SPORTS INJURIES
Introduction
Any damage to your body is considered as Injury that
results in the decreased efficiency to perform any
assigned work. It may be caused by accidents, falls, hits,
weapons etc. Injuries may range from minor to life-
threatening.
Introduction
Sport, with the inherent risks involved, leads to injury at one
time or another for nearly all participants.
Sports injuries are the damages occurs to an athlete
during exercise or while participating in sports resulting
in the decreased sports performance. The injury may
range from decreased performance to inability to
participate in sports activities.
Major Causes of Injuries in
▪ Accidents Sports
▪ Poor Conditioning of an Athlete:
Insufficient Strength/ Endurance/
Flexibility, Muscle Imbalance/
Weakness
▪ Training Errors: Excessive
Volume, Intensity, Poor
Techniques Used
▪ Improper Diet/ Hydration
▪ Faulty Protective Equipment’s/
Gears/ Surface
▪ Improper Warming Up
(Insufficient activation of muscle
Injuries Classification
Classifications of Injuries based on the Cause
Direct Injury: Any injury due to an
external force/ blow (struck by
stick/ ball etc. or collision with
another person). They occur at the
site of impact for example fracture,
loose teeth, contusion etc due to
sudden collision/ attack/
obstruction by external agent.
Indirect Injury: Any injury due to
internal forces within body. They
occur when the forces placed upon
the body are not absorbed or
displaced correctly. Ex. Torn muscles,
ligaments, tendons etc due to
overstretching. They occur due to
inadequate fitness, overload/ fatigue
etc.
Injuries Classification
Classifications of Injuries based on the frequency of their
▪ Acute Injury: Injuryoccurrence
occurred
suddenly to a normal tissue.
(Ankle Sprain, Strain etc.)
▪ Chronic Injury: Injury tends to
start out as an acute injury and
then reoccur as a result of
weakness of the injured site or
insufficient recovery/
rehabilitation.
▪ Overuse Injury: Injuries caused
by repeated micro-trauma in
specific region of the body over a
period of time. (Tennis Elbow,
Patellar/ Achilles Tendinopathy,
Rotator Cuffs)
Injuries Classification
Classifications of Injuries based on Body Tissue Damaged
Soft Tissue Injury Hard Tissue Injury
Injuries that damages Injuries that damages bones and
muscle, ligaments and joints of the Skeleton system.
tendons. Bone Injury Joint Injury
▪ Abrasion Includes different Includes different
types of fractures: types of dislocations:
▪ Contusion
▪ Laceration ▪ Stress Fracture ▪ Luxation
▪ Green Stick Fracture ▪ Sub-Luxation
▪ Incision ▪ Comminuted Fracture
▪ Sprain ▪ Transverse Fracture
▪ Oblique Fracture
▪ Strain ▪ Impacted Fracture
Abrasion
▪ It is an injury caused by when the skin is scrapped or
rubbed by rough surface causing rubbing of the upper
layer of epidermis.
▪ It is normally a minor injury but can turn serious if
foreign particles stuck into it.
▪ Usually happens when a player falls down and the
surface of the skin scratched due to friction.
Symptoms:
▪ Mild Pain and little or no blood loss
Management: Abrasion
▪ Begin with washed hands
▪ Gently Clean the injured area with cool/ lukewarm
water and mild soap.
▪ Remove dirt or other foreign particles (debris) from
the wound using sterilized twizzers.
▪ Cover the wound with thin layer of antibiotic ointment
like Neomycin or Bacitracin.
▪ Anti-Tetanus injections shall be used as a
precautionary measure.
▪ Dressing shall be repeated everyday till the injury
heals.
Contusion
• It is a skin discoloration due to
damages occurred in the blood
vessels underneath the skin.
▪ It occurs due to violent external force
without breaking the continuity of
the skin, fall against a hard surface.
Symptoms:
▪ Swelling and bruising at the injury site.
▪ Muscle tightness with limited range of motion around the
injured part.
▪ Bluish discoloration due to torn blood vessels
Management:
▪ Application of Ice for 10-15 minutes 3-5 times a day for first
24-48 hours.
▪ Wear a compression bandage to reduce swelling/ bleeding.
▪ Elevate the injured limb so that tissue fluids drain away.
▪ Gently begin with stretching exercises (when comfortable).
Laceration
• Laceration is a irregular tear-like
wound caused by some blunt trauma
on soft tissue.
• It is caused when an object strikes the
skin and causes a wound to open.
