Sports injuries and first aid

Injury is damage to any part of the body that may allow the escape of blood as a result of accident.

Factors that Cause Injury

Injuries are caused by two major factors:

(i) The human/man-made elements

(ii) The natural or environmental elements

The Human Elements

These are due to human behavior such as:- ignorance, risk taken, carelessness, overconfidence, inadequate warm-up, miscalculation, disregard to safety rules, drunkenness, effects of drugs, mistakes, and faulty judgments. It is otherwise known as avoidable or man-made accident

The Natural Elements

These are brought about by nature; as a result, they are difficult to control e.g. cyclone, flood, tornado, hurricane, earthquake, land slide, volcanic eruption, heavy rain, thunderstorm, tidal waves etc. However, human elements sometimes aid natural factors. It is otherwise known as unavoidable accident.

Factors that Can Cause Injuries During Sports

1. Carelessness
2. Fatigue/tiredness
3. Poor lighting/poor visibility in activity areas
4. Lack of skills/lack of knowledge
5. Unsafe physical environment/hazard
6. Faulty equipment/apparatus/inappropriate costume
7. Lack of instruction/negligence
8. Effects of drugs e.g. alcohol

Sports Injuries

What are sports injuries?

Sports injuries are the injuries that occur during participation in sports and games due to accident.

Common Sports Injuries

1. dislocation
2. strain
3. fracture
4. wounds
5. sprain
6. drowning
7. muscles cramp
8. bleeding

Description of Common Sports Injuries

Dislocation

Meaning of Dislocation

It is the displacement of one or more bone ends at a joint as a result of injury to the Joint. Common sites of dislocation are the elbow, shoulder, ankle, hip, wrist, toe and finger joints.

Signs and Symptoms of Dislocation

1. Pain
2. Swelling
3. Discoloration (change in color)
4. Tenderness
5. High temperature at the area
6. Subluxation (out of alignment)
7. Loss of movement
8. Bone displacement
9. Deformity

First Aid Treatment of Dislocation

1. Bandage the affected joint
2. Rub with cold compress
3. Never attempt to put back the bones
4. Seek medical attention

Strain

Meaning of Strain

It is an injury to the muscle. It occurs in the muscle when a group of muscle is overstretched, the fibers may tear thereby causing an internal bleeding.

Causes of Strain

1. Lifting of heavy weight.
2. Forceful stretching of the muscle
3. Action of antagonizing muscle. (opposite muscle)
4. Overstretching of muscle
5. Lack of adequate warm-up before activity.

Muscles Mostly Affected by Strain

1. Hamstring muscles.
2. Quadriceps muscles
3. Triceps extensors

Signs and Symptoms of Strain

1. Sharp pain
2. Muscle tenderness
3. Inability
4. Swelling of muscle

First Aid Treatment of Strain

1. Position the victim comfortably
2. Apply a cold compress
3. Bandage the affected part
4. Seek medical attention

Differences between a Sprain and a Strain

1. Sprain occurs in the joint while strain occurs in the muscle.
2. In sprain, the ligament is either overstretched or turned while in strain, the muscle fibers are either overstretched or turned.

Fracture

Meaning of Fracture

Fracture is a break in the bone of the body. It may be simple or complicated otherwise called compound.

Difference between Simple and Compound Fractures

1. In a simple fracture, a bone only broken while in a compound fracture, a broken bone pierces (cut) the skin or tissue.

Types of Fractures

1. Greenstick fracture
2. Simple fracture
3. Compound or complicated fracture
4. Comminuted fracture
5. Impacted fracture
6. Depressed fracture

Signs and Symptoms of Fracture

1. Pains
2. Deformity
3. Abnormal mobility
4. Loss of mobility
5. Crepitus (sound of bones)
6. Bone tenderness
7. Discoloration of skin (change of color)

First Aid Treatment of Fracture

1. Stop any bleeding.
2. Immobilize the fractured area, that is, make the victim avoid movements of the area.
3. Apply cold, such as ice cubes and ice packs in a piece of cloth, to the area.
4. Treat the victim for shock.

EVALUATION

1. What are sports injuries?
2. List five common sports injuries.
3. What is fracture?
4. Name five signs and symptom of fracture.