Injuries and First Injuries and First AidAid

The aim of this lesson is to learn The aim of this lesson is to learn about common sporting injuries about common sporting injuries

and prevention techniquesand prevention techniques

Two Types of Sports InjuryTwo Types of Sports Injury Acute Injuries: Acute Injuries: are the are the

result of a sudden result of a sudden stress on the body. For stress on the body. For example, a dislocated example, a dislocated shoulder caused by a shoulder caused by a tackle in rugby.tackle in rugby.

Chronic or Overuse Chronic or Overuse Injuries: Injuries: are caused are caused by over training, by over training, insufficient recover insufficient recover time, poor technique time, poor technique and badly designed and badly designed footwear or footwear or equipment.equipment.

How to Avoid Chronic InjuriesHow to Avoid Chronic Injuries

Develop correct Develop correct technique: Poor long technique: Poor long distance running distance running technique leads to technique leads to back injuries.back injuries.

Choose kit and Choose kit and equipment carefully, equipment carefully,

especially footwear.especially footwear. Allow enough time for Allow enough time for

full recovery between full recovery between training sessions training sessions and/or events.and/or events.

• Follow heavy training Follow heavy training days with light days. days with light days. As your body adapts As your body adapts to training it to training it recovers, if you don’t recovers, if you don’t recover you’ll gain no recover you’ll gain no training adaptation.training adaptation.

How to Avoid Acute InjuriesHow to Avoid Acute Injuries Consider the event itself:Consider the event itself:

Make sure you play at the Make sure you play at the right level for you. It can right level for you. It can be dangerous to play be dangerous to play against people who are against people who are bigger,stronger or more bigger,stronger or more skilful.skilful.

• Know the rules of the sport Know the rules of the sport and obey them. They were and obey them. They were developed to protect you developed to protect you as well as test your skill.as well as test your skill.

1.1. Pay attention to advice Pay attention to advice or warnings given by or warnings given by coaches, referees and coaches, referees and other officials.other officials.

HEAD INJURIESHEAD INJURIES You should place the person in the coma You should place the person in the coma

position making sure they can breathe position making sure they can breathe easily – check nose and mouth for easily – check nose and mouth for blockages – if they are not breathing you blockages – if they are not breathing you will need to follow CPR.will need to follow CPR.

Bone and Joint InjuriesBone and Joint Injuries

Fractured bones:Fractured bones: A fracture is a break or A fracture is a break or

crack in a bone. In a crack in a bone. In a SIMPLESIMPLE or or CLOSED CLOSED fracture the skin is not fracture the skin is not broken. In an broken. In an OPENOPEN or or COMPOUNDCOMPOUND fracture fracture the skin is damaged the skin is damaged too.too.

Signs and Symptoms:Signs and Symptoms: The casualty may have The casualty may have

heard or felt a snap.heard or felt a snap. Pain and tenderness Pain and tenderness

around the injury.around the injury. The casualty cant move The casualty cant move

the part normally.the part normally. Swelling and bruising Swelling and bruising

occur.occur. The limb may look The limb may look

deformed and twisted.deformed and twisted.

Types of FracturesTypes of Fractures There are several types There are several types

of fracture, each differing of fracture, each differing due to the age of the due to the age of the bone and the type of bone and the type of impact, blow or pressure impact, blow or pressure placed on it.placed on it.

Greenstick: Greenstick: A pressure A pressure or impact buckles or or impact buckles or bends a bone but only bends a bone but only partially breaks it. This partially breaks it. This fracture is common in the fracture is common in the developing bones of developing bones of young children, whose young children, whose bones are quite springy.bones are quite springy.

Closed fractures are more Closed fractures are more common and mean that the common and mean that the skin isn't broken skin isn't broken

Open fractures involve the Open fractures involve the broken end of the bone broken end of the bone coming through the skin coming through the skin

All fractures usually cause All fractures usually cause bruising and swelling because bruising and swelling because of associated damage to of associated damage to surrounding blood vessels surrounding blood vessels

They are also very painful They are also very painful because nerves within the because nerves within the bone are damaged bone are damaged

A stress fracture is a thin A stress fracture is a thin crack in a bone, which can crack in a bone, which can be caused by overuse and be caused by overuse and continuous stress to the continuous stress to the bone. These are common bone. These are common in the legs of runners and in the legs of runners and soldiers. Stress fractures soldiers. Stress fractures are the only form of chronic are the only form of chronic bone injury, all other bone injury, all other fractures are acute fractures are acute

Any suspected fracture Any suspected fracture should be should be x-rayed x-rayed

SOFT TISSUE INJURIESSOFT TISSUE INJURIES Soft tissue is basically Soft tissue is basically

anything that isn't bone! So anything that isn't bone! So muscles, ligaments, muscles, ligaments, tendons, skin, cartilage tendons, skin, cartilage etc. Soft tissue injuries can etc. Soft tissue injuries can be either chronic or acute. be either chronic or acute. They can also be open or They can also be open or closedclosed

Open Open Open injuries are when the Open injuries are when the

skin is broken through skin is broken through cuts, grazes etccuts, grazes etc

ClosedClosed Closed injuries happen Closed injuries happen

when the skin stays when the skin stays intact, and the injury is intact, and the injury is underneath the skin. underneath the skin.

