Sports
medicine application of scientific and medical knowledge to aspects of exercise
and sports. Sports medicine aims to optimize health, fitness and performance of
the athletes. It also helps in the prevention, treatment and rehabilitation of
their injures.
Sports
medicine Team
The
primary individuals of the Sports Medicine team comprises of
- Team doctors
- Physiotherapists
- Masseurs
- Nutritionists
- Sports Psychologists
- Conditioning Specialists
Scope
of Sports Medicine
The
scope of Sports Medicine includes:
- Promotion of lifelong fitness and wellness
- Illness and injury prevention
- Diagnosis and treatment of injuries
- Rehabilitation of the injured athlete
- Optimization of performance of the athlete
- Ensuring safety of athletes
INJURY
PREVENTION
One
of the overriding tragedies of sports and recreation is that many of the
injuries sustained by sportsmen and sportswomen are preventable. The responsibility
for the prevention of injury should lie primarily with the athlete himself.
However coaches and other officials also share this responsibility.
Prevention
of injury should be the major goal of all those involved in sports. A practical
approach to prevention will decrease the incidence and severity of injuries
sustained. Prevention principally is dependent on two issues, i.e. ensuring
that the athlete is fit for the sport, and that the sport is fit for the
athlete.
Be
Fit For Your Sport
Individuals
need to possess the appropriate health attributes and abilities that facilitate
safe participation in sports. This requires the following to be given due
attention:
Per-Participation
Health Examination (PPHE)
- Questionnaires
- Medical check up
- Dental check up
Personal
Care and Hygiene
- Cleanliness – bathing, clothing
- Nutrition – diet, hydration
- Infection control – food, drink, skin, immunizations
Attire
and Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
- Fit for the athlete
- Fit for the sport
- Appropriate for the environment
Foot
Care
- Foot wear – type, size and appropriateness for sport
- Nail care
- Corns, calluses, blisters
Warm
Up
- Purpose – increase flexibility, increase muscle temperature to optimize performance and reduce occurrence of muscle cramps.
Cool
Down
- Purpose – facilitate muscle recovery, reduce muscle cramps and soreness.
Training
programs
- Observe the FITT principle
- Do not over train
- Caution when ill/injured – absolute rest or relative rest.
Make
Sure The Sport Is Fit For You
Sports
have their own individual performance demands and the failure to address these
appropriately predisposes to problems and injuries. It is important that these
are assessed and addressed prior to participation.
Health,
Fitness and Performance Requirements of the Sports
Health
and Fitness and Performance Requirements:
- Strength
- Flexibility
- Endurance – muscular and cardio-respiratory
- Suitability – body weight, age, sex, biomechanical demands.
Performance
Requirements
- Power
- Speed
- Agility
- Skill
- Reaction time
Rules
and Regulations
- Ensure these are available for safe and fair sports.
Playing
Areas and Facilities
- Must facilitate safety and conduct of the sport.
Environmental
Conditions
- Comply with safety and health recommendations
- Adaptable for the individual athlete
Travel
Requirements
- The athlete must be able to cope with the challenges of meeting the needs of adequate rest/sleep, food and personal medications. Attention needs to be given regarding Doping Regulations.
SOFT
TISSUE INJURIES
These
are injuries to the tissues of the body other than bones. Examples of soft
tissues are skeletal muscle, tendon, ligament, joints and fascia.
Types
of Injuries
- Acute injuries occur from a known incident and have a rapid onset of symptoms and signs.
- Chronic injuries are one that has occurred over a period of time. The symptoms and signs develop slowly and are often not noticed initially.
- Acute on Chronic Injuries are new injuries occurring on an existing chronic one.
- Overuse injuries are due to continual repetitive movements of the sports which has caused repeated stress and micro-trauma, leading to inflammation and pain in the area. There is usually a biomechanical reason for this occurrence.
Mechanisms
of Sports Trauma
Intrinsic
mechanisms refers to how factors pertaining to the individual athlete lead to
trauma. Similarly, extrinsic mechanisms refer to mechanisms involving external
factors.
Causes
of injury
Intrinsic
Causes eg.
