What is Sports injuries? Classification and Causes in Sports Injuries

Sports Injuries and Classification

        Sports injuries can be classified by the cause of injury. Direct injuries are caused by forces generated from out side the body. Indirect injuries result from excessive and repetitive force over extended periods of time.

       Sports injuries can also be classified by the tissue type damaged. Hard tissue injuries are those involving damage to the bones. Soft tissue injuries include damage to all tissues other than bones and teeth (tendons, muscle, ligaments, skin).

   Injuries occur a lot in sport, particularly in contact persons such as a football. Sports injuries are classified according to their cause (Direct, indirect or overuse) or the type of tissue (soft or hard tissue). Classifying injuries assists in determining how to manage the immediate injury and then plan for rehabilitation. The correct assessment of injuries will make the management and further rehabilitation a much easier process for the athletes. 

      The cause and the type of injuries, helps the sports Medicine practitioner in the development of treatment for the injury and return to play guidelines. 

Injuries can be classified into:

Direct and Indirect

Direct Injuries are sustained from an external force causing injury at the point of contact, e.g., a hockey player a bruise from being struck on the leg by a stick during a game.

Indirect Injuries usually involve the athlete damaging the soft tissues such as the ligaments, tendons or muscles of the body through internal or external forces e.g., a beach volleyball player overstretching to reach a ball straining a hamstring.

Soft and Hard Tissue

  Soft tissue injuries are any injuries to the skin, muscles, tendons and ligament in our body, e.g., a sprained ankle. They are much more common and hard tissue injuries.

Overuse

   Overuse injuries are sustained from continuous or repetitive stress, incorrect technique or equipment, or too much training e.g., tendonists in the shoulder of a swimmer from excessive amounts of training.

     Soft tissue injuries are:

1. Contusion
2. Strain
3. Sprain
4. Abrasion 
5. Laceration Incision

 Causes of Sports Injuries

   Sportsperson are more prone to accidents and injuries irrespective of high fitness level and preventive steps :

1. Poor Training Methods:- Sports injuries are most commonly caused by poor training methods, structural abnormalities, weakness in muscle, ligaments, tendons and unsafe exercising environments. The most common causes of injury is poor training for example, muscles need 48 hours to recover after a workout. Increasing exercise intensity too quickly and not stopping when pain develops while exercising also causes injury.
2. Everyone's bone structure is little different:-All sport person-sons have different body structure, and almost all of us have one or two weak points where the arrangement of bone and muscles leaves us prone to injury. Common predisposing factors in injuries to the ankles, knees, legs and hips include.          

                    # Uneven Leg length

                    # Caves foot (Over-high arch)

                    # Excessive pro nation (Flat Fee)

                    # Bowlegged or Knock-Knee alignment

       Uneven leg length may lead to awkward running and increases the chance of injury, but many people with equal-length legs suffer the same effects by running on tilted running tracks or along the side of a road that is higher in the center. The hip of the leg that strikes the higher surface will suffer more strain.

     3. Improper Equipment:-  If you use a weight or a racket too heavy for you, lower back r arm pain many follow. Ill-fitting helmets and shoes may also cause injuries. A runner may experience an injury if he wears shoes that do not provide enough support. Plantar facilities, the inflammation of your arch's shock absorb-er, is common when shoes do not fit properly or provided proper support.

 

     4. Fatigue:- Tired muscles are a common cause of muscle pulls. Resting between activity is necessary or provide proper support.

     5. Poor warmup:- Your Physical education or sports teacher tells you how important it is to stretch before any athletics endeavor. Muscle cramping and pulls are often the result of jumping into an activity without properly easing the muscles into it. Warming up delivers oxygen and blood to various muscles allowing them to work properly.

     6. Overuse:- Overuse or repetitive movements may be the number one causes of sports injuries. Runners, tennis players and swimmers are particularly susceptible to overuse injuries, including tennis elbow, shin splints, tendinitis and shoulder impingement.

     7. Falls:- An athlete can fall white performing  an activity.In addition to the obvious breaks that occur from a fall wrist sprains are common. Your natural instinct when falling is to put your hand down to break your fall. Your wrists bear your weight can easily stretch or tear alignment.

     8. Not wearing proper sports gear:- Players not wearing protective guards or not considering the safety equipment's is one of the causes of injury.