Summary Chapters Flashcards
Lesson 8.1
Internally Caused Injuries
Overuse (chronic) injuries – these come about through hard training or performing too much or for too long.
- Pressures nowadays to do well in sport are so great that performers get a temptation to do far too much which leads to injuries.
- Performers can suffer stress fractures in bones caused through too much running, as well as tendon and muscle injuries.
- Footballers get knee and ankle injuries due to a lot of twisting and turning.
- Tennis players suffer from ‘tennis elbow’, caused by the forced straightening of the arm during play.
- And so on for different sports.
- Strain is required in the majority of sports, but what is important is that the performer does not overdo it and be ready to cut down on training or even stop, if there is any sign of injury.
- Carrying on, will only make things worse.
Sudden (acute) injury – these are caused instantly by such things as overstretching or twisting or turning quickly.
- They may be caused by tiredness or fatigue.
- Many of these types of injuries happen quite late on in a game or a match. A lack of suitable warm-up can also be a cause, or trying to do something which is either too difficult or which is clearly dangerous.
- It also happens when you are not warmed up well.
Externally Caused Injuries
These are caused by factors other than the performers themselves.
- It could be the equipment used
- the playing conditions or
- an opponent.
They can be listed under the following headings:
- Impact injuries – these are injuries such as cuts, bruises and fractures. Impact can be caused by another player (mainly in team games were contact is inevitable) such as bumping together, falling over another player, etc. Impact can also be made with equipment such as getting hit with a hockey stick, with a ball, soccer boots, a post, etc. The playing surface is also a very common cause of these injuries. Both outdoor and indoor surfaces should be taken into consideration.
- Foul play – this involves other players, usually opponents. These injuries at times can be very serious such as having bad tackles, pushing over players, etc. So rules are there to prevent as many injuries as possible.
- Accidents – no matter how many safety precautions are taken, there will always be accidents. They occur in all physical activities, but because some sports are more dangerous than others, the accidents will be more common and more serious, e.g. skiing, bungee jumping, boxing, wrestling
- Equipment - a simple thing such as a blister can be caused by the equipment. Often injuries are caused by damaged or faulty equipment which is not doing its job properly, though it does not necessarily have to be faulty to cause an injury e.g. running long distances will automatically get you blisters, no matter how specialist the running shoes are.
How can you avoid injury?
- Make sure you are fit for the activity
- Make sure you develop the right techniques
- Play at the right level / right age
- Know the rules of your sport and obey them
- Make sure you are wearing the right kit
- Make sure the equipment you use is in good repair
- Lift and carry equipment with care
- Watch out for hazards (environment) in the playing area
- Warm up correctly
- Cool down correctly
Preventing injuries can be summarised in the following points:
- Preparation – involving training, warmup and physical state of the athlete.
- Equipment – involving the correctness and conditions of them.
- Participation – involving fair play and officials.
- Environment – involving uncontrolled and controlled environment.
Lesson 8.2
EMERGENCY ACTION (I)
What do we do when someone collapses?
- If someone collapses we must follow the DRABC routine.
- This routine tells us what to do in the right order.
- The aim of DRABC is to keep the person breathing until an ambulance arrives.
- As without oxygen, the brain is damaged within just three to four minutes and dead within ten.
Danger:
- Check for danger first, such as equipment in the way, electricity, gas, fire or fumes.
- Your own safety comes first, so make sure you do not put yourself in danger by helping someone else. Call for help immediately.
- If there is no danger, clear the area around the casualty.
Response:
- Shake the casualty gently by the shoulders and shout ‘can you hear me?’
- If the casualty shows a response, he/she is conscious.
- If the casualty can speak, find out where he/she is in pain. Take action if you can help such as bleeding, broken leg, etc.
- If there is no response the casualty is unconscious.
Airway:
The tongue can block the airway so:
- Loosen any tight clothing.
- Raise the chin and tilt the head back to open the airway fully.
- Remove any obvious obstruction such as a gum. Make use of a tissue to remove any vomit.
Breathing:
- Look for the chest rising and falling. Listen for breathing sounds.
- Feel for breath on your cheek.
- If the casualty is breathing, place him/her in the recovery position.
Circulation:
- Check the pulse under the ear or from the wrist.
- The pulse shows the heart is beating and the blood circulating. So you need to give mouthtomouth ventilation to restore breathing (the kiss of life).
- If there is no pulse you need to give both cardiac message and mouth to mouth ventilation, to restore circulation and breathing.
All of these things can be done until help arrives generally from an ambulance. But your actions can save someone’s life, so every second counts.