EXAMPLESEXAMPLES SprainsSprains - ligament - ligament

damage. Ligaments damage. Ligaments attach bones to bones attach bones to bones and keep a joint together. and keep a joint together. Sprains can occur as a Sprains can occur as a result of a violent twisting result of a violent twisting or side-ways movement or side-ways movement to the joint (such as when to the joint (such as when you roll the ankle over you roll the ankle over and sprain it) and sprain it)

SOFT TISSUE INJURIES (CONT)SOFT TISSUE INJURIES (CONT) StrainsStrains - muscle - muscle

damage. These are also damage. These are also known as pulled known as pulled muscles and can vary in muscles and can vary in severity with some only severity with some only causing minor damage causing minor damage and other tearing the and other tearing the whole muscle (a whole muscle (a rupture)! These are rupture)! These are usually caused by usually caused by overstretching. The overstretching. The hamstrings are the most hamstrings are the most common example common example

BruisingBruising - bleeding - bleeding underneath the skin. underneath the skin. This usually happens This usually happens as a result of an as a result of an impact such as being impact such as being hit with a cricket ball hit with a cricket ball

SOFT TISSUE INJURIES (CONT)SOFT TISSUE INJURIES (CONT)

DislocationsDislocations - a bone is - a bone is pulled away from the pulled away from the normal joint position. The normal joint position. The most common example is most common example is the shoulder, where the the shoulder, where the humerus (arm bone) is humerus (arm bone) is pulled out of the socket. pulled out of the socket. This can cause damage to This can cause damage to the surrounding soft tissues the surrounding soft tissues and must be scanned with and must be scanned with an MRI before being an MRI before being repositioned repositioned

SOFT TISSUE INJURIES (CONT)SOFT TISSUE INJURIES (CONT)

Cartilage tearsCartilage tears - - cartilage within the cartilage within the knee is most knee is most commonly injured. commonly injured. This happens This happens through violent through violent twisting or impacts twisting or impacts which force the knee which force the knee out of line out of line

RICE TREATMENTRICE TREATMENT Standard treatment for soft tissue injuries isStandard treatment for soft tissue injuries is

R - RESTR - REST I - ICEI - ICE C - COMPRESSIONC - COMPRESSION E - ELEVATIONE - ELEVATION

SHOCKSHOCK 2 Types of shock –2 Types of shock – Primary shock – faintness which comes on Primary shock – faintness which comes on

straight after an emotional or traumatic event – straight after an emotional or traumatic event – passes quite quickly with reassurance an keeping passes quite quickly with reassurance an keeping warm.warm.

True shock – far more serious. This comes about True shock – far more serious. This comes about after a serious injury e.g. a bad cut or fracture. after a serious injury e.g. a bad cut or fracture. The person will be close to collapse, grey in The person will be close to collapse, grey in colour and probably shaking. It is essential that colour and probably shaking. It is essential that they are treated in hospital. Call an ambulance they are treated in hospital. Call an ambulance immediately.immediately.

GENERAL RULES TO FOLLOWGENERAL RULES TO FOLLOW Do not move the person unless you are sure what Do not move the person unless you are sure what

the injury is,the injury is, If they are unconscious or have been you must If they are unconscious or have been you must

phone an ambulance as they must be checked.phone an ambulance as they must be checked. Look at the damaged area and see if there are Look at the damaged area and see if there are

any signs of injury – if it is obvious , cuts or any signs of injury – if it is obvious , cuts or wounds then ask if they can move the area of wounds then ask if they can move the area of injury and stop the bleeding- by pressure with a injury and stop the bleeding- by pressure with a clean cloth or bandage.clean cloth or bandage.

If there is no cut talk to the person? – does it hurt, If there is no cut talk to the person? – does it hurt, can you move it? Then look for swellings, can you move it? Then look for swellings, misshapen areas or tenderness.misshapen areas or tenderness.

If they feel able to stand and move on their own If they feel able to stand and move on their own then they should decide if they are able to then they should decide if they are able to continue – any doubts at all Stop. Playing on can continue – any doubts at all Stop. Playing on can really aggravate what was a non serious injury.really aggravate what was a non serious injury.

If you have had problems going through these If you have had problems going through these stages then you must get expert help straight stages then you must get expert help straight away – big difference between first aid and away – big difference between first aid and medical treatment.medical treatment.

Key TermsKey Terms Stress fractures – Stress fractures – a break in the bone caused by a break in the bone caused by

repeated application of a heavy load or constant pounding repeated application of a heavy load or constant pounding on a surface, such as runningon a surface, such as running

Tennis Elbow – Tennis Elbow – a painful injury or inflammation of the a painful injury or inflammation of the tendon attached to the elbow jointtendon attached to the elbow joint

Dilated – Dilated – enlarged, expanded or widened.enlarged, expanded or widened.

Sprains – Sprains – the overstretching or tearing of ligaments at the overstretching or tearing of ligaments at a jointa joint

Strains – Strains – the overstretching of a muscle, rather than a the overstretching of a muscle, rather than a joint.joint.