Sports Medicine: An Overview

Sports Medicine

• This refers to a wide field of healthcare related to physical activity and sport.
• American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) uses a multidisciplinary approach to health management.
• It deals with physiological, biomechanical, psychological, and pathological phenomena related to exercise and sport.

Key Terms in Sports Medicine

• Acute injury: A sudden injury often from trauma, like sprains, fractures, or dislocations.
• Biomechanics: Study of mechanical aspects of human movement and how the body responds to forces.
• Chronic injury: Occurs over time due to overuse or repetitive stress (e.g., tendonitis, stress fractures).
• Injury prevention: Strategies and techniques to prevent sports-related injuries, like warm-ups and stretching.
• Proprioception: Body's ability to sense its position and movement in space, important for balance and coordination.
• Overuse injury: Injuries caused by repetitive action or strain, common in athletes.
• Rehabilitation: Recovering from injury through physical therapy, exercise, and treatments to restore function and strength.

Physiology

• Focuses on the study of the function of tissues (muscles, nerves), organs (heart, lungs), and systems (cardiovascular system).

Exercise Physiology

• Applies physiology to prevent and rehabilitate from disease.
• Includes assessing a person's performance and ability to work in adverse environments.
• Two categories: Sports exercise physiology and Clinical exercise physiology.

Sports Exercise Physiology

• Studies the body's response to physical activity, including changes in the cardiovascular and muscular systems, structural changes in cells, and the skeleton.
• Refers to the body's physiological response to physical activity.

Clinical Exercise Physiology

• Deals with physiological responses to physical activity that require rehabilitation or adjustment for improved performance.
• Uses exercise as part of the therapy and rehabilitation process, aiming to overcome chronic disease or injury.
• Examples include using exercise for diabetes management (lowering blood sugar) and to benefit conditions like osteoporosis, chronic pain, and anxiety.

Hydrotherapy

• Joint injuries often limit movement due to pain, hydrotherapy makes movement possible in a zero-pressure environment.
• Uses water to allow pain-free activity and healing.
• Excellent for joint-related injuries, restores strength and range of motion.

Sport Massage

• Corrects soft tissue imbalances caused by repetitive or strenuous activity/trauma.
• Enhance performance, aids in recovery, and prevents injuries.

Common Types of Injuries

• Sprain: Injury to connective tissue (ligaments, fascia) surrounding a joint. Ligaments are stretched beyond their normal range, causing tears or deformities.
• Strain: Injury confined to muscles and tendons.
• Sprains and strains can be referred to as acute injuries. Acute injuries typically result from a single, traumatic event such as a wrist fracture, sprain, strain, or dislocation.
• Overuse injuries: Common injuries resulting from repetitive action, trying to increase physical activity too quickly, improper technique, or excessive training

Best Advice for Overuse Injury

• Temporarily discontinue cause activity.
• Maintain fitness levels without stressing the injured area.

Safe Return to Activity

• Requires complete flexibility and strength recovery after rehabilitation.

Non-Traumatic Causes of Pain and Immobility

• Include previous injuries that healed incorrectly, repetitive movements performed incorrectly, poor flexibility, sedentary lifestyles, and systemic inflammation.

Rehabilitation

• Is the process of deciding when an injured athlete can safely return to sport or practice and is achieved through therapeutic measures and re-education of the musculoskeletal system.
• Requires consideration of limitations and the risk of injury.

Clinical Sport Rehabilitation

• Helps patient with pain, injury, and illness by assisting the musculoskeletal system
• Aims to maintain fitness, prevent/recover from injury, and reduce pain, reduce the pain experienced during exercise, movement and manual application of therapeutic intervention.

Clinical Rehabilitation

• Has three phases of healing:
  • Phase 1 controls pain and swelling can involve ice application.
  • Phase 2 removes aggravating movements and involves ultrasound therapy.
  • Phase 3 restores range of motion, strength, proprioceptive control, and cardiovascular training.

Sports Medicine and Somatology

• Exercise derives from the Latin "exercitus," meaning "to drive forth