When calling an ambulance be clear to specify what the injury of the casualty is and where he/she stands.
For an ambulance dial 112.
Important Point about injuries:
- We must not move an injured sportsperson if we are at all worried about a spinal injury.
- Signs of this would be:
- head injuries,
- back injuries,
- unknown cause of unconsciousness,
- casualty cannot move,
- casualty doesn’t feel the legs or arms, etc
In an emergency we must:
- assess the situation
- make everyone safe
- send for medical help
- give emergency aid
DRABC routine
Page 9
Lesson 8.3
EMERGENCY ACTION (II) L
Mouth-to-mouth ventilation (MMV)
If a person has stopped breathing use mouth-to-mouth ventilation to get the person to breath again. Here you force air from your lungs into the casualty’s lungs. The oxygen in this air can keep the casualty alive.
The following steps should be taken for mouth-to-mouth ventilation:
- Clear his/her mouth and throat of any obstruction.
- Open his/her airway by lifting the jaw and tilting the head well back.
- Check for breathing with your face close to his/her mouth. Look for chest movement. Listen for sounds of breathing. Feel his/her breathe on your cheek.
- If he/she is not breathing, pinch the nose. Take a deep breath. Seal your lips around his/her mouth. Blow into his/her mouth and watch the chest rise. Take your mouth away and watch his/her chest fall back.
- If his/her chest does not rise, check again for an obstruction in the mouth. If he/she is still not breathing, slap him/her firmly on the back to clear the blockage or grab the person from the stomach and squeeze upwards.
- Check his/her pulse before continuing. If there is no pulse start chest compressions.
- If he/she has a pulse and his/her chest has risen, continue blowing
into the mouth. Give breaths every five to six seconds and
continue until he/she starts to breath again. Then put him/her into
the recovery position.
Cardiac arrest is
- When your heart stops beating, e.g. during a heart attack.
- When it stops the circulation and pulse stop too.
Cardiac Massage or External Chest Compression
- A way of squeezing the heart so that blood is forced out of it and round the body.
- It must be combined with mouth-to-mouth ventilation so that the blood gets oxygen too.
A defibrillator
Is a special machine which gets the heart to start beating properly.
How to do cardiac massage or cardio pulmonary respiration (CPR)
- Place the casualty on his/her back. Put the heel of one of your hands on the breastbone, keeping your fingers off the ribs.
- Cover this hand with the heel of your other hand and interlock your fingers.
- With your arms straight, press down vertically on the lower half of the breastbone in order to move it 4-5cm and then release the pressure. Complete 30 compressions. The compressions should be regularly and smooth, not jerky and jabbing. Count to get yourself working at the right speed.
- Move back to the casualty’s head, re-open their airway and give two breaths of mouth-to-mouth ventilation.
- Continue with thirty compressions followed by two full ventilations, checking for a pulse after the first minute. Then keep checking the pulse every three minutes.
- As soon as the pulse returns, stop the compressions. Continue with the mouth-to-mouth ventilations until natural breathing has been restored
If we are not alone (MMV)
If we are not alone, but have some help available, we need to do one of the following:
- We can do the MMV and the chest compressions alone for a period of time. This gives the other helper some rest. Then we can change over.
- We can work both at the same time by having one helper doing the chest compressions and the other doing mouth-to-mouth respiration.
For children
- For children, open the airway and seal your lips around the mouth and nose and breath gently into the lungs at a rate of 20 breaths per minute (whereas for adults 12 breaths per minute).
- Chest compressions also need to be done more lightly:
- For children, use light pressure with only one hand at a rate of 100 compressions per minute, with 5 compressions to one ventilation.
For babies
- For babies, use the same technique but only puff gently into the lungs at a rate of 20 per minute.
- If the baby is not breathing slap him/her on the back to remove any obstacles that might be in the throat.
- Chest compressions also need to be done more lightly:
- For babies, use only two fingers with very light pressure.
The Recovery Position
We always use the recovery position for an unconscious person who is breathing. The following procedure should be tackled when about to place a casualty in the recovery position:
- With the casualty lying on his back, tilt the head back and chin up to open the airway.
- Straighten the legs.
- Move the arm nearest you so that it looks like the arm of a policeman stopping traffic.
- Bring the other arm across the chest. Arrange so that the casualty’s cheek rests on the back of this hand. Keep your hand on this hand for step v.
- With your other hand, reach across the casualty’s far leg. Lift it so that the knee bends to a right angle. Then pull it to roll the casualty towards you.
- Once the casualty is on his side, gently tilt the head back, to keep the airway open. Use his hand under the cheek to hold it like that.
