Download CLASSIFICATIONS OF INJURY

Chapter 13 –
Recognizing Different
Sports Injuries
TYPES OF INJURIES
ACUTE
Caused by trauma
 Happens immediately

CHRONIC
Caused by overuse
 Happens over time

FRACTURES
DEFINITION - Break in the continuity of the
bone

Can range from a crack to crushing of the bone
FRACTURES
Can be an open or closed fracture


Open
 AKA “compound fracture”
 Bone is exposed through the skin
Closed
 Unexposed fracture
TYPES OF FRACTURES
Transverse


Fracture occurs in a straight line, perpendicular to the
bone shaft
Cause – direct blow
TYPES OF FRACTURES
Longitudinal
Bone splits lengthwise through the shaft
 Cause – landing a jump from good height

TYPES OF FRACTURES
Oblique
Is diagonal across the bone
 Cause – twisting with one end stabilized

TYPES OF FRACTURES
Spiral
S-shaped fracture up the bone
 Cause – similar to oblique fracture, twisting
with one end planted or stabilized

TYPES OF FRACTURES
Impacted
Bone is compressed and therefore shortened
 Cause – landing from a great height

TYPES OF FRACTURES
Comminuted
Three or more fragments of bone
 Cause – direct blow or falling awkwardly

TYPES OF FRACTURES
Depressed
Occurs in flat bones (ex. skull) where the
bones are pushed in/depressed
 Cause – direct blow with hard object

TYPES OF FRACTURES
Greenstick



Incomplete fracture through the bone
Common in adolescents
They are called greenstick because these fractures
are similar to the branches of trees during the
spring/summer – they bend but do not break
TYPES OF FRACTURES
Blowout
Fracture of the orbit of the eye
 Cause - Direct blow to the eye

TYPES OF FRACTURES
Avulsion
Ligament or tendon pulls away part of the
bone
 Cause – sudden twist or stretch

TYPES OF FRACTURES
Contrecoup
Occurs on opposite side of where force was
directed
 In skull, object hits one side and forces
internal structures to other side causing a
fracture.

TYPES OF FRACTURES
Stress
Chronic injury, results from repetitive stress
and fatigue
 Malnourishment or poor biomechanics can
lead to these fractures
 Most common in weight bearing bones

Healing of a fracture
Immobilization, 4-6 wks leg and arm, 3-6
smaller bones, hand or feet
A callus (new bone) forms over a fracture
 Osteoblasts – bone forming cells
Osteo means bone
 Blast means forming

Osteoclasts – absorbs bone tissue

function to reshape bone and respond to normal
stress and strain after cast is removed
OPEN SOFT TISSUE INJURIES
These are injuries where layers of the
skin are exposed or injured
Abrasion
Commonly known as a scrape
 Scraping or rubbing away of layer or layers
of the skin

OPEN SOFT TISSUE INJURIES
Puncture wound

Object penetrates layer(s) of the skin
OPEN SOFT TISSUE INJURIES
Laceration
Irregular, jagged cut of skin
 Usually required stitches

OPEN SOFT TISSUE
INJURIES
Incision
Skin is sharply cut, clean lines of incision
 Think of surgical scars

SOFT TISSUE INJURIES
Blister

Traction on skin separates layers of skin and
it fills with fluid
CLOSED SOFT TISSUE INJURIES
Contusion
Bruise
 Bleeding under skin that produces
discoloration
 MOI – direct blow


ACUTE
CLOSED SOFT TISSUE INJURIES
Myositis ossificans
Stems from a hematoma – collection of blood in
a restricted area

The hematoma leads to inflammation of the muscle
that leads to bone formation (ossification)
Hard to get rid of
Common in soccer players
CHRONIC
CLOSED SOFT TISSUE INJURIES
– Joints and Ligaments
Sprain – injury to joint structures
(ligaments, joint capsules)
Results from abnormal motion
 Graded in severity on a scale of 1-3

SPRAIN
1st degree sprain
Mild stretching of fibers but nothing is
weakened or unstable
 Mild pain and swelling and out 1-2 weeks

CLOSED SOFT TISSUE INJURIES
– Joints and Ligaments
2nd degree sprain
Moderate
 Some tearing of tissues – partial tear
 Mild instability
 Will heal with scar tissue
 Moderate pain and swelling
 Out 4-6 weeks

CLOSED SOFT TISSUE INJURIES
– Joints and Ligaments
3rd degree sprain
Complete tear of the ligament
 Initially painful, but it can subside
 Ligaments cannot repair if completely torn
 Completely unstable joint
 Recovery is dependent upon surgical
technique used to replace ligament

CLOSED SOFT TISSUE INJURIES
– Joints and Ligaments
Dislocation
Complete disruption in normal articulation of
a joint
 3rd degree sprain
 MOI – abnormal motion
 Goes out and stays out
 May involve a fracture as well
 Fingers and shoulder are most common

CLOSED SOFT TISSUE INJURIES
– Joints and Ligaments
Subluxation
Partial dislocation
 Either starts to go out of joint and reduces
itself or there is a partial articulation of the
joint
 Will still involve tissue tearing to some
extent

CLOSED SOFT TISSUE INJURIES
– Muscles and Tendons
Strain


Injury to muscle or tendon unit
Also graded on a scale of 3 with regards to severity
STRAINS
1st DEGREE STRAIN



Mild stretch of tissues
Will still have normal flexibility
Mildly painful with activity
CLOSED SOFT TISSUE INJURIES
– Muscles and Tendons
2nd degree strain
Moderate
 Partial tearing of muscle/tendon fibers
 Tenderness and decreased ROM
 Susceptible to full tear if not treated
properly

CLOSED SOFT TISSUE INJURIES
– Muscles and Tendons
3rd degree strain
Complete rupture of muscle or tendon
 Unable to move joint, total loss of function
 Muscle will “ball up”
 Potentially lots of pain and spasm

CLOSED SOFT TISSUE INJURIES
– Muscles and Tendons
Spasm
Involuntary twitching or contraction of
muscle
 Protection mechanism
 Happens after an injury to limit joint ROM
to prevent further injury

CLOSED SOFT TISSUE INJURIES
– Muscles and Tendons
Tendonitis




Inflammation of a tendon
Chronic injury
Tendon will be painful & swollen
Severe tendonitis will have crepitus

Crepitus – crunchy, gravelly feeling in a tendon when the
muscle contracts
CLOSED SOFT TISSUE
INJURIES
Bursitis
Inflammation of a bursa
 Bursa – small, thin fluid filled sac that aids
with friction b/n skin, tendons, and muscles
 When inflammed, bursa will fill with fluid
 Looks like a golf ball under the skin

CLOSED SOFT TISSUE
INJURIES
Fascitis
Inflammation of a fascia
 Fascia – broad, flat, tendon-like structure that
provides support for surrounding tissues and
structures
