Sports Med: How are sports injuries classified and managed?

Question 1

Whats an indirect injury?

Answer 1

An indirect injury occurs due to internal forces without physical contact as the body builds up excess force within the muscles, tendons and joints.

eg. a sprinter tearing a hamstring during a race, OR a volleyball player causing stress to ligaments in the knee joint. a

Question 2

Whats a direct injury?

Answer 2

A direct injury is caused by an external force applied to the body. They tend to occur instantly, in one incident. The forces involved in direct injuries are often much greater and more severe than other sporting injuries.

eg. a ball is thrown at a baseball player and hits them in the face OR falling from an elevated position (rock climbing)

Question 3

Whats a soft tissue injury?

Answer 3

Soft injuries are injuries that occur to the skin, muscle, tendon or ligament.
they can result in internal bleeding and swelling.
They are the most common in sport.

eg. a net baller trips in a game and falls, resulting in an abrasion

Question 4

What are the different types of soft tissue injuries?

Answer 4

Tears/strain
Sprains
Contusions
Skin Abrasions
Laceratoins
Blisters
Inflammatory response

Question 5

Whats a hard tissue injury?

Answer 5

Injuries to bone and/or teeth.
They are caused by forces that exceed the strength of the bone, may result in fracture.
Can often lead to soft tissue injury, or blood loss and shock.

eg. a snowboarder falls onto their wrists, fracturing their carpals

Question 6

What are the different types of hard tissue injury?

Answer 6

Fractures
Dislocations

Question 7

What is RICER?

Answer 7

RICER (Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation, Referral) is a management approach to soft tissue injuries

Question 8

Describe the different characteristics of RICER

Answer 8

REST- keep injured area supported, avoid using injured area for 48-72 hours. (reduces heart rate and blood flow to minimise swelling)

ICE-apply ice for 20 mins, every two hours for 48-72 hrs after injury. (temperature causes vasoconstriction of the blood vessels, reducing swelling)

COMPRESSION- apply a firm, wide elastic band on, above and below the injured area, maintaining during ice treatments. Check for circulation issues by looking at the colour of the skin below injured area. Ensure it is firm. (physical method to reduce swelling)

ELEVATION- raise injured area above level of heart at all times. (reduces swelling as blood flow works against gravity)

REFERRAL- to health professional ASAP to determent extent of injury and provide advice on treatment/rehab if necessary.

Question 9

what is an overuse injury?

Answer 9

Excessive or repetitive use, trauma or stress on the bones, joints, tendons or muscles. They are generally caused by poorly designed training schedules.

e.g. Tennis elbow and shin splints

Question 10

Whats a tear or strain and what’s it caused by?

Answer 10

A strain is when a muscle stretches too much, resulting in a tear, causing pain, bleeding and perhaps discolouration. eg. hamstring tear

treated by RICER

Question 11

what’s a sprain?

Answer 11

A sprain is a stretching or tearing of ligaments. results in pain, swelling, inability to perform movements and healing is slow due to poor blood supply to ligaments. it is caused by a sudden blow, eg. rolling an ankle when landing incorrectly after jumping

treated by RICER

Question 12

Whats a contusion?

Answer 12

A contusion is a bruise, which is formed by blood pooling in the site of injury. bruises are caused by sudden impact eg. running into an opposing team player.

Question 13

Whats a skin abrasion?

Answer 13

it is a superficial injury, where the epidermis (top layers) of skin have been broken. (scraped skin). eg. falling onto a hard, dry surface whilst playing a game.

Question 14

Whats a laceration?

Answer 14

A jagged tear in the tissue of the skin by either shearing or crushing force. eg. scrape against a stray piece of metal on the ground.

Question 15

Whats a blister?

Answer 15

Fluid-filled sacs on the outer layer of the skin. most common on hands and feet.

they are caused by friction, rubbing and heat.
eg. a rower develops blisters on their palms and fingers due to consistent friction. OR feet rubbing against the inside of shoes.

Question 16

What is the inflammatory response and the three phases of it?

Answer 16

Inflammatory response is the bodys response to healing an injury.
STAGE 1: inflammatory stage(1st-72hrs)- redness, pain, swelling, loss of function/mobility, blood flow to area promotes healing

STAGE 2: regenerative stage(3days-6weeks)- removal of damaged tissue, formation of new fibres and production of scar tissue.

STAGE 3: remodelling stage(6weeks-months)- production of scar tissue, rehab exercises to strengthen and develop replacement tissue.

Question 17

What is TOTAPS used for?

Answer 17

It is used to assess the extent of injury to a player and determine whether or not the injured person can
return to the field. If the player can complete all tasks required they should be allowed to return to play.
However, if the player is unable to complete any one of the requirements, they must seek further medical
attention.

Question 18

what are the steps of TOTAPS

Answer 18

 Talk to the player to find out exactly what happened. This provides valuable information about the nature of the injury

 Observe the injured site for signs of swelling, deformity or change of colour. Then compare the injured area to other body parts eg. Look at both thumbs. If any of these signs are obvious it is most likely a major soft or hard tissue injury that requires immediate treatment and the athlete should not play

 Touch – gently feel the area for any deformity, swelling, heat or tenderness. Palpate around the area from the outside to the inside to accurately identify the source of pain, whilst watching the
athlete’s face for signs of discomfort

 Active movement – determine the function and mobility of the injured joint by asking the player to perform a range of movements such as flexion, extension.

 Passive movement – the assessor physically moves the joint using a range of movements to identify any painful areas and any instability in the joint

 Skills test – the athlete should perform a graduated skills test to determine their ability to play.
Eg. Jogging, changing direct, side stepping, kicking. Look to see if the athlete is favouring one side of the body, if the athlete passes they can safely return to play.