Lesson 8.4
BONE AND JOINT INJURIES
Fractures: (hard tissue injury)
A facture is a break in a bone. There are two types:
- a simple (closed) fracture – where the bone breaks but stays under the skin.
- a compound (open) fracture – where the bone breaks through the skin.
Complicated fractures
- Involve damage also to nerves and muscles.
- The damage could cause heavy bleeding which could be more serious than the break itself.
- All fractures are serious and need urgent medical treatment.
Stress fractures
- Are cracks that appear along the length of the bone and are caused by repeated stress applied to the bone over a long period of time.
- These are also known as calcifications.
The following are questions one should ask when checking for fractures
- Has the snap of the bone been heard or felt?
- Is there pain where the injury has occurred and is there a lack of movement in the limb?
- Is the shape and outline of the limb different from normal? You can check against the other limb to see this.
- Is the limb in an unnatural position? e.g. a knee or foot facing the wrong way.
- Is there a lot of swelling around the injured area?
- Can you feel some clear damage to the bone?
If after considering all of these points, you think that there is a chance of
a fracture you must be very careful not to move the injured area but to
immobilize it, i.e. to keep it in a stable position.
Trying to straighten the fracture will only cause more damage.
Use towels, cushions, or folded clothing to support the limb above and below the fracture
Dislocation (hard tissue injury)
- This occurs at a joint, where one bone comes out of its normal position against another.
- There will be damage to the ligaments around the joint as well. It is usually caused by violent twisting.
- Dislocations usually occur at the shoulder, elbow, finger, thumb, jaw and ankle joints.
- It can be very difficult to tell the difference between a dislocation and a fracture so you should treat them the same way.
- On no account should you ever try to place the bone back to its place.
- This is an expert’s job.
A dislocation can be recognised by the following signs
- A recent blow or fall
- Snapping sound of breaking bone or torn ligament
- Difficulty in moving the limb normally
- Pain made worse by movement
- Severe ‘sickening’ pain
- Tenderness at the site (fractures)
- Deformity, i.e. the limb has an unusual shape
- Swelling or bruising
- Signs of shock
Sprain: (soft tissue injury)
- A sprain happens when we over stretch or tear a ligament.
- This can be caused by a twist or sudden pull, e.g. a sprained ankle.
- Some sprains are minor, but in a severe sprain, the ligament is badly torn and the injury looks like a fracture.
- If in doubt, it should be treated as a fracture.
The signs and symptoms of a sprain are the following
- There is pain and tenderness around the joint.
- Movement is very limited.
- Swelling appears around the joint, followed later by bruising.
If the sprain is a minor one - R.I.C.E.
When bones, joints, ligaments, muscles or tendons get damaged, the blood vessels around them get damaged too. Blood leaks into the surrounding tissue. This causes swelling, pain and bruising and slows down healing.
So the aim of RICE is to stop the blood leaking.
- Rest:
Rest the injured part as this reduces bleeding and prevents further injury. Stop the activity immediately and support the injury in a comfortable position.
- Ice:
Apply ice or a cold compress as this reduces the blood flow, pain and swelling. Put an ice pack or cold compress on the injury for 15-20 minutes every hour. Do not put ice directly on the skin as this can burn the skin.
- Compression:
Compress the injury as this reduces bleeding and swelling. Wrap a bandage firmly over the injured area. Do not compress too tight as this can stop the blood flow.
- Elevation:
Elevate the injured part as this reduces bleeding and swelling. raise the injury above the level of the heart so that the blood flows towards the heart.
Torn knee cartilage
- The two cartilages act as shock absorbers between the bones of our knee joints.
- They can be torn when our knee is twisted or pulled in an unusual way. It can be very serious so medical advice is required.
The signs and symptoms of knee cartilage problems
- There is pain on one side of the knee joint.
- The joint may ‘lock’ and not straighten fully for a time.
- It may swell later that day or next morning
H.A.R.M.
The following are to be avoided when a person is injured.
The following are to be avoided when a person is injured:
- Heat: do not use heat for 48 hours because it increases bleeding.
- Alcohol: do not drink alcohol because in increases the swelling.
- Running: do not run because the weight and impact causes further injury.
- Massage: do not massage for 48 hours because it increases bleeding.
Lesson 8.5
MUSCLE AND SKIN DAMAGE
Strained or pulled muscles
- A strain or pull is a tear in a muscle or its tendon, caused by violent overstretching.
- It can also be caused by a twist or a wrench.
- They are quite painful and there may be some reduced or weakened movement where the injury occurred.
- It often happens with hamstrings, groin, calf and thigh muscles, especially if you don’t warm up properly.