- Inadequate warming up
- Incorrect stretching
- Lack of flexibility
- Medical condition
- Poor nutrition
Extrinsic
causes eg.
- Not wearing proper attire
- Uneven surface
- Bad weather
- Hot or warm climate
COMMON
INJURIES IN SPORTS
Generally,
trauma that causes soft tissue injuries result in pain, discoloration, swelling
and limitation on movement. These are the cardinal signs of inflammation.
Amongst
the common soft tissue injures in sports are:
Abrasions
/ Lacerations
An abrasions
is a break in the skin integrity that causes pain and bleeding. A laceration is
a deeper break that involves the full skin thickness.
Muscle
Cramps
A
sustained involuntary contraction of the muscle that causes pain or discomfort.
The individual is unable to voluntarily relax this muscle. It may be due to
heat, dehydration or electrolyte imbalances.
Muscle
Contusion
An
injury which occurs from a sudden traumatic blow to the muscle that causes
bleeding and bruising within the muscle. It can cause swelling discomfort or
pain due to tissue damage that occurs.
Muscle
Strain
A
strain is a tear in the muscle. It is produced by an abnormal muscular
contraction or an excessive stretch of the muscle.
Ligament
Sprain
A
sprain is an over stretching of the ligament leading to a tear. It can result
in bleeding. Brusing, discomfort, pain and limitation of movement of the joint.
Muscle
Soreness
This
muscular pain due to overexertion or strenuous muscular activity that one is
unaccustomed to.
Tendonitis
Tendonitis
is an inflammation of the tendon. This may cause pain, tenderness, redness,
swelling and limitation of movement involving the affected muscle of that
tendon.
MANAGEMENT
OF SOFT TISSUES INJURES
Decision
Making
The
principle in management of soft tissue injuries involves the following
Recognition
TOTAPS
(Talk,
Observe, Touch, Active movement, Passive movement, Skill performance)
Pain,
limitation of movement, swelling, deformity
Problem
Identification
By
the appropriate person.
Preventing
aggravation or further injury
Stop cause
Protect
affected part/individual
Instituting
appropriate care
First
Aid
Bleeding/open
wounds
Inspect
and apply direct pressure
Clean
and dress wound
Definitive
care
RICE
The
acute phase is defined as the first 48 to 72 hours following the injury. The
goal during the first stage is to reduce swelling and pain. At this stage,
doctor usually advise patients to follow a formula of rest, ice, compression
and elevation (RICE) for the 24 to 72 hours after the injury. If the swelling
and inflammation can be controlled initially, the recovery process is enhanced.
REST
Rest
refer to the immobilization of the injured part of the body. It reduces the
bleeding and prevents further damage to the injured tissues.
ICE
(cold applications)
The
initial treatment of acute injuries use cold. Ice is used for conditions
involving strain, sprain and contusion. It will decrease pain and bleeding by
promoting local constriction of the blood vessels. Ice is applied on the
injured part for 15 minutes every two hours by placing the ice in a cloth or
plastic bag to avoid direct contact with the skin. Take care to not cause an
ice burn.
Contraindication
of ice therapy include:
- Allergy to ice
- Diabetes patient
- Circulatory problems
- Open wounds
- Elderly patient
COMPRESSION
Place
external pressure on an injury assists in decreasing hemorrhage and hematoma
formation by occluding the blood vessels.
ELEVATION
Elevation
assists the veins to return blood and fluid from the injured part to the
central circulatory system. Along with cold and compression, elevation reduces
internal bleeding. In ankle sprain for example, the leg should be placed so
that the ankle is at least above the level of the heart.
HEALTHY
LIFE STYLE
Society
today is largely focused on physical performance and the conditioning of one’s
body. If an athlete aims to get and stay in shape, he or she would include
strenuous exercise and athletic participation in his training module. It is
also important for athletes to practice healthy life style in order to achieve
the highest level of health and fitness.
Components
of healthy life style include:
- Regular physical activity
- Maintaining appropriate body weight, BMI and fat composition
- Cope with stress well
- Avoiding drugs and alcohol
- Smoking cessation
- Well balanced diet
- Good rest and adequate sleep of at least 8 hours.
