Safety Practices and

Sports Injury
Management
What are injuries?
 Injuries are damaged tissues or organs which occur when it
encounters trauma or physical force that is greater than what it can
resist or absorb.
 The tissues are able to withstand varying degrees of stress and strain,
but it will break down if it experiences an impact or force that is
stronger than what it can tolerate.
 Factors influencing the ability of our tissues or organs to effectively resist or
absorb forces include inherent abnormality, body position, age, technique,
fitness level, equipment, and environmental aspects.
 Most of the injuries are preventable and awareness of the risk factors will help
in reducing the risk. Furthermore, proper warm-up and training, vigilance, and
safety measures can dramatically reduce the occurrence of injuries.
Tissues and organs react to the impact and direction of the force.
 Tensile forces are those that act away from the center of the structure,
causing a pull or stretch. In these injuries, the two ends of the soft tissue are
pulled apart. The most common examples being muscle strains and ligament
sprains.
 Compressive forces impact the center causing it to bend or fold.
Are pushing down on our body, specifically on the lower part of our body
where the compression is felt most.
 Shear forces are opposing forces toward the different ends of the structure
causing it to twist. This can occur when the skin is stuck to a surface, such as a
bed, while gravity forces the body downward on the bed.

The mechanism of how the force was applied is just as important as its impact.
The bone is strong in resisting compressive strength while muscle-tendon units
are strong at resisting tensile forces.
An individual who engages in various types of strenuous activities
will expose his/her body to the combination of these forces which
could result to an injury.
 SPORTS INJURIES
Acute injures have signs and symptoms (e.g., pain, swelling) that manifest
immediately after force application. Sprains, strains, fractures, dislocations, and
wounds are examples of acute injuries. An excessive stretching force can cause
the fibers of the ligament, muscle, or tendon to break.

