Sports Injuries

1. LESSON 11:
TRAINING PRINCIPLES
FOR MAINTAINING
HEALTH-RELATED FITNESS

2. COOPERATION AND COMPETITION
Without cooperation, there would be no game activities. If the
participants choose not to follow the rules and play with teammates, it
would be impossible to structure games. Clearly, games require
cooperation before competition can occur. Cooperation involves two or
more people working together to achieve a common goal. Competition
is characterized by opponents working against one another as each tries
to reach a goal or reward. Cooperation precedes competition. Through
games, you can develop the spirit of working together, a concern for
teammates, and an appreciation for the collective skills of the group.

3. CAUSES OF
SPORT INJURIES
What are injuries? Why is my risk at
getting injured higher now that I am
more active?

4. 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 that is stronger than
what it can tolerate.
In general, sports injuries can be classified into two: acute and
chronic/overuse. Acute injuries have signs and symptoms (e.g., pain,
swelling) that manifest immediately after force application. On the other
hand, the signs and symptoms of chronic or overuse injuries occur after a
long period of exposure to the force.

5. TYPES OF FORCE
/ TENSILE FORCES / COMPRESSIVE / SHEAR FORCES

6. COMMON SPORTS
INJURIES
01

7. ACUTE INJURIES
Sprain, strains, fractures, dislocations, and wounds are example of acute
injuries. An excessive stretching force can cause the fibers of the ligament,
muscle, or tendon to break. An overstretched ligament is called a sprain.
Sprains can be classified as mild, moderate, or severe, depending on the
loss of function and the number of torn fibers. A similar classification is
used for a strained muscle. A strain is also caused by excessive stretching
that causes tears in the muscle-tendon unit. Fractures are breaks in the
continuity of the bone. It usually occurs as a result of high impact forces
that causes the bone to bent or twist. Dislocations are bones that are
pushed out from their joint capsule.

8. MOST COMMON ACUTE INJURIES
Sprains are overstretched ligaments. The ligaments
stabilized and limit joint mobility. When the joint is forced into a
position that is beyond its normal range, it will overstretch the
ligament. The most common sprains are located at the lower
limbs such as the ankle and knee because they are subjected to
stress daily.
A commonly sprained ligament is the anterior cruciate
ligament (ACL). The ACL is a connective tissue that helps
stabilize the knee every time the muscles contract.
01 SPRAIN

9. MOST COMMON ACUTE INJURIES
Strain is a twist, pull, or tear of muscle or tendon (a cord of
tissue that connects the muscle to bone). It is also an acute,
non-contract injury that results from overst6retching or over
contraction.
02 STRAIN

10. MOST COMMON ACUTE INJURIES
The most common fractures are located at the upper limbs
such as the hand and forearm. Fractures are more common in
growing bones because it is less dense. There are also a higher
number of fractures in the upper extremities because it is not as
strong and compact as the bones in the lower extremities.
Fractures in the upper limb occur when individuals support their
weight using their hands when they fall or slip.
03 FRACTURE

11. MOST COMMON ACUTE INJURIES
Dislocations commonly occur in joints that allow greater
range of motion. The most common dislocations are located at
the upper limbs such as the shoulder and elbow. These joints
are commonly affected when an individual uses his/her hand to
support his/her weight when he/she falls. When the bone is
pushed out of the proper alignment, the injury will cause
deformity and constant pain. Furthermore, the individual will
not be able to move the affected limb. The pain will be relived
once the bone is repositioned.
04 DISLOCATION

12. MOST COMMON ACUTE INJURIES
Concussions are life-threatening injuries because they disrupt the
normal function of the brain. A severe blow to the head could cause
the blood vessels in the brain to rupture. As the blood leaks out of the
ruptured blood vessels, it will accumulate inside the skull. As the
volume of blood increases, the pressure inside the skull starts to build
up. The accumulated blood will put pressure on the brain, blocking the
blood supply to different areas of the brain. If the condition is not
resolved immediately, the brain starts to die. It is important for the
individual to go medical facility as soon as possible so the injury will not
worsen.
05 CONCUSSION

13. HOW DO OVERUSE INJURIES OCCUR?
Overuse injuries are common among individuals who have been training for
a long period of time with minimal rest and recovery between sessions.
During training the musculoskeletal structures receive higher loads than
what it is used to. Overuse injuries include stress fractures (bone),
tendinopathy (muscle-tendon unit), osteoarthritis (joint), and bursitis (fluid
filled sac).

14. MOST COMMON CHRONIC INJURIES
Stress fractures commonly occur among runners who train
for long periods without adequate rest periods. According to a
study, running athletes who averaged more than 65 kilometers
a week have a higher risk to stress fracture. The repetitive
workload creates microtrauma –as thick as a strand of hair –in
the bone and gets bigger overtime. The usual area affected is
the shinbone. The individual feels a dull aching pain that
worsens over time. 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.
01 STRESS FRACTURE

15. MOST COMMON CHRONIC INJURIES
The most common overuse injury in sports involves the muscle-tendon
unit called tendinopathy or tendinitis. It is usually due to muscle imbalance
between muscle pairs. The most common site if tendinitis in the upper limb
involves the muscle-tendon units around the elbow (i.e., golfer’s elbow,
tennis elbow). The most common site of tendinitis in the lower extremities
involves the muscle-tendon units surrounding the knee (i.e., jumper’s knee).
Many overuse injuries in sports involve the muscle-tendon units surrounding
the elbow such as the Little League Elbow, an injury brought about by
repetitive stress due to poor throwing techniques.
02 Tendinopathy/Tendinitis

16. MOST COMMON CHRONIC INJURIES
Osteoarthritis is the wear and tear of a joint that results to its
deterioration. The friction deteriorates the cartilage that protects the
bones from rubbing against each other. The knee joint is the
common site for the degenerative changes that occur in the
cartilage. An individual feels pain and a grinding sensation as it
worsens. The condition further aggravates when the individual is
overweight or obese. The recovery period takes several months
because of poor blood supply to the area. In severe cases, doctors
may recommend surgery to replace the joint.
03 Osteoarthritis

17. MOST COMMON CHRONIC INJURIES
The bursa is a sac-like musculoskeletal structure that provides
support and cushioning to the joint. It protects commonly used
injury joints such as shoulders and the knee from repetitive
mechanical stress (i.e., friction). This injury is common in swimmers
and runners. The inflammation of the bursa interrupts the
surrounding structures, causing pain during movement. The
recovery period usually takes two weeks to a month.
04 Bursitis

18. CAN HEAT ILLNESS LEAD TO A LIFE-THREATENING
CONDITION?
Heat illness (e.g., cramps, stroke) are due
to excessive dehydration and high body
temperature commonly attributed to
training in poor weather conditions.
Adverse or poor weather conditions like
too much heat prevent the body to cool
down through perspiration. If the body
cannot dissipate the heat, the core body
temperature increases beyond the
tolerate limit. The risk of suffering
seizures and other medical conditions
increase when the body temperature
reaches 40 degrees Celcius.

19. Why does my body part
swell after getting injured?
● During acute injuries, the body will initiate the healing
process through the inflammatory response. The
inflammatory response removes the damaged tissue by
increasing blood flow and activating the lymphatic system
to the injured site. Swelling occurs due to fluid
accumulation as a result of increased blood flow and
blood vessel permeability. Aside from swelling,
inflammation is also characterized by pain. Redness, and
warmth. The muscles surrounding the area contract to
guard the injured site and prevent aggravation. During
inflammation, special cells remove the damaged tissue to
provide a foundation where tissue can grow.