The signs and symptoms of a strained or pulled muscle are:
- A sudden sharp pain at the site of the injury.
- This is followed by swelling, stiffness and sometimes cramp.
Treatment for these type of injuries are
- Follow the RICE routine for minor strains.
- A casualty with a serious strain must be brought to hospital.
Tennis elbow
These are muscle injuries caused by overuse of muscles in the lower arm. Here, the area around the outer bony bump on the elbow is inflamed, tender and painful. This injury can occur in several racket sports such as tennis,
badminton and squash.
Treatment for these type of injuries are - Tennis elbow
- If the injury is very painful, an icepack will help.
- The elbow must be rested until it recovers, which could take weeks.
- Physiotherapy will help the treatment, as well as an injection of a steroid into the muscle.
Cramp
- Is an instantaneous contraction of a skeletal muscle that cannot be relaxed.
- It can last for a few seconds or several minutes. Its precise cause is unknown as muscle cramps can occur during hard physical activity or during complete relaxation, though it often happens when the muscles are tired.
- Also cramps happen due to dehydration.
The signs and symptoms of a cramp are
- A lack of minerals and salts in the diet.
- A temporary restriction of blood to the affected muscle.
Cramp does not always stop the performer from carrying on, although
serious cases can.
Treatment for cramps are
- Stretch the affected muscle manually, slowly and gently.
- Drink plenty of water.
- When the muscle has relaxed, massage it very gently.
Stitch
- A pain in the side of the abdomen or in the lower chest brought on by physical activity.
- It is best described as a form of cramp of the diaphragm and restricts deep breathing.
- It is often caused by jolting movements such as running and eating before participation, or drinking too much before participation.
Treatment for stitch
- Breathe in deeply and out shallowly.
- Keep bending up and down.
- Stop exercising for a short while.
Winding
- This is caused by a blow to the abdomen from a ball, elbow or knee.
- This causes the diaphragm to go into spasm and therefore stop working.
- This is often referred to as being winded.
The signs and symptoms of winding are
- You can’t breathe in or out
Treatment for winding are
- Loosening of clothing.
- Sitting in a relaxed position.
- Taking long breaths out.
Cuts
- Cuts can vary greatly in size and seriousness.
- The secret of treating a cut is to stop the bleeding and let the blood clot as quickly as possible.
Treatment for cuts are
- Cover the cut with a clean pad or cloth and press down firmly on it to stop the bleeding. Use plastic or rubber gloves if you can.
- Lie the casualty down and raise the injured part, to reduce blood flow to it.
- Continue to apply pressure until bleeding stops (this could take several minutes).
- If blood seeps through the pad, do not remove it, just put another one on top.
- When bleeding stops, tie the pad firmly.
- If there is blood pumping out of a cut under pressure, there has been damage to an artery and this must be treated very seriously. Call an ambulance as stitches may be required
Bruises
- These are collections of blood beneath the skin and are very common.
- The blood vessels have been damaged just like a cut but the skin has not been broken, so the bleeding occurs beneath the skin.
The signs and symptoms of bruises are
- First there is pain and swelling in the bruised area.
- Then the skin discolours as it goes blue or purple first and then green or yellow.
Treatment for bruises are
The RICE routine can be applied here.
- A bruise should be treated by applying ice. This will reduce the swelling and relieve the pain. The ice needs to be applied quickly. If it is, it will limit the extent of the injury.
- For serious bruising, compression with a strong bandage will help.
Abrasions or Grazes
These occur when skin is scraped off your body, such as in a sliding tackle
on a hard pitch, or a fall on gravel.
Treatment for abrasions and grazes are
- If the wound is dirty clean it gently with warm water
- If it is bleeding a little, just let the blood clot.
- Allow the wound to dry naturally if possible. But if there is danger of infection, cover it with a plaster.
Lesson 8.6
SOME DANGEROUS CONDITIONS
Concussion
- This is a sudden blow of consciousness and it is often caused by a blow to the head.
- It does not necessary have to be a hard blow to cause concussion.
The signs and symptoms of concussion are
The casualty may:
- Become unconscious. This could last from seconds to hours (delayed concussion).
- Feel sick, dizzy or drowsy.
- Have very relaxed limbs with a weak and irregular pulse.
- Have slow and shallow breathing.
- Have large pupils.
- Get confused, stare and suffer memory loss.
- Have bleeding from the ears (this indicates a serious injury and must be dealt with as an emergency).
These signs could appear a few hours after the injury and not necessarily immediately.
Treatment for concussions are
- Most importantly is to spot the injury and get help immediately.
