Common Athletic Injuries

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Common Athletic Injuries

• Spring High School Sports Medicine
• Fall 2003

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Identifying Sports Injuries

• Find out what happened (History)
• Identify the part(s) of the body that are hurting
• Look for Signs
• Listen for Symptoms

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WHAT ARE SIGNS?

• Anything that you can ___________ with your own
  eyes.
• SEE
• Anything you can ____________ with your own hands
• FEEL

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WHAT ARE SYMPTOMS?

• Anything that the athlete _________ you about.
• TELLS

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7 Types of Athletic Injuries

• Contusion
• Sprain
• Strain
• Subluxation
• Dislocation (Luxation)
• Stress Fracture
• Fracture

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Contusions

• Medical term for bruise
• Definition
• destruction of soft tissue
• usually the result of a direct blow to the area

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Signs and Symptoms of a Contusion

• Correct mechanism for injury
• Tenderness in area
• Pain when moved
• Loss of full, normal function
• Discoloration
• Inflammation/Swelling/Edema

• Cant move it
• Hurts to touch it
• Dont touch it!
• Hurts to move it
• Looks gross
• It was swollen last night

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CONTUSIONS
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FACTS ABOUT BRUISES

• All bruises are tender to the touch. The amount
  of tenderness does not always indicate if the
  bruise is serious.
• The depth of injured tissue is loosely related to
  how soon the discoloration appears at the surface
  of the skin.
• Changing of colors shows that the areas is
  healing.

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CAN YOU CLASSIFY THIS?

• In what area?
• Mild?
• Moderate?
• Severe?
• Point of Contact?
• Already Healing?

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7 Types of Athletic Injuries

• Contusion
• Sprain
• Strain
• Subluxation
• Dislocation (Luxation)
• Stress Fracture
• Fracture

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Sprains

• Definition
• Injury of force in which ligaments are
  stretched or torn
• Injury to LIGAMENTS
• Ligaments connect bone-to-bone

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Signs and Symptoms of a Ligament Sprain

• Correct mechanism for injury is described
• Pain when moved passively and/or actively
• Tenderness in area, directly over a ligament
• Loss of full, normal function
• Discoloration (may appear later)
• Swelling and/or Edema

• Feels funny when I walk on it
• Hurts right around there/here while pointing to
  a joint line area
• Felt a pop when it happened
• Cant use it very well, i.e. cant walk w/o
  limping or throw without hurting, etc.

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SPRAINS - Mechanism
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SPRAINS - Swelling
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SPRAINS

• Most ankle sprains are minor and may not show any
  severe signs.
• Others are obviously severe.
• Top picture Severe ecchymosis and edema
• Bottom picture Open Fracture/Dislocation

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7 Types of Athletic Injuries

• Contusion
• Sprain
• Strain
• Subluxation
• Dislocation (Luxation)
• Stress Fracture
• Fracture

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STRAINS

• Definition
• Injury of force in which tendons or muscles are
  stretched or torn
• Injury to TENDONS or MUSCLES
• Tendons connect muscle-to-bone

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Signs and Symptoms of a Tendon or Muscle Strain

• Correct mechanism for injury is described
• Pain increases when moved or stretched actively
• Point tenderness in muscle belly, tendon or at
  the attachment to the bone
• Loss of function is possible
• Muscle spasm or tightness
• Loss of strength
• Discoloration (may appear later)
• Swelling and/or Edema

• Gives out on me
• Hurts to move it
• Felt a pop/tear when it happened
• Cant use it very well, i.e. cant walk w/o
  limping or throw without hurting, etc.
• Hurts next to the bone

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SEVERE STRAINS
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STRAINS

• Most strains and muscle pulls are minor without
  discoloration or deformity. (90?)
• Ice is the first treatment. Stretch can be
  added, if approved by LAT.

• Palpation is important for evaluation of strains
• Feel for divets
• Feel for lumps (spasm)
• DO NOT PALPATE THE GROIN OR NEAR THE CHEST!!

