Causes of sport

injuries
 What are injuries?

Why is my risk at getting

injured higher now that I
am more active?
O Individuals who engage on various physical
activities have a higher risk of getting injured
as compared to those who practice sedentary
lifestyle

O However, the potential benefits of having an

active lifestyle outweigh the risk of suffering
an injury.
Direction of Forces Applied to
Musculoskeletal Structures
O INJURIES
O Are damaged tissues or organs which occur
when it encouters trauma or physical force that is
greater than what it can resist or absorb
O Tissues are able to withstand varying degrees of
stress and strain but it will break down if the
impact is stronger than what it can tolerate.
Factors influencing the ability of our
tissues to resist or absorb forces
Inherent Abnormality

Age

Technique

Fitness Level

Equipment

Environmental Aspect
 Tissues and organs react to the impact of the
force
O Tensile Forces
O Act away from the center of the structure, causing
pull or stretch
O Compressive Forces
O Impact the center, causing it to bend or fold
O Shear Forces
O Opposing forces toward the different ends of the
structure, causing it to twist
The mechanism of how the force was applied is
just as important as its impact.

O BONE – strong in resisting compressive

strength

O MUSCLE-TENDON – strong at resisting tensile

forces
O Injuries in sports and fitness commonly affect the
musculoskeletal structures.
Structure Function Acute Injury
Ligament Stabilize Joints Sprain
Tendons Attaches muscle to Strain
the bones
Muscles Creates Strain
movements
Bones Anchor for muscles Fracture
Joints Fulcrum for Dislocation
movement
O The strength properties of each musculoskeletal structure vary
according to the density of collagen and elastin fibers present.
O Its ability to withstand sudden or acute forces also depends on
tissues (i.e., fat) that soften the impact of the structure.
O Sports injuries can be classified into:

O 1. Acute Injuries
O Have signs and symptoms (pain and swelling) that
manifest immediately force application

O 2. Chronic Injuries
O Signs and symptoms occur after a long period of
exposure to the force.
 SPRAIN

STRAINS

FRACTURES

DISLOCATION

WOUNDS

ARE EXAMPLES OF ACUTE INJURIES

O An excessive stretching force can cause fibers of the
ligament, muscle, tendon to break.

O SPRAIN - overstretched ligament

O Mild
O Moderate
O Severe
O STRAIN – caused be excessive stretching that causes
tears in the muscle tendon unit.
O FRACTURES – breaks in the continuity of the bone.
O DISLOCATIONS – bones that are pushed out from
their joint capsule