PDHPE Option 2 – Sports Medicine
CQ: How are sports injuries classified and managed?
Ways to Classify Injuries
⇒ Indirect Injuries = caused by an intrinsic force; within the body. Usually a product
of inadequate warm-up, ballistic movements, failure to complete movement/
skill; placing excessive strain on ligaments, tendons and muscles. Eg sprinter
straining hamstring
⇒ Direct Injuries = caused by direct forces from outside the body. Usually a product
of contact and result in fractures, dislocations, sprains or bruises. Eg broken ribs
from tackle
⇒ Soft Tissue Injuries = includes damage to ligaments, muscles, tendons, cartilage,
skin, organs and circulatory vessels. Acute ST injuries include sprains, strains, torn
cartilage and abrasions.
⇒ Hard Tissue Injuries = includes damage to bones and teeth. Eg fracturing arm.,
dislocations
⇒ Overuse Injuries = results of intense or unreasonable use of joints, bones or
muscle. Such is prompted by repetitive low impact exercise i.e. jogging and
results in inflammation and pain. Common examples are anterior shin splints or
tendonitis.
o Stress fractures are overuse injuries that cause small incomplete
bone fractures usually due to impact on the hard surface.
Soft Tissue Injuries
⇒ A tear is caused by the excessive stretching or severing of tissue, two types
include;
1. Sprains = traumatising a ligament – cause pain, swelling and disability to
move
2. Strains = traumatising muscle or tendon – pain, internal bleeding
o Contusion may be involved if there was impact and/or
discolouration; this must be treated as depending on severity they
can interrupt blood flow and cause haematomas.
3. Skin abrasions = caused by skin being scraped on dry surface and results
in shallow bleeding and pain. Must be cleansed and sterilised. Eg scraping
knee in netball fall.
4. Lacerations = caused by flesh incurring irregular tear. Must be cleansed
with antiseptics and be pressured to stop bleeding. Longer than a
centimetre must see a doctor.
5. Blisters = caused by a collection of fluid under the epidermal layer of skin
– causing pain and discomfort. Popular when new equipment is used, old
equipment is used or sports require sudden movements. Rest is primary,
however blisters may need to be removed – after doing so it must be
cleansed.
,Inflammatory Response
⇒ Inflammation is an innate immune response to any damage to the host's cells.
⇒ Phase 1 – characterised by; pain, redness, swelling, loss of mobility, increased
blood flow
⇒ Phase 2 (repair) – characterised by; formation of new fibres, production of scar
tissue
⇒ Phase 3 (re-modelling) – characterised by; replacement of tissue, requirement of
mild movement to prevent further damage and excess production of scar tissue.
⇒ Aims to regain function, prevent recurrence, restore flexibility.
Management for Soft Tissue Injuries
Hard Tissue Injuries
⇒ Fractures
o Simple = bone remains under skin
, o Compound = bone protrudes skin
o Greenstick = fracture occurs because bone is soft and bent on
impact
o Oblique = complete fractures that occur oblique to long axis of
bone
o Comminuted/complex= bone breaks in multiple places
o Depressed = causes depression in skull
Management
⇒ DRSABCD, control bleeding, treat shock, use splinter and bandage to immobilise
and seek assistance.
⇒ Dislocation
o Refers to the displacement of a bone at a joint
o Observed through pain incursion and deformity
o Real damage occurs in ligaments and tendons that are stretched or
ruptured
o Symptoms = swelling, pain, loss of function
Management
⇒ DRSABCD, secure and immobilise with splint/ bandage, ice, elevation and seek
medical attention – NOTE: do not try and replace injury unless you are a qualified
practitioner.
⇒ Subluxation = where bone is momentarily displaced and quickly returns – joint is
now vulnerable to future dislocations as ligaments surrounding are stretched.
Assessment of Injuries
TOTAPS;
I. Talk = find out what happened to note nature of injury
II. Observe = look for any signs of swelling or deformity. Best done by a comparison
with the other limb
III. Touch = feel injury for any swelling or deformity to pinpoint area of pain.
IV. Active Movement = ask player to perform various joint movements ie flexion,
extension, circumduction, rotation. If pain is absent, they can proceed with the
test.
V. Passive Movement = assessor gently mobilises joint to identify painful areas or
inability
VI. Skills Test = player is asked to perform skills required in the game ie tackle
⇒ A player can only return to field once they have completed TOTAPS test
CQ: How are sports injuries classified and managed?
