Assessment and Evaluation of Sport Injuries Chapter 11 Assessment and Evaluation of Sport Injuries

Objectives Upon completion of this chapter, you should be able to: Explain the difference between assessment, evaluation, and diagnosis of an injury Describe the various factors that influence the type and severity of athletic injuries Evaluate an athletic injury using a systematic approach

Objectives (cont’d.) Upon completion of this chapter, you should be able to (cont’d.): Explain the different methods and reasons for documenting injuries

Assessment and Evaluation of Athletic Injuries Orderly collection of objective and subjective data on health status Based on professional knowledge and knowledge of events that occurred Knowledge of ATC helps in getting proper aid to the athlete quickly ATC can evaluate injury, but they cannot diagnose Licensed health care providers diagnose

Assessment and Evaluation of Athletic Injuries (cont’d.) Diagnosis What licensed provider states to be the problem, based on skills, expertise, and training Physician uses all information obtained to arrive at a diagnosis ATC uses information to set short- and long-term goals for recovery

Factors Influencing Athletic Injuries Anthropomorphic data Size, weight, structure, gender, strength, and maturity level Mechanism of force All forces involved at the time of an impact Speed Greater speed, greater injury chances

Factors Influencing Athletic Injuries (cont’d.) Protective equipment Reduces risk of injury Absorbs and distributes force Skill level Beginners are at greater risk

Recognition and Evaluation Recognition of injuries ATC determines probable cause and mechanism of injury May be based on direct observation or second-hand accounts

Recognition and Evaluation (cont’d.) Primary injury survey Determining if injury is serious or life-threatening ABCs: airway, breathing, and circulation High-quality bystander cardiopulmonary resuscitation can double or triple survival rates from cardiac arrest

Recognition and Evaluation (cont’d.) Secondary injury survey Methodical evaluation of an athlete’s overall health H.O.P.S. (history, evaluation, palpation, special tests) method Be thorough Gather a history Expose the injury Perform a physical evaluation

Recognition and Evaluation (cont’d.) Observation Compare the injured side to the uninjured Palpation Touching to determine the extent of the injury Active motion Athlete attempts to move body part through full range of motion

Recognition and Evaluation (cont’d.) Passive motion Movement through a range of motion performed by examiner while athlete relaxes muscles Strength test Begin isometrically without resistance, and then through the range of motion against resistance

Recognition and Evaluation (cont’d.) Stability test Investigates ligamentous laxity Special examinations Functional activity test Determines level of activity athlete may resume Specific sport activity test Determines if it is safe to resume activities of a particular sport

Return-to-Play Criteria Full strength Damage to surrounding soft tissue must be healed Muscles supporting injury must be 100% pre-injury strength Free from pain True pain is an indication of an unhealed injury Mild soreness is okay

Return-to-Play Criteria (cont’d.) Skill performance tests Simulate skills required for the sport Should begin at a low level of intensity and gradually increase

Return-to-Play Criteria (cont’d.) Emotional readiness Counseling will help the athlete work through any hesitation about returning to play Athletes who do not perform at 100% will be prone to new injuries Always ask the athlete if they are ready An athlete who is hesitant or does not feel ready should not be allowed to return

Documentation of Injuries Important for many reasons Most important is follow-up care Helps keep the athlete from going without care needed Database creation helps uncover trends Allows coaching staff to target areas of concern Beneficial in case of lawsuits

Documentation of Injuries (cont’d.) Formats for reporting injuries: SOAP notes Daily sideline injury reports Training-room treatment logs Daily red-cross lists Athlete medical referral forms

Conclusion Athletic injuries are inevitable Care and treatment of injuries constitute an important aspect of a sports medicine program Certified athletic trainers complete assessments and write referrals

Conclusion (cont’d.) Physicians diagnose the injury and prescribe a treatment plan Accurate record keeping is important