Safety in Sports
Accident or injury can occur to anyone, anywhere and at anytime. Injuries are common and frequent in sports irrespective of physical fitness. It is impossible to anticipate the time and place of accident. Injuries usually affect the health of individual and may be fatal.
Concept of Sports Medicine
Sports medicine is also known as exercise medicine. It is the branch of medicine that deals with the treatment and prevention of injuries related to sports. Sports medicine specializes in preventing, diagnosing and treatment of injuries related to participation in sports and games.
It includes the assessment and management of patients with musculoskeletal injuries and medical problems arising from sporting activity. Sports physician possesses the expertise in general medicine and rehabilitation along with nutrition, biomechanics, exercise physiology, psychology, etc.
Causes of Sport injuries
The main cause of accidents or injuries in sports is :
(i) Lack of Fitness : Lack or less of physical fitness may cause injury or accident.
(ii) Poor Concentration : Poor concentration or lack of mental readiness leads to injuries.
(iii) Overstress or Tension : Overstress, tension or unbalanced psychological behaviour is one of the causes of accident.
(iv) Not Performing Warming-up : Not performing proper warming-up before the activity is the main cause of injuries during sports.
(v) Equipment Failure : Equipment fault or failure of equipment can cause accidents in sports.
(vi) Faulty Skill Actions : Player performing faulty skill actions or unbalanced movements while playing or uncoordinated movement causes injury.
(vii) Not Following Rules : Player, not following the rules and regulations of the activity, can cause injury.
(viii) Aggression or Violence : Aggression or violence during game is also the cause of accident or injuries.
(ix) Poor Playfield : Poor maintenance of playfield or playfield not as per rules of the game can cause injury.
(x) Not Considering Safety Means : During game if we do not consider the safety means we may get injured.
Classification of Sports injuries
In sports, injuries are common and it can occur to anyone at anytime. Injury causes damage to any part - external or internal, which affects the health of an individual. Injuries can be classified as :
(a) Soft Tissue Injuries : It is further of two types :
(i) Skin Injuries : It is an injury over skin like Contusion, Abrasion, Laceration, Incision etc.
(ii) Muscle Injuries : In this injury the muscles, tendons and ligaments are affected like Sprain, Strain.
(b) Hard Tissue Injuries : These injuries involve damage to bones of skeletal system like Fracture and Dislocation.
Injuries are further categorised as Minor Injuries and Major/Serious Injuries :
Minor Injuries : These injuries do not affect much to the fitness of a player. They are less painful. The pain vanishes after sometime. In minor injuries, there is localized inflammation caused due to some damage over skin or muscles tissues. These injuries are caused by overuse of affected part. The patient gets relief by taking sufficient rest. In some cases, specific treatment is also required.
Major/Serious Injuries : In these injuries, the health is affected and it declines the performance of a player. These injuries have lot of pain and localized inflammation around the affected part. In serious injuries skin, muscle, tendons, ligaments and bones are damaged along with rupture of blood vessels or nerves, etc.
First Aid
First aid is the immediate and temporary care given to the victim. The prime objective is to save life. The person should know what to do and what not to do which can help to avoid further injury.
Objectives of First Aid : There are some general principles of first aid. If these are followed properly, the worst situation of the victim can be avoided upto some extent. These principles are prescribed below :
(i) Immediate Aid : If possible, the first aid should be provided immediately. At this time, we should not think about useless things. Time is very precious at that moment. So, without wasting any time the decision should be taken, so that immediate aid may be given to the victim.
(ii) Think about ABC : The person, who provides first aid to the victim, should think about ABC, i.e., Airway, Breathing and Circulation. So, first of all he should check the throat of the victim. We should unbutton the shirt of the victim.
Sport Related injuries
1. CONTUSION
It is the injury of skin caused by severe blow or impact by external object without breaking the continuity of skin. In other words, it is the crushing of soft tissues by a violent external force without breaking the continuity of skin. Generally, contusion is caused due to hitting of blunt object. It causes acute pain and sometimes loss of function of affected part and swelling over that part.
2. ABRASION
Abrasion is injury on the surface of the skin. In this injury, skin is scrapped or rubbed by friction. It causes severe pain and sometimes bleeding over affected part. It exposes the blood vessels and the superficial layer of skin is scraped off. This injury is commonly caused by sliding, slip over surface, friction, etc. Abrasion is common over knee, elbow, palm, etc.
3. LACERATION AND INCISION
The Laceration and Incision injuries are considered as wounds. Laceration is a type of wound that happens when soft tissues (skin and muscles) in the body are torn. It is often caused by blunt object and is deep. It results in the outlet of internal organs. Incision is a type of wound which is caused by sharp edged objects such as knife, razor, etc. Sometimes the arteries or veins may be cut. Blood usually comes out freely from incision.
In Laceration and Incision injuries, there is bleeding from the affected part.
The Laceration and Incision injuries are considered as wounds. Laceration is a type of wound that happens when soft tissues (skin and muscles) in the body are torn. It is often caused by blunt object and is deep. It results in the outlet of internal organs. Incision is a type of wound which is caused by sharp edged objects such as knife, razor, etc. Sometimes the arteries or veins may be cut. Blood usually comes out freely from incision.
In Laceration and Incision injuries, there is bleeding from the affected part.
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