CHRONIC SPORTS INJURIESGROUP 2 PPPHC 500L MB;BS/BDS

OUTLINE

INTRODUCTION TYPES OF SPORTS INJURIES CHRONIC SPORTS INJURIES: TYPES INVESTIGATION OF CHRONIC SPORTS

INJURIES PREVENTION OF CHRONIC SPORTS

INJURIES CONCLUSION REFERENCES

INTRODUCTION

What is a sport? any individual or group competitive activity

involving physical exertion or skill, governed by rules, and sometimes engaged in professionally. Examples include tennis, hockey, boxing, gymnastics, athletics and of course football.

What is an injury? physical damage to the body or a body

part.

INTRODUCTION contd

What Are Sports Injuries? The term sports injury, in the broadest sense,

refers to the kinds of injuries that most commonly occur during sports or exercise. Some sports injuries result from accidents; others are due to poor training practices, improper equipment, lack of conditioning, or insufficient warm up and stretching.

Common types of sports injuries include muscle sprains and strains, tear of tendons and ligaments, dislocations and fractures.

TYPES OF SPORTS INJURY

There are two broad categories of sports-related injuries — acute and chronic

Acute injuries occur from a single, well-defined incident, such as dislocating your shoulder during a fall or twisting your ankle while running. Sprains and dislocations are typically

considered acute.

TYPES OF SPORTS INJURY contd

Chronic injuries result from an accumulation of damage to the bones, joints, muscles, ligaments and tendons. Chronic injuries are generally considered lifestyle-threatening injuries — that is, they inhibit your ability to perform many of your normal activities.

Tennis elbow and stress fractures (a fracture caused by repeated stress on the bone) are

both examples of chronic injuries.

TYPES OF SPORTS INJURY contd

Signs of acute sports injury include sudden severe pain, swelling, inability to place weight on a lower limb, extreme tenderness in an upper limb, visible dislocation or break of bone.

Signs of chronic sports injury include pain when performing activity, dull ache at rest and swelling.

CHRONIC SPORTS INJURY (CSI)

Chronic injuries usually result from overusing one area of the body while playing a sport or exercising over a long period.

Often overuse injuries seem less important than acute injuries.

If left untreated, a chronic injury will probably get worse over time.

TYPES OF CSI

These include: stress fractures — tiny cracks in the

bone's surface often caused by repetitive overloading (such as in the feet of a basketball player who is continuously jumping on the court)

tendinitis — inflammation of the tendon caused by repetitive stretching

epiphysitis or apophysitis — growth plate overload injuries.

INVESTIGATIONS

There are several investigative modalities used in sports medicine. However, the most useful in evaluating CSIs include:

X-rays MRI Ultrasonography Electromyography Bone scan Arthrography

TREATMENT

Treatment of chronic sports injury is in two phases, short term and long term

Short termi. Relative or complete restii. Drugs e.g. NSAIDS, topical anaesthetics,

steroidsiii. Electrical stimulationiv. Muscle stretchingv. Iontophoresis, phonophoresis, ice

TREATMENT contd

Long termi. Proper shoe wearing ii. Strength trainingiii. Activity modificationiv. Orthototic interventionv. Nutrition counselling and weight

managementvi. Surgery for refractory cases

PREVENTION

Like most other pathologies, CSIs can be prevented by several measures which include:

Avoid bending knees past 90 degrees when doing half knee bends. Avoid twisting knees by keeping feet as flat as possible during stretches. When jumping, land with your knees bent. Do warm up exercises not just before vigorous activities like running, but also before less vigorous ones such as golf. Don’t overdo.

PREVENTION contd

Do warm up stretches before activity. Stretch

the Achilles tendon, hamstring, and quadriceps

areas and hold the positions. Don’t bounce. Cool down following vigorous sports. For example, after a race, walk or walk/jog for five minutes so your pulse comes down gradually.

PREVENTION contd

Wear properly fitting shoes that provide shock absorption and stability. Use the softest exercise surface

available, and avoid running on hard surfaces like

asphalt and concrete. Run on flat surfaces.

Running uphill may increase the stress on the

Achillestendon and the leg itself.

CONCLUSION

The unprecedented level in popularity over the last few decades of increased participation

in athletic sporting events has led directly to an increase in chronic overuse sports injuries. It remains in the medical/health personnel’s domain

to properly identify and assist the athlete in correcting these conditions to treat, prevent, and possibly reverse the detrimental effects. As always, prevention is always the best treatment but, failing that, the next best thing is proper and successful

rehabilitation.

REFERENCES

1. Microsoft Encarta 20092. Tri Rivers surgical associates inc.3. U.S department of health and human

services.4. Chronic overuse sports injuries by Dr.

Elmer Pinzon

THANK YOU FOR LISTENING

X-ray showing periosteal new bone formation indicative of a stress fracture