1. Muscle Injuries *Symptoms *Classification of Injuries
SHMD 249
9/05/2012

2. Injury Timeline RETURN TO SPORT INJURY DOCTOR PHYSIO BIOKINETICIST
X-Ray
Massage
MAINTENANCE REHAB
Exercise Therapy
Ultra-sound
ROM
Ultra-sound therapy

3. Classification of Injuries
3 degrees of severity of injury:
First degree:
least severe
Minor stretching of ligaments/tendons/muscle
Mild pain
Some swelling & joint stiffness
Very little loss of joint stability

4. Classification of Injuries
Second degree:
Moderate stretching & tearing of some ligaments/tendons/muscle
Increased swelling & pain
Increased loss of range of motion
Moderate loss of joint stability

5. Classification of Injuries
Third degree:
Most severe
Complete tear/rupture of one or more ligaments/tendons/muscle
Massive swelling & severe pain
Complete loss of range of motion
Complete loss of joint stability

6. Classification of Injuries
Traumatic Injuries This injury is the result of a specific incident and it occurs immediately.
Overuse Injuries
This injury is the result of unaccustomed or excessive, repetitive movements or activities.

7. Classification of Injuries
There are common causes of overuse injuries:
Poor general fitness and flexibility
Using incorrect techniques while performing certain activity
Unprepared, sudden increase or change in activity
Poor environment or unsuitable equipment
And the most common causes of soft tissue
injury are: too much, too often, too soon.

8. Symptoms
Pain & swelling most common symptoms – cause decreased functionality.
Bruising can also be expected.
Swelling & bruising are the result of ruptured blood vessels, and this will in turn produce heat & inflammation.
Injured area may look red & feel hot as blood vessels in damaged area dilate.

9. Symptoms Inflammation:
Is the body’s protection mechanism.
Stops/restricts movement to prevent further damage from occurring while the body repairs itself.
Prevents ‘toxins’ from spreading throughout the rest of the body.
Too much of an inflammatory response in the early stage can mean that the healing process takes longer and a return to activity is delayed.

10. Repair
12 hours – 4 days:
Body’s clotting mechanism seals the end of torn blood vessels so that further blood plasma cannot escape into surrounding tissues.
Cells become active & new capillary blood vessels buds form & gradually establish a new circulation in the area.
Absorption of swelling.
Removal of debris and blood clot.
Development of initial fibrous scar tissue.

11. Scar Tissue Damaged tissue is repaired by ‘scar tissue’.
Scar tissue has ‘plastic’ properties: it can be stretched & ‘molded’.
Scar is not elastic like muscle & will form in a haphazard pattern: ‘kinks & curls’ which will contract & shorten if not stretched daily for a few months after injury.
Very important for scar tissue to be stretched and from parallel ‘lines’ to give the muscle strength.
Stretching ensures the scar is molded to the desired length & improve the strength of the healed ‘scar’.
Thus reducing the risk of re-injury.

12. Psychological Response To Injury
Response varies:
From person to person.
Within an individual alone.
Depending on when injury occurs:
Start/middle of training season.
During major competition.

13. Psychological Response To Injury
Initial reaction is negative, but positive attitudes may be formed.
May give individual more personal time with family & friends, time to develop new skills (e.g. coaching), or work on other aspects of their performance.
Some individuals struggle
with negative feelings, while
most cope without great difficulty.

14. Psychological Response To Injury
Early Reactions:
Shock
Disbelief
Followed by further responses:
Denial
Anger
Depression
Tension
Helplessness
Acceptance
Adaptation
Re-organization

15. Revision Questions
Compare, in tabular form, the different degrees of severity. 15
Differentiate between ‘traumatic’ & ‘overuse’ injuries. 4
List 4 common causes of overuse injuries. 4
What is the role of inflammation in the body? 4
Describe the process of repair the body goes through when healing. 8
Why is it important to stretch after an injury occurs? 3
List, in order, the different responses an athlete goes through after an injury occurs