Download CHAPTER 6 – SPORTS INJURIES

SECTION A –
CHAPTER 6
ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS
CHAPTER 6 – SPORTS INJURIES
Text between pages 48 and 54, answers to questions on page 54 of the text book.
1) Sports injuries can be broadly classified as either acute or chronic injuries. Explain what is meant by these two
classifications, using examples where appropriate.
4 marks
Answer • Acute injuries refer to sports injuries that happen in a moment.
• For example, a hamstring pull during a sprint race.
• Chronic injuries develop over time and so are characterised by a slow, sustained development of symptoms.
• That culminates in painful inflammatory conditions.
• For example, patellar tendinosis or jumper’s knee, which is caused by inflammation of the bottom of the patella.
2) Playing kit and equipment are major factors that an athlete needs to consider in injury prevention. Identify the key factors
that affect the selection of their use. 4 marks
Answer
• Equipment needs to be appropriate to the playing surface. For example, selection of appropriate hockey sticks to playing surfaces.
• Shoes or boots are the most important item of clothing. They should be selected to meet the demands made on the foot. For
example, running shoes provide both support and shock absorption for hard running surfaces, squash shoes provide closer contact
with the court therefore have less support.
• Ski boots are extremely robust, supporting high above the ankle joints.
• Equipment needs to be checked for possible defects prior to use. For example, safety check for fibreglass poles.
• Choosing protective clothing is important for potentially dangerous sports such as cricket, boxing and fencing.
• Kit needs to fit well.
3) Describe the RICE approach to the initial treatment of injuries.
4 marks
Answer
• The RICE principle is used to control and limit swelling.
• Rest: injured body part for approximately 72 hours before beginning a rehabilitation programme.
• Ice: applied to injured area to slow down bleeding, reduce inflammation and decrease pain.
• Compression: reduces the amount of space available for swelling by applying pressure (an elastic wrap) around the injured area.
• Elevation: injured part (particularly extremities) should be elevated to eliminate the effects of gravity on pooling in the injured
area, thus reducing damage caused by the swelling itself.
4) a) What is meant by the term over-training?
Answer
• Over-training occurs when the intensity of training and/or volume of training are increased to extreme levels.
• And there is a lack of recovery within or between training sessions.
2 marks
b) How can over-training lead to injuries?
2 marks
Answer
• Chronic or overuse repetitive strain injuries are caused by repeated use of any part of the muscular system without adequate rest
or recovery.
• Leading to an associated decline in physiological functioning.
• For example, regular running or impact on hard surfaces can cause shin splints and Achilles tendinosis.
26
APPLIED PHYSIOLOGY TO OPTIMISE PERFORMANCE
5) Discuss the principles and guidelines for injury prevention.
Answer
• Well-planned fitness programmes to include FITT principles of training.
• Frequency or the number of sessions.
• Intensity of the session.
• Type of training.
• Time taken to train.
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
5 marks
Overload and progression result from training activities getting harder.
In order to stress physiological adaptations required.
Moderation implies that note is taken of the sportperson’s state of physical health.
And when signs of deteriorating performance are detected training loads must be reduced.
And recovery time increased.
Rest or recovery between sets and training sessions must be adequate.
Warm-up prepares the musculo-skeletal systems for exercise by raising muscle temperature, oxygenating active muscle tissue,
stretching muscle tissue, mobilising joints and meeting the demands of sport-specific drills.
Cool-down is a way of reducing DOMS by flushing out lactic acid and increasing flexibility of joints.
Diet is aimed at refuelling depleted energy reserves.
6) Why should stretching be part of an injury preventative training programme?
Answer
• The stretch reflex limits flexibility.
• Stretching over an extended period of time inhibits the activation of the stretch reflex.
• Causing an increase in the resting length of soft tissues such as ligaments, tendons and muscles.
2 marks
7) a) How does core stability assist in injury prevention? Answer
• Core stability involves the effective recruitment of muscles that stabilise the lumbar-pelvic-hip complex.
• Together with muscles that stabilise the shoulder girdle.
• To maintain a rigid mid-section that sustains correct posture.
• Over time poor posture can lead to damage of the vertebral discs and be the cause of back injuries.
3 marks
b) Identify and describe a stabilisation exercise that would be suitable within a rehabilitation programme. 3 marks
Answer
Many possible answers since core stability exercises can be done without equipment. Alternatively the use of fit balls (Swiss balls),
medicine balls and free weights are very popular. The exercise you choose must involve the stabilisation of the pelvic floor and or the
shoulder girdle.
•
•
•
For example, plank work, lying face down on the floor, elbows under shoulders, forearms on the floor.
Brace shoulders and abdominal muscle, lifting hips away from floor with body weight supported through shoulders, forearms and
knees.
Hold position for 15-30 seconds or until you begin to lose abdominal tension.
8) Hyperbaric oxygen chambers and ice baths are aids to rehabilitation for elite performers. Briefly describe how each of
these therapies assist in this process.
6 marks
Answer
• A hyperbaric oxygen chamber is pressurised with increased amounts of oxygen.
• Aims to reduce the injury recovery time.
• By stimulating the growth of new blood vessels.
• By increasing the oxygen concentration to damaged tissues such as in pulled muscles or stress fractures.
• Aids the treatment of infection by boosting white blood cell activity around the damaged tissues, thereby controlling infection.
•
•
•
•
•
Ice baths use the fact that local tissue inflammation can be reduced by chilling the affected area.
The athlete remains in the ice bath for 5-10 minutes.
During this time the cold water causes the blood vessels to vasoconstrict.
Thereby draining blood and any lactic acid away from the immersed body parts.
On leaving the ice bath, the immersed body parts fill up with freshly oxygenated blood as blood vessels vasodilate, thus aiding
recovery.
Questions and answers 27
SECTION A –
CHAPTER 6
ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS
9) What is meant by the term DOMS? How is it caused and how can its effect be reduced?
Answer
• DOMS stands for Delayed Onset of Muscle Soreness.
7 marks
3 marks for how is it caused:
• Muscle soreness is felt a day or two after a heavy bout of exercise.
• Created following high intensity exercise, such as a result of marathon running.
• And heavy resistance anaerobic training, involving eccentric muscle action.
• And unaccustomed exercises using eccentric muscle contraction, such as running downhill.
• And plyometric training, such as depth jumping.
• High muscle forces damage sarcolemma or cell membrane.
• And create micro-tears in muscle tissue.
• Excess metabolites, such as lactic acid and calcium, are retained in muscle cell.
• DOMS results from inflammation, tenderness and pain.
• And normally takes from between 8-48 hours following the exercise bout.
3 marks for how can its effect be reduced:
• Cooling-down helps to keep the blood circulating and so aids the removal of waste products such as lactic acid.
• Having adequate recovery between high intensity training sessions.
• Training programme should include a progressive build-up of training loads.
• And include moderate concentric exercise to protect against muscle soreness.
• Wearing compression clothing during training has been shown to increase venous return, improve recovery and hence reduce
DOMS.
• Having a sports massage immediately after training will help to get rid of the lactic acid.
• Having an ice bath will help to reduce inflammation.
• Vitamin E supplementation has been found to give some protection against cell membrane damage.
28