2.1 - chronic and acute injuries (hard and soft tissue)

acute injuries

  • occurs when a specific movement takes place, it is a sudden injury associated with a traumatic event
    Example = facture in a bone, a knee ligament tear
    Causes = collision between two people, fall from a horse, or an excessive impact from an object

Chronic injuries

  • occurs over a longer period of time, it is a slowly developing injury associated with continuous or repeated stress or overuse
    Examples = pain in a tennis players elbow, runners heels
    Causes = sudden increase in intensity, frequency or duration, reduction in recovery, poor technique or equipment

hard tissue injuries

  • damage to the bone, joint or cartilage
    • factures and dislocations
  • they can result in internal bleeding, circulatory problems, joint instability

soft tissue injuries

  • most common in sport, including strains, sprains of the muscles, tendons and ligaments
  • they result in inflammation and bruising and require immediate attention to minimise recovery times

Acute, hard tissue injuries

Fractures = a partial or complete break in a bone due to an excessive force that overcomes the bones potential to flex

common indicators:

  • pain at the fracture site
  • inability to move or unnatural movement of the injured area
  • deformity
  • swelling
  • discolouration

compound (open) = the fractured bone breaks through the skin, creating an open wound with a high risk of infection

simple (closed) = the skin remains unbroken as the fracture causes little movement of the bone and therefore minimises the damage of the soft tissue surrounding it

incomplete = partial crack in the bone that doesn't completely separate the bone

complete = a total break in the bone which separates the bone into one or more fragments

dislocation = when one bone is displaced from another moving them out of their original position

  • occurs from direct force (collision) or indirect force (fall)
  • all require treatment of a medical practitioner to ensure the bones are replaced in the correct position

common indicators:

  • severe pain at the injury site
  • loss of movement
  • deformity
  • swelling
  • a pop feeling

acute, soft tissue injuries

contusion (bruise) = an area of the skin or tissue in which the blood vessels have torn

  • most are minor and heal rapidly
  • severe bruises can cause deep tissue damage

sprain = overstretch or tear to the ligament which connects bone to bone and support a joint

  • caused by a sudden twist, impact or fall that forces joints beyond its extreme range of motion

signs and symptoms: pain, swelling, bruising, inability to weight bear and possible dislocation

strain = overstretch or tear to the muscle fibres or tendon connecting muscle to bone

  • caused by overstretching a particular area or contracting muscle fibres too quickly

signs and symptoms: pain on movement, swelling and discolouration

abrasion = superficial damage to the skin caused by a scraping action against a playing surface

Blister = the separation of layers of skin where a pocket of fluid forms due to friction

  • they are preventable with the correct equipment, footwear and training load

concussion = a traumatic brain injury resulting in a disturbance of brain function

  • caused by a direct blow to the head or blows to other parts of the body which cause rapid movement to the head

chronic, hard tissue injuries

stress fracture

chronic, soft tissue injuries

Shin splints

tendinosis