Ways to Classify Injuries
⇒ Indirect Injuries = caused by an intrinsic force; within the body. Usually a product
of inadequate warm-up, ballistic movements, failure to complete movement/
skill; placing excessive strain on ligaments, tendons and muscles. Eg sprinter
straining hamstring
⇒ Direct Injuries = caused by direct forces from outside the body. Usually a product
of contact and result in fractures, dislocations, sprains or bruises. Eg broken ribs
from tackle
⇒ Soft Tissue Injuries = includes damage to ligaments, muscles, tendons, cartilage,
skin, organs and circulatory vessels. Acute ST injuries include sprains, strains, torn
cartilage and abrasions.
⇒ Hard Tissue Injuries = includes damage to bones and teeth. Eg fracturing arm.,
dislocations
⇒ Overuse Injuries = results of intense or unreasonable use of joints, bones or
muscle. Such is prompted by repetitive low impact exercise i.e. jogging and
results in inflammation and pain. Common examples are anterior shin splints or
tendonitis.
o Stress fractures are overuse injuries that cause small incomplete
bone fractures usually due to impact on the hard surface.
Soft Tissue Injuries
⇒ A tear is caused by the excessive stretching or severing of tissue, two types
include;
1. Sprains = traumatising a ligament – cause pain, swelling and disability to
move
2. Strains = traumatising muscle or tendon – pain, internal bleeding
o Contusion may be involved if there was impact and/or
discolouration; this must be treated as depending on severity they
can interrupt blood flow and cause haematomas.
3. Skin abrasions = caused by skin being scraped on dry surface and results
in shallow bleeding and pain. Must be cleansed and sterilised. Eg scraping
knee in netball fall.
4. Lacerations = caused by flesh incurring irregular tear. Must be cleansed
with antiseptics and be pressured to stop bleeding. Longer than a
centimetre must see a doctor.
5. Blisters = caused by a collection of fluid under the epidermal layer of skin
– causing pain and discomfort. Popular when new equipment is used, old
equipment is used or sports require sudden movements. Rest is primary,
however blisters may need to be removed – after doing so it must be
cleansed.
,Inflammatory Response
⇒ Inflammation is an innate immune response to any damage to the host's cells.
⇒ Phase 1 – characterised by; pain, redness, swelling, loss of mobility, increased
blood flow
⇒ Phase 2 (repair) – characterised by; formation of new fibres, production of scar
tissue
⇒ Phase 3 (re-modelling) – characterised by; replacement of tissue, requirement of
mild movement to prevent further damage and excess production of scar tissue.
⇒ Aims to regain function, prevent recurrence, restore flexibility.
Management for Soft Tissue Injuries
Hard Tissue Injuries
⇒ Fractures
o Simple = bone remains under skin
, o Compound = bone protrudes skin
o Greenstick = fracture occurs because bone is soft and bent on
impact
o Oblique = complete fractures that occur oblique to long axis of
bone
o Comminuted/complex= bone breaks in multiple places
o Depressed = causes depression in skull
Management
⇒ DRSABCD, control bleeding, treat shock, use splinter and bandage to immobilise
and seek assistance.
⇒ Dislocation
o Refers to the displacement of a bone at a joint
o Observed through pain incursion and deformity
o Real damage occurs in ligaments and tendons that are stretched or
ruptured
o Symptoms = swelling, pain, loss of function
Management
⇒ DRSABCD, secure and immobilise with splint/ bandage, ice, elevation and seek
medical attention – NOTE: do not try and replace injury unless you are a qualified
practitioner.
⇒ Subluxation = where bone is momentarily displaced and quickly returns – joint is
now vulnerable to future dislocations as ligaments surrounding are stretched.
Assessment of Injuries
TOTAPS;
I. Talk = find out what happened to note nature of injury
II. Observe = look for any signs of swelling or deformity. Best done by a comparison
with the other limb
III. Touch = feel injury for any swelling or deformity to pinpoint area of pain.
IV. Active Movement = ask player to perform various joint movements ie flexion,
extension, circumduction, rotation. If pain is absent, they can proceed with the
test.
V. Passive Movement = assessor gently mobilises joint to identify painful areas or
inability
VI. Skills Test = player is asked to perform skills required in the game ie tackle
⇒ A player can only return to field once they have completed TOTAPS test
