress to the head but due to the potential severity, medical attention is required.
What are the different types of fractures and how do they differ?
Fractures can either be closed or open.
Closed fractures are less serious because there is less damaged to surrounding tissue.
Open fractures occur when the broken bone has caused enough damage to break through the skin. A lot more force is required to cause an open fracture and as such they are more painful. There is also an increased risk of infection.
How would you define each of the following:
- Concussion
- Contusion
- Abrasion
Concussions occur when the brain is shaken within the skull due to trauma.
A contusion is another name for a bruise and it is when blood vessels below the skin burst and release blood into the surrounding tissue.
An abrasion is a surface level cut, meaning it does not penetrate deep into the skin.
What does RICE stand for? What injuries is it used to treat?
Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation.
- Soft tissue damage
- Overuse/chronic injuries
- Sever’s disease
- Osgood-Schlatter’s disease
- Potentially used in contusions if they are sever enough
What are the two child related injuries and how do they cause pain?
Sever’s disease and Osgood-Schlatter’s disease.
Sever’s occurs when there is inflammation of the growth plate in a child’s heel. It is caused by repeated stress.
Osgood-Schlatter’s is a pain that occurs in the knees of children when they have growth spurts. The bones grow faster than the tendons and as a result, they are stretched. It can also be caused by repeated stress and overuse of the knee joint.
What are cramps and how can they be treated and prevented?
A cramp is an involuntary contraction of muscles that causes pain. Cramps are caused by:
- Lack of water and salt in the muscles
- Excessive use of muscle
- Over stretching of muscle
To prevent cramps, ensure you stay hydrated and massage muscles that cramp up to relax them.
What injuries have an increased risk of infection if they are not treated correctly?
Open fracture, abrasion and blisters
