Classification & Management
Explain what a contusion is.
A contusion (or bruise) is bleeding into the soft tissue. Caused by a direct blow (from another person, an object or implement).
Identify the 3 groups of athletes that have specific sports medicine needs.
(They need to be identified exactly as per the syllabus)
Children & young athletes
Adult & aged athletes
Female athletes
Identify the 4 dash points that are related to Physical Preparation.
Must match the syllabus
Pre-screening
Skill & technique
Physical fitness
Warm-up, stretching, cool-down
Define the term progressive mobilisation.
Gradually extending the range of movement of the injured part over time until the full range of movement is restored.
Explain when an athlete would use heat and cold in regards to an injury.
heat - to increase blood flow and elasticity, usually before exercise
cold - to decrease blood flow, decrease pain, decrease inflammation, usually after exercise
Outline the 5 ways used to classify injuries. Provide an example for each.
Direct - caused by an external force or blow. Eg. contusion from being hit with a ball.
Indirect - caused by internal forces built up by the actions of the athlete. Eg. torn hamstring.
Overuse - caused by repetitive and excessive forces being placed on the athlete. Eg. shin splints.
Soft-tissue - injuries that occur to body structures, other than bones & teeth. Eg. blisters, tears, strains.
Hard-tissue - injuries that occur to bones and teeth. Eg. fractures
Identify the specific sports medicine issues related to adult and aged athletes.
Must be as per the syllabus!
Heart conditions
Fractures/bone density
Flexibility/joint mobility
Name 2 modified sports that promote the safety and wellbeing of young athletes. Identify one rule or equipment change within each.
Eg. Kanga or Milo cricket (soft ball, plastic bat), Mod league (weight divisions, no palming to face)
Identify 2 indicators of readiness to return to play.
pain free and degree of mobility
Explain the difference between preventative taping and taping for isolation of injury.
preventative taping - used in contact or explosive sports to protect joints by limiting unwanted movement e.g. strap ankle to prevent sprains
taping for isolation of injury - used post injury to support/strengthen joint during rehab. reduces risk of reinjury and provides psychological benefits
Outline the procedure used for the management of soft-tissue injuries.
Rest - remove player from game, should remain relatively inactive for first 48-72 hours post-injury.
Ice - applied using a damp towel, 20 minutes every 2 hours for the first 48-72 hours.
Compression - firmly apply a wide elastic bandage over the site to reduce swelling.
Elevation - raise injured site above level of the heart to reduce blood flow and pressure to injured site.
Referral - seek professional assistance asap to determine the full extent of the injury and commence appropriate rehabilitation.
Explain the impact of iron deficiency on female athletes.
Causes - generally consume less red meat, loss of blood during menstruation. Iron levels can also be impacted by higher levels of endurance training.
Effects - lethargy, fatigue, weakness, reduced performance
Describe a sports policy that protects the safety and wellbeing of athletes.
eg. HIA - concussion policy in NRL
eg. Extreme Heat Policy - Australian Open tennis
Outline the steps involved in graduated exercise.
Stretching - use of PNF to increase range of movement, reduce muscle tension.
Conditioning - restoring strength & conditioning to the injured site
Total Body Fitness - regaining pre-injury level of mental & physical fitness.
Outline acclimatisation. What is it, why is it used?
Technique used when athletes train in expected climatic conditions before competition (e.g. heat, cold, altitude)
Allows the body to adapt, improves performance, promotes safety (reduced risk of heat stroke/dehydration, hypothermia)
Identify the 3 stages of the body's Inflammatory Response.
1 - Inflammatory stage (0-72 hours)
2 - Regenerative stage (3 days to 6 weeks)
3 - Remodelling stage (6 weeks to months)
Explain the issue of thermoregulation for children and young athletes.
Outline preventative actions.
Causes - relatively large surface area to body mass (when compared to adults), less developed sweat glands, less muscular development.
Effect - more prone to extremes of temperature (both hot & cold). More likely to become overheated and suffer heat stress.
Management - small, frequent amounts of water, appropriate clothing, use shade where available, avoid extreme weather conditions, regular breaks in play
Explain the effect of 3 different climatic conditions on safety and wellbeing of an athlete.
From:
- temperature
- humidity
- wind
-rain
- altitude
- pollution
Explain the role of monitoring progress (pre and post test) and specific warm up procedures.
Fitness testing can be used to determine how far along their rehabilitation program an athlete it. In regards to a sprained ankle, a trainer would compare their pre-injury 40m sprint and vertical jump results to their post-injury results.
Specific warm up procedures are used to ensure the injured body part receives the attention it needs in order to reduce the risk of reinjury. An example would be an athlete with a sprained ankle doing ankle rotations (passive and active), heel raises, fast feet etc.
Describe the 3 medical conditions that must be considered for children and young athletes.
asthma - narrowing of airways leading to difficulty breathing
epilepsy - caused by electrical irregularities in the brain, characteristic by seizures/fits
diabetes - disease which affects the body's ability to produce or utilise insulin to regulate blood glucose levels
With a partner, demonstrate the procedure used for the assessment of injuries.
Justify what you are doing in each step.
Talk - ask questions (how did it happen? what did you feel/hear? What type of pain is it? etc.)
Observe - look for deformity, redness, swelling
Touch - ask first, start away from site and move in, looking for actual site and athlete's degree of discomfort.
Active Movement - athlete to move. Looking for ROM and degree of pain/discomfort.
Passive Movement - trainer to assist movement. Looking for degree of pain-free movement.
Skills Test - using movements similar to the activity.
Identify the health concerns (3) related to aged and older athletes and recommend appropriate forms of activity.
Justify these activities.
Heart conditions - aerobic exercise such as walking, cycling & swimming. Progression should be gradual. Benefits include reducing hypertension (blood pressure), lower heart rate, strengthening heart muscle.
Fractures & bone density - low impact activities, light resistance training. These activities will increase bone mass and makes bones stronger.
Flexibility & joint mobility - yoga, tai chi, aqua aerobics. Helps to improve elasticity of tendons, ligaments & muscles.
Examine the four mechanisms that the body uses for losing heat.
Convection - transfer of heat away from the body by a moving fluid, eg. air current. For example, a runner losing heat to surrounding air. Accounts for small amount of heat loss (approx 10%).
Radiation - heat loss in the form of infra-red rays. Our body heats up during exercise & much of this heat is radiated out into the atmosphere. Accounts for most heat loss whilst at rest (approx 60%).
Conduction - transfer of heat through contact with an object. Eg. when applying an ice pack or feet contacting the ground. Only accounts for minimal amount of heat loss.
Evaporation - the loss of heat through sweating. Major form of heat loss during endurance events (up to 80%)
Analyse the ethical considerations related to an athlete's return to play.
- pressure to participate
- use of painkillers
Summarise the guidelines for fluid intake.
What - heat and exercise increase sweating, which increase the demand for hydration. Failure to do so will result in poor performance, dehydration and head stroke.
Events under 1 hour water, over one hour water with electrolytes and carbs.
How much? 500ml 30 min before, 200ml every 15 min, 1.5L for every kg lost after