• In most cases, tissue injury is
minimal
Symptoms: and infections are
uncommon
▪ Bleeding of different level of severity (depth of the
laceration)
▪ Mild to severe pain
Management:
▪ Stop bleeding at the earliest by direct pressure.
▪ Clean the surface using water and soap.
▪ Cover the wound with sterilized cotton, bandage/ band-aid.
▪ Apply dressing and change it everyday.
▪ If injury is deep consult doctor for stitches.
▪ In case pain persists, painkillers may be taken
Incision
• Incision is a open wound caused by a
clean, sharp edged object such as a
knife, razor, or glass splinter.
Symptoms:
▪ Bleeding
▪ Mild to severe pain
Management:
▪ If injury is not deep, let the blood come out to let the germs
and other foreign particles come out with blood,
▪ Clean the open wound using Iodine Tincture or spirit.
▪ Cover the wound with sterilized cotton, bandage/ band-aid.
▪ Apply dressing and change it everyday.
▪ If injury is deep consult doctor for stitches.
▪ In case pain persists, painkillers may be taken
Sprain
• A sprain is the stretching or tearing of
the ligaments- the fibrous tissues that
connect one bone to another.
• The most common location for sprain is
in Ankle.
Types:
▪ Type I- Mild: Overstretching of the ligament.
▪ Type II- Moderate: Partial Tear of the ligament.
▪ Type III- Severe: Complete Tear of the ligament.
Symptoms:
▪ Severe Pain, Tenderness, Swelling, Inflammation
Management:
▪ PRICE (will be discussed later)
Strain
• A strain is the overstretching or
tearing of the muscles and tendon-
the fibrous tissues that connect
bone to muscles.
Types:
▪ Type I- Mild: Overstretching of
the muscle/ tendon.
▪ Type II- Moderate: Partial Tear
of the muscle/ tendon.
▪ Type III- Severe: Complete Tear
of the muscle/ tendon.
Symptoms:
▪ Severe Pain, Muscle Spasm, Swelling,
Inflammation
Management:
▪ PRICE (will be discussed later)
PRICE
Fracture
• A fracture is the medical term for a broken bone.
• A break in the continuity of the bone is called as
fracture.
Causes of Fractures
▪ High Impact Collision with opponent.
▪ Traumatic/ unnatural movements of body.
▪ Pro-long distance running.
▪ Sudden falls on hard surface.
▪ Direct strike with solid sports equipment's.
Types of Fracture
▪ Stress Fracture: They are tiny cracks in a bone. They're caused by
repetitive force, often from overuse
▪ Green stick fracture: - An incomplete fracture in which the bone is bent.
This is mainly occurs in the children’s.
▪ Comminuted fracture: It is a fracture in which the bone fragments into
several Parts.
▪ Transverse fracture: It is a fracture at right angle to the bone’s axis.
▪ Oblique fracture: A fracture in which the break slopes.
▪ Impacted fracture: an impacted fracture is one whose ends are driven
into each other. This is commonly seen in arm fractures in children & is
also known as a buckle fracture.
Management of Fracture
▪ Because hard-tissue injuries can be accompanied by
significant damage to muscle, blood vessels, surrounding
organs and nerves, immediate medical treatment is required.
▪ For serious hard-tissue injuries, the person should not be
moved, and an ambulance should be called.
Management :
▪ Immobilise and support the injured
site with a splint or sling.
▪ Check for impaired circulation and
other possible • complications.
▪ Arrange for transport to hospital and
professional medical assessment.
▪ For severe pain management pain
killers may be used.
▪ Bone Scan/ X-Rays
▪ Correct Anatomical Alignment by
Doctors
Later management :
▪ Prevention from Atrophy
▪ Isometric Exercises followed by Assisted and Resisted Exercises
Dislocation
▪ A dislocation is a displacement of bone from its joints &
usually involves an injury to the capsule & the ligaments.
▪ It may involve the articulation surface & the tearing of muscles
& tendons.
▪ It is of two types:
a) Luxation: It may be defined as an actual displacement of the
opposing contiguous surfaces making up a joint.
b) Subluxation: it is a partial dislocation. In acute sprains when the
ligament finally tears, the joint subluxates either by a slipping of the
bone ends.
Management
First Aid
▪ Make comfortable.
▪ Avoid further complication.
▪ Ice pack to reduce pain.
Immediate Management
▪ Transportation to the nearest hospital.
▪ Arthoscopy/X-ray of it.
▪ Retract the actual pathway of bone.
▪ Immobilisation of the joint.
Later Management
▪ Other joints be kept active
▪ Isometric exercises
▪ To maintain tone & strength.