CRISTY HAZZEL COMAPON

SAFETY PRACTICES AND SPORTS INJURY MANAGEMENT

COMMON SPORTS INJURIES Participating in one or more sports is a vital part of a healthy, active lifestyle which is good for the heart, good for the respiration, good for building and maintaining muscular strength, etc. The risk of injury should obviously not deter you from playing sports; but, by being aware of some of the most common sports injuries, you can take steps to prevent them or at least reduce the risk of getting hurt. The most common acute injuries: 1. Strain Strains are by far the most common of all sports – related injuries simply because we use so many muscles and tendons when we exercise or play. Common muscle strains include pulled hamstrings, pulled groin muscles and strained quads. The best way to reduce the risk of strained muscles and tendons is to warm up and stretch before engaging in strenuous activity. 2. Sprain Ankle sprain are perhaps the most frequent type of sprain among athletes, followed closely by knee sprains, wristsand elbow spreains, etc. Sprains can be painful, take longer to heal than strains, and sometimes require immobilization to protect against further injury.

3. Fracture Fractures are an inherent risk with most strenuous and/or contact sports, but you can reduce the risk by wearing the appropriate padding, warming up, working out to keep muscles strong and flexible, practicing good technique, etc. Also, don’t “play through the pain,” as sometimes the pain is a sign of a strain or sprain that left untreated can make the bone vulnerable to fracture. 4. Dislocation Dislocation is an injury in which the ends of your bones are forced from their normal positions. The cause is usually trauma resulting from a fall, an auto accident, or a collision during contact or high – speed sports. Dislocation usually involves the body’s larger joints. The injury will temporarily deform and immobilize your joint and may result in sudden and severe pain and swelling. A discolation requires prompt medical attention to return your bones to their proper positions.

5. Concussion A concussion is a traumatic brain injury that affects your brain function. Effects are usually temporary but can include headaches and problems with concentration, memory, balance and coordination. Concussions are usually caused by a blow to the head. What are the most common chronic injuries? Exercising and sports are good for you, but they sometimes lead to injury. Some sports injuries result from accidents while others are due to poor training practices, improper equipment or lacking of conditioning. A chronic injury is the result of prolonged, repetitive motion that is particularly common in endurance sports such as swimming, running and cycling. As such, chronic injuries are often referred to as overuse injuries – injuries resulting from overusing one body area while playing a sport or exercising over a long period. 1. Stress Fracture A stress fracture is a fatigue – induced bone fracture caused by repeated stress over time. Instead of resulting from a single severe impact, stres fractures are the result of accumulated injury from repeated submaximal loading, such as running or jumping. Because of this mechanism, stress fractures are common oveuse injuries in athletes. This type of fracture does not require immobilization, but the individual has to stop exercise for around four weeks to give it timeto heal.

2. Tendinopathy / tendenitis Tendinopathy is the broad term for any tendon condition that causes pain and swelling. Your tendons are rope-like tissues in your body that attach muscle to bone. When your muscles tighten and relax, your tendons and bones move. 3. Osteoarthritis Osteoarthritis is the most common form of arthritis, affecting millions of people worldwide. It occurs when the protective cartilage that cushions the ends of the bones wears down over time. Although osteoarthritis can damage any joint, the disorder most commonly affects joints in your hands, knees, hips and spine. 4. Bursitis Bursitis is inflammation of a bursa. A bursa is a closed, fluid-filled sac that works as a cushion and gliding surface to reduce friction between tissues of the body. The major bursa (this is the plural of bursa) are located next to the tendons near the large joints, such as in the shoulders, elbows, hips, and knees.

SPORTS INJURY PREVENTION AND MANAGEMENT 1. Be in Proper Physical Condition to Play a Sport Keep in mind the weekend warrior has a high rate of injury. If you play any sports, you shold adequately train for the sport. It is a mistake to expect the sport itself to get youinto shape. Many injuries can be prevented by following a regular conditioning program of exercises designed specifically for your sport. 2. Know and Abide by the Rules of the Sport The rules are designed, in part, to keep things safe. This is extremely important for anyone who participates in a contact sport. You need to learn them and to play by the rules of conduct. Respect the rules on illegal procedures and insist on enforcement by referees, umpires, and judges. 3. Wear Appropriate Protecive Gear and Equipment Protective pads, mouth guards, helmets, gloves, and other equipment are not for those you consider weak; they are for everyone. Protective equipment that fits you well can save you knees, hands, teeth, eyes, and head. Never play withou your safety gear. 4. Rest Athletes with a high number of consecutive days of training, have more injuries. While many athletes thinks the more they train, the better they’ll play, this is a misconception. Rest is a critical component ofproper training. Rest can make you stronger and prevent injuries of overusee, fatigue and poor judgement. 5. Always Warm – U p Before Playing Warm muscles are less susceptible to injuries. The proper warm – up is essential for injury prevention. Make sure your warm – up suits your sport. You may simply start your sport slowly, or practice specific stretching or mental rehearsal depending upon you activity. 6. Avoid Playing When Very Tired or In Pain This is a set – up for a careless injury. Pain indicates a problem. You need to pay attention to warning signs your body provides.

SPORTS INJURY MANAGEMENT Sports injury management is the management of a specific injury to allow an individual to return or continue their chosen sport without damaging or compromising their body.managing a sports injury correctly is important and can help tominimize damage to a muscle, tendon, legament, and joint, hence, increasing a chance to a full recovery. First Aid Techniques to Injuries The first 24 – 48 hours after sustaining a soft tissue injury is crucial in ensuring the best outcome for healing. As a general rule, management for most acute tissue injuries is a simple as remembering two simple acronyms – RICER and HARM. The Ricer Procedure:  REST – initially, the objective in any healing tissue injury is to minimize swelling and bleeding. Reducing movement, and in some cases immobilizing the injured area, is one in the simplest methods to reduce further injury and promote healing.  ICE – cooling the injured area serves to slow down tissue metabolism. It may cause contraction of blood vessels which will slowdown blood flow and assist with reducing swelling. Ice can also provide a temporary numbing effect to assist with short term pain relief as well. Ensure that intense cooling is not applied directly to the skin to minimize the potential for skin burn.  COMPRESSION – compressing an injured area can have a direct effect on swelling. Applying a bandage to the area can help to limit the amount of bleeding that occurs in an isolated area. Caution needs to be taken to ensure that any comppressive bandage is firm, however does not reduce the normal circulation to the area.  ELEVATION – elevating the injured area will also serve to reduce the collection fluid to the area by limiting the effect of gravity. For foot or leg injuries, lying with injured area elevated above the level of the pelvis with the use of pillows is an easy start.  REFER – while RICER helps promote healing in the early stages of injury to get the right diagnosis you need to see an appropriate health professional.

In the first few days of an injury, remember to avoid HARM:  HEAT – heat will cause blood vessels to dilate which in turn will increase the flaw to the area. Avoid hot baths, showers, saunas, heat packs, and heat rubs.  ALCOHOL – alcohol can increase swelling, resulting to longer recovery. Similar to heat, alcohol has an effect dilating blood vessels, which in turn will increase the flow of blood to the area. Alcohol can also mask pain and the severity of injury, which may put you at greater risk for re – injury. Avoid drinking alcohol in the initial stages of healing any injury.  RUNNING OR OTHEREXCESSIVE EXERCISE – an increase heart rate increases the flow of blood around the body. This will cause the blood to accumulate in the area faster. Take the opportunity to rest.  MASSAGE – massaging the area, once again, will stimulate the flow of blood to the area. Avoid massage in the initial stages of injury. Name: Cristy Hazzel P. Comapon Grade 11 - PLATO