What are the most common acute injuries?

Sprain – sprains are overstretched ligaments. The ligaments stabilize 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. Moreover, sports participation increases
the likelihood of twisting the knee and ankle. An individual usually feels a
popping sound when a knee ligament is completely torn. A completely
torn ligament may need surgical reconstruction before the athlete is
allowed to play again. A sprained joint will take several days or methods to
heal, depending on the severity.
A commonly sprained ligament is the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL). The
ACL is a connective tissues that helps stabilized the knee every time the
muscles contract. The sprained ligament can have minimal tears or it can
be completely ruptured. The injury commonly occurs when the knee twists
while weights is placed on it due to improper landing after a jump, running
too fast of without proper warm-up. It is common in soccer, basketball,
and volleyball. It is also more common in females than in makes. The injury
usually takes several weeks or months to recover depending on its
severity. Surgery is recommended for individuals who suffer a complete
ACL rupture especially if they still want to pursue the same level of
physical activity.
 Strain - 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-contact
injury that results from overstretching or over contraction.

Sometimes, a muscle would contract and generate a force that is

significantly higher that what us usually does. The forceful contraction
rapidly pull the muscle-tendon, which cam result to a muscle. An
individual who suffers a strains will feel a sudden sharp pain at the muscle
belly. The muscle will be painful to touch and movement will be weak.
Some types of strains involves the complete rupture of the muscle-
tendons unit and this requires surgery before the athlete is allowed to
play. The healing process usually takes six to eight weeks.
 Fracture – 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. There are different types of fractures and the healing period is
between three weeks to several months, depending on the severity of the
injury. It is normally treated with immobilization by attaching a fixator or a
cast.
Dislocation – 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 hands to support his/her weight when
he/she falls. When the bone is pushed out of the proper alignment, the
injury will cause a deformity and constant pain. Furthermore, the
individual will not be able to move the affected limb. The pain will be
relieved once the bone is repositioned.
Concussion - concussions are life-threatening injuries because they
disrupt the normal function of the brain. A sever blow to the head could
cause the blood vessels in the brain to rupture. A s 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
to a medical facility as soon as possible so the injury will not worsen.
What are the most common chronic injuries

Stress Fracture – stress fracture commonly occur among runners who

train for long period without adequate rest periods. According to a study,
running athletes who averaged more that 65 kilometers a week have a
higher risk to stress fracture. The repetitive workload creates microtaraum
– as thick as a strand of hair – in the bone and gets bigger over time. 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.
Tendinopathy/Tendinitis
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 of 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). The pain usually eases during activity but will worsen after
playing. The individual should maintain fitness but avoid activities that
utilize the injured muscle-tendon unit. The recovery period usually takes
three weeks to several months.
 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. It
is common among adolescent baseball players. The risk to this injury is
higher among adolescents who throw more than 200 pitches every
week. It is recommended that the athlete avoid throwing activities for
several weeks and use corrective exercises to strengthen the injured
area.
Bursitis – The bursa is a sac-like musculoskeletal structure that provides
support and cushioning to the joint. It protects commonly used joints such
as the 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.
 Osteoarthritis – osteoarthritis is the wear and tear of a joint that
results to its deterioration. The friction deteriorates then 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 several cases, doctors may
recommend surgery to replace the joint.
Can heat illnesses lead to a life-threat

Heat illnesses (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 presentation. If the body cannot
dissipate the heat, the core body temperature increases beyond the
tolerable limit. The risk of suffering seizures and other medical conditions
increase when the body temperature reaches 40 degrees Celsius.
Signs of Dehydration

- Dizziness - Blurred Vision

- Fatigue - Difficulty Swallowing
- Weakness - Dry skin
- Dry mouth - Hot skin
- Flushed skin - Rapid pulse
- Headache - Frequent need to urinate
 The most life-threatening case of heat illness is heat stroke. This
condition is likely to occur if an athlete trains outdoors for several hours
and the air temperature is above 35 degrees Celsius and the relative
Humidity is above 80%. In thinks weather condition, the body would try to
cool itself by increasing blood flow to areas close to the skin. The heat is
passed to the sweat formed on the skin and as it evaporates, the body
passes the heat to the environment. However, when the air temperature is
high, the body is not able to effectively pass the heat into the environment
In addition, the sweat will not evaporate when the relative humidity is
high. These weather conditions traps the heat inside the body that can
lead to a drastic drop in blood pressure which can result to death.