- Place an unconscious casualty in the recovery position.
- The casualty should be kept under medical observation for at least twenty four hours after the injury (usually in hospital).
Shock
Shock is when there is not enough blood circulating round the body
Types of shocks
There are two types of shock:
Primary shock: is a feeling of faintness which can come on immediately
after an emotional or traumatic event. This is only a temporary feeling and often passes quite quickly. Calming and reassuring the person will usually be enough to help them to overcome this.
True shock: is a far more serious state. It will come about after a serious injury, such as a very bad cut or fracture. The person affected will be close to collapse and it is very important that they are treated in hospital
Shock may be caused through
- Fluid loss, e.g. from severe bleeding or burns, vomiting, diarrhoea or heavy sweating.
- Severe pain, when blood is diverted to the painful part.
The signs and symptoms of shock are
- The skin is cold, grey and sweaty. The lips may be blue.
- The pulse is rapid and weak and breathing rapid and shallow.
- The casualty feels dizzy, thirsty and may try to vomit.
- The casualty feels anxious and panicky.
Treatment for shock are
- Get an ambulance.
- Give the casualty room and air, loosen any tight clothing.
- Keep the casualty warm.
- If the casualty is bleeding, do what you can to stop the bleeding.
- Place the casualty in the recovery position.
- Reassure the casualty.
Don’t ever give a shock victim anything to drink or eat.
Don’t cover the victim with too many blankets.
Hypothermia (Freezing)
- This is the lowering of the body temperature below 35°C. Your body is too cold to function properly.
- This usually happens when you have been out in the cold, rain and wind for too long and you are very tired, or even when you are in very cold water.
- Sailing, canoeing and mountain/hill climbing are a few sports where the individual risks in getting hypothermia.
- Old people usually suffer from hypothermia much more than younger ones.
- With hypothermia, the nervous system is affected, muscular rigidity can develop and the heart starts beating irregularly.
The signs and symptoms of hypothermia are
- The casualty starts to act strangely, such as becoming aggressive, dreamy or apathetic.
- The casualty’s skin becomes cold and pale and breathing is slow.
- The casualty is weak and wants to lie down and rest.
- The casualty may collapse, become unconscious and die if not treated immediately
Treatment for hypothermia
- Try to get casualty indoors or in some sheltered area. Replace damp clothes with warm dry ones and let the casualty rest.
- A warm bath for a conscious casualty is suggested if possible.
- Give hot sweet drinks to casualty if available. Avoid alcohol.
- Lie the casualty down on blankets or other insulation.
Prevention for hypothermia
- Careful planning and proper training, especially if particular sports are practised.
- Having equipment for emergencies, including spare clothes, survival bag, high energy food and drinks.
- Dressing well to beat the cold, with layers of clothes and a wind and waterproof outer layer.
Hyperthermia (Overheating)
This is when your body temperature has risen above 39°C. There are several reasons to this:
- Heat Exhaustion: this develops during activity in hot conditions. It is caused by dehydration, that is loss of fluid and salt from the body due to excessive sweating. Marathon runners and cyclists have been known to suffer from this.
The signs and symptoms of heat exhaustion are
- The skin is pale, grey, damp and sweaty.
- The pulse is week and rapid.
- Weak or slow breathing.
- The casualty may feel week and dizzy and can suffer from cramps and headaches.
Treatment for hyperthermia
- Lay the casualty in a cool place if possible.
- Raise and support his/her legs.
- Make sure the casualty drinks a lot of sips of water. Salty products will help.
Dehydration
Similar to heat exhaustion but less dangerous.
The signs and symptoms of dehydration are:
- The casualty feels week and dizzy.
Treatment for dehydration:
- Give plenty of water to drink.
Heat Stroke
- This is when your body loses its ability to sweat and your temperature rises out of control.
- It normally happens after long and hard training on hot and humid days.
The signs and symptoms of heat stroke are
- The casualty suddenly falls into confusion and restlessness.
- The casualty is pale and blushing with a rapid strong pulse and dry skin.
- The casualty may vomit and shake uncontrollably.
- The casualty may become unconscious.
Treatment for heat stroke
- Move the casualty in a cool place.
- Remove outer clothing and cool his/her body with wet towels.
- Give the casualty sips of water every so often
Prevention for heat exhaustion and heat stroke
- Careful planning and proper training.
- Taking plenty of fluid before and after training.
- Dressing to beat the heat with ventilation in headgear and light, quick dry clothing.
Sportspersons have to be ready to face all types of weather conditions and must be ready prepared for this.
Lesson 9.1
LEISURE, RECREATION AND SPORT