On the other hand, the signs and symptoms of chronic or overuse injuries occur
after a long period of exposure to the force.
 COMMON SPORTS INJURIES
Participating in one or more sports is a vital part of a healthy, active lifestyle
which is good for the heart, good for the respiration, good for building and
maintaining muscular strength, etc.
The risk of injury should obviously not deter you from playing sports; but, by
being aware of some of the most common sports injuries, you can take steps to
prevent them or at least reduce the risk of getting hurt.
 COMMON ACUTE INJURIES
1. Strain
 Are by far the most common of all sports-related injuries simply because we
use so many muscles and tendons when we exercise or play.
 These moving parts are all susceptible to stretching farther than they should, or
moving in ways they shouldn’t move, leaving them torn, damaged and in pain.
 Most strains are minor and heal naturally with rest. The best way to reduce the
risk of strained muscles and tendons is to warm up and stretch
before engaging in strenuous activity.
2. Sprain
 Sprains are to ligaments what strains are to muscles. Ligaments are the
tissues that connect bone to bone. When these ligaments turn in a wrong
way, they can pull or tear.
Ankle sprains are perhaps the most frequent type of sprain among athletes,
followed closely by knee sprains, wrist and elbow sprains, etc.
Sprains can be painful, take longer to heal than strains, and sometimes require
immobilization to protect against further injury.
 Pre-workout stretches and
warm-ups can help deter
sprains, as well as practicing
good technique in the sport
you’re playing.
3. Fracture
Impact and contact sports often lead to fractures of the bone (mostly arms, legs
and feet), all of which can be painful, take weeks of immobilization to heal and
may sometimes require surgery to correct.
Fractures are an inherent risk with most strenuous and/or contact sports, but you
can reduce the risk by wearing the appropriate padding, warming up, working
out to keep muscles strong and flexible, practicing good technique, etc. Also,
don’t “play through the pain,” as sometimes
the pain is a sign of a strain or
sprain that left untreated can
make the bone vulnerable to
fracture.
4. Dislocation
Dislocation is an injury in which the ends of your bones are forced from their
normal positions. The cause is usually trauma resulting from a fall, an auto
accident, or a collision during contact or high-speed sports.
Dislocation usually involves the body's larger joints. In adults, the most common
site of the injury is the shoulder. In children, it's the elbow. Your thumb and
fingers also are vulnerable if forcibly bent the wrong way.
The injury will temporarily deform and immobilize your joint and may result in
sudden and severe pain and swelling.
A dislocation requires prompt
medical attention to return
your bones to their proper
positions.
5. Concussion
 Concussion occurs when a sudden impact to the head causes the brain to lurch
inside the skull, sometimes damaging the tissues holding it in place.
 Concussions may be mild to severe, with symptoms ranging from headache and
dizziness to sleepiness and temporary loss of consciousness.
 Never continue to play sports if symptoms of a concussion exist. Concussions
usually heal naturally with rest within a week to several weeks.
 The best way to reduce the risk of concussion is to wear
appropriate protective headgear
when playing contact sports like
hockey or football, or when
biking or skateboarding, etc.
 COMMON CHRONIC INJURIES
Chronic injuries are often referred to as overuse injuries resulting from overusing
one body area while playing a sport or exercising over a long period.
1. Stress Fracture According to Dr. Hilal Ahmad Rather (2018), a stress fracture is a
fatigue-induced bone fracture caused by repeated stress over time.
Instead of resulting from a single severe impact, stress fractures are the result of
accumulated injury from repeated submaximal loading, such as running or
jumping. This type of fracture does not require immobilization,
but the individual has to stop
exercise for around four weeks
to give it time to heal.
2. Tendinopathy/Tendinitis also known as tendinitis or tendonitis, is a type of
tendon disorder that results in pain, swelling, and impaired function.
The pain is typically worse with movement. It most commonly occurs around the
commonly affects the shoulder, wrist, knee, shin and heel.
The type of injury in the figure (left) is common to tennis, badminton and pingpong
players performing a backhand stroke.
3. Osteoarthritis is the most common form of arthritis. It is a chronic degenerative
joint disease that affects mostly middle-aged and older adults.
Osteoarthritis causes the breakdown of joint cartilage. It can occur in any joint, but
it most often affects the hands, knees, hips, or spine.
4. Bursitis Tyler Wheeler (2019) defines, bursitis as an inflammation or irritation of
a bursa sac. You have these sacs all over your body.
They’re filled with fluid that helps ease rubbing and friction between tissues like
bone, muscle, tendons, and skin. Bursitis is common around major
joints like your shoulder, elbow, hip, or knee.
 HEAT-RELATED ILLNESSES
Exposure to abnormal or prolonged amounts of heat and humidity without relief
or adequate fluid intake can cause various types of heat-related illness. Children
and teens adjust more slowly than adults do to changes in environmental heat.
1. Heat cramps - are the mildest form of heat illness and consist of painful muscle
cramps and spasms that occur during or after intense exercise and sweating in
high heat.
2. Heat exhaustion - is more severe than heat cramps and results from a loss of
water and salt in the body. It occurs in conditions of extreme heat and excessive
sweating without adequate fluid and salt replacement. Heat exhaustion occurs
when the body is unable to cool itself properly and, if left untreated, can progress
to heat stroke.
3. Heat stroke - the most severe form of heat illness, occurs when the body's heat
regulating system is overwhelmed by excessive heat. It is a life-threatening
emergency and requires immediate medical attention.
 SPORTS INJURY PREVENTION AND MANAGEMENT
Whether you play sports for competition or fitness, you don't want to be sidelined
with an injury. Time away from the game or in forced inactivity is something we all
want to avoid.

General rules for injury prevention no matter what sport you play.

1. Be in Proper Physical Condition to Play a Sport

 Keep in mind the weekend warrior, a person who participates in an activity only
in their spare time, has a high rate of injury. If you play any sports, you should
adequately train for that sport. It is a mistake to expect the sport itself to get
you into shape. Many injuries can be prevented by following a regular
conditioning program of exercises designed specifically for your sport
2. Know and Abide by the Rules of the Sport
 The rules are designed, in part, to keep things safe. This is extremely important
for anyone who participates in a contact sport. You need to learn them and to
play by the rules of conduct. Respect the rules on illegal procedures and insist
on enforcement by referees, umpires, and judges.
3. Wear Appropriate Protective Gear and Equipment
Protective pads, mouth guards, helmets, gloves, and other equipment are not for
those you consider weak; they are for everyone. Protective equipment that fits
you well can save your knees, hands, teeth, eyes, and head. Never play without
your safety gear.
4. Rest
Athletes with a high number of consecutive days of training, have more injuries.
While many athletes think the more they train, the better they'll play, this is a
misconception. Rest is a critical component of proper training. Rest can make you
stronger and prevent injuries of overuse, fatigue and poor judgment.
5. Always Warm-Up Before Playing
Warm muscles are less susceptible to injuries. The proper warm-up is essential
for injury prevention. Make sure your warm-up suits your sport. You may simply
start your sport slowly, or practice specific stretching or mental rehearsal
depending upon your activity.