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7 Types of Athletic Injuries

• Contusion
• Sprain
• Strain
• Subluxation
• Dislocation (Luxation)
• Stress Fracture
• Fracture

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SUBLUXATIONS

• Definition
• Partial disruption of the alignment of a joint.
• Joint may remain partially out of place but, most
  often, returns to normal placement immediately.
• Every joint has a joint line where the two bones
  meet

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Signs and Symptoms of a Subluxation

• Deformity at joint is possible
• Limited or no ROM at the injured joint
• Intense pain at joint line
• Swelling
• Muscle Weakness

• It hurts a lot
• I felt a pop/I felt it slip out and back in
• It clunks when I do this
• I cant move it the way I usually can

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SUBLUXATIONS

• Shoulder subluxations occur when the top of the
  upper arm bone (Humerus) moves out of the
  pocket of the shoulder bone (scapula)
• Almost out-of-place is another way to say it.

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SUBLUXATIONS

• Patellar Subluxations are more common in females.
• The kneecap moves out of its grooved path and is
  brought back into place by a contraction of the
  quadriceps.

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7 Types of Athletic Injuries

• Contusion
• Sprain
• Strain
• Subluxation
• Dislocation (Luxation)
• Stress Fracture
• Fracture

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DISLOCATION

• Definition
• Forceful and complete disruption in the
  alignment of a joint.
• Multiple tissues injured.
• Can be open (through skin) or closed.

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Signs and Symptoms of a Dislocation

• Deformity at joint (visible or palatable)
• Very little or no ROM at the injured joint
• Intense pain at joint
• Immediate swelling

• It hurts a lot
• Its out of place
• I cant move it
• Its numb

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DISLOCATIONS
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7 Types of Athletic Injuries

• Contusion
• Sprain
• Strain
• Subluxation
• Dislocation (Luxation)
• Stress Fracture
• Fracture

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STRESS FRACTURES

• Definition
• Incomplete break in bone caused by forceful,
  repetitive actions OR lack of rest (overuse).
• Injury to outer part of bone (cortex)
• Called cracks or hairline fractures.

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Signs and Symptoms of a Stress Fracture

• Pain over a bony area or under a muscle belly.
• Pain which starts during activity and is relieved
  by rest.
• Periodically, sudden and acute pain
• Localized tenderness in area
• May or may not be swollen in area.

• I dont remember any injury. It just started
  hurting.
• It feels better after I am done _____ing
• The area around it gets sore, too.

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STRESS FRACTURES
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STRESS FRACTURES

• Usually dont show up on regular X-rays for 1-2
  weeks.
• Can occur _at_ muscle insertions resulting in bone
  spurs.
• Bone reacts to stress by growing more bone

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7 Types of Athletic Injuries

• Contusion
• Sprain
• Strain
• Subluxation
• Dislocation (Luxation)
• Stress Fracture
• Fracture

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FRACTURES

• Definition
• Break or separation along the length or width
  of a bone can be open (breaking the skin) but
  most are closed (not breaking the skin).
• Injury to outer bone (cortex) and inner bone
  (marrow).

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Signs and Symptoms of a Fracture

• Deformity.
• Direct or indirect tenderness in a specific area.
• Pain and loss of function of joints above and
  below injured area.
• Rapid swelling.

• Discoloration.
• Crepitus (sound or feeling under the skin of
  broken ends of bone rubbing together)
• False joint (a joint where there shouldnt be a
  joint).

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FRACTURES
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FRACTURES

• Some fractures are obvious some are not.
• In the training room, we use special tests and
  the tuning fork to help us decide whether to
  refer to the MD.

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FRACTURES

• Fracture are the result of great force with or
  without contact.
• Diagnosis is done by X-ray, MRI, thermoscan, bone
  scans.

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7 Types of Athletic Injuries

• Contusion
• Sprain
• Strain
• Subluxation
• Dislocation (Luxation)
• Stress Fracture
• Fracture