6. Avoid Playing When Very Tired or in Pain

This is a set-up for a careless injury. Pain indicates a problem. You need to pay
attention to warning signs your body provides.
 SPORTS INJURY MANAGEMENT
Sports Injury Management is the management of a specific injury to allow an
individual to return or continue their chosen sport without damaging or
compromising their body. Managing a sports injury correctly is important and can
help to minimize damage to a muscle, tendon, ligament, and joint, hence,
increasing the chance of a full recovery.
First Aid Techniques to Injuries - The first 24-48 hours after sustaining a soft tissue
injury is crucial in ensuring the best outcome for healing.
As a general rule, management for most acute soft tissue injuries is as simple as
remembering two simple acronyms – Perform RICER and HARM
RICER Procedure
RICER Procedure
REST (Restrict Movement/Immobilize) - Initially, the objective for healing any soft
tissue injury is to minimize swelling and bleeding. Reducing movement, and in
some cases immobilizing the injured area, is one of the simplest methods to reduce
further injury and promote healing.

ICE - Cooling the injured area serves to slow down tissue metabolism. It may cause
contraction of blood vessels which will slow down blood flow and assist with
reducing swelling and inflammation. It is crucial that ice or cooling therapy should
be applied as soon as possible to the injured area. Ice can also provide a temporary
numbing effect to assist with short term pain relief as well. Ensure that intense
cooling is not applied directly to the skin to minimize the potential for skin burns.
COMPRESSION - Compressing an injured area can have a direct effect on swelling.
Applying a bandage to the area can help to limit the amount of bleeding that
occurs in an isolated area. Caution needs to be taken to ensure that any
compressive bandage is firm, however does not reduce the normal circulation to
the area.
ELEVATION - Elevating the injured area will also serve to reduce the collection of
fluid to the area by limiting the effect of gravity. For foot or leg injuries, lying with
the injured area elevated above the level of the pelvis with the use of pillows is an
easy start.
REFER - While RICER helps promote healing in the early stages of injury to get the
right assessment, diagnosis, and treatment you need to see an appropriate health
professional.
In the first few days of an injury, remember to avoid HARM:
HEAT - Heat will cause blood vessels to dilate which in turn will increase the flow of
blood to the area. Avoid hot baths, showers, saunas, heat packs, and heat rubs.
Use the ice principle and treatment instead.
ALCOHOL - Alcohol can increase swelling, resulting to longer recovery. Like heat,
alcohol has an effect of dilating blood vessels, which in turn will increase the flow
of blood to the area. Alcohol can also mask pain and the severity of the injury,
which may put you at greater risk for re-injury. Avoid drinking alcohol in the initial
stages of healing any injury. Hydrate with water and real fruit juices instead.
RUNNING OR OTHER EXCESSIVE EXERCISE - An increase in heart rate increases the
flow of blood around the body. This will cause blood to accumulate in the area
faster. Take the opportunity to rest. As a rule of the thumb, mobilize or exercise
only the uninjured part and always follow the advice of the health care professional
for the exercise of the injured part.
MASSAGE - Massaging the area, once again, will stimulate the flow of blood to the
area. Avoid massage in the initial stages of injury. Improper massage may
exacerbate injury or may lead to other injury.
PERFORMANCE TASK 2: INDIVIDUAL
Make a Table Flipchart on Safety Practices and Sports Injury Management. Use cut
outs from old magazines, newspapers or print outs and paste it on a short bond
paper and place in a folder. Include pictures to make your flipchart more attractive.
Your flipchart will be graded according to the following rubric…
 CONTENT 10 8 5 2 SCORE

All information is true and correct. All information is true and correct. Almost all information is true Much of the information is Information is not true and
and correct. true and correct. Not much of correct.
the information is true and
correct.

Visual attractiveness Format and lay-out are very Format and lay-out are Format and layout are Format and lay-out are
attractive. attractive. organized. disorganized

Graphics and picture Graphics and pictures go well with Graphics and pictures are good Graphics and pictures are good No graphics and pictures are
the content and information. but are too many that they but are too few that texts used in the making of the
dominate the material. dominate the material. material.

Grammar and spelling No grammatical errors and /or 1-4 grammatical errors and /or 5-9 grammatical errors and /or 9 or more grammatical errors
misspelled words. misspelled words. misspelled words. and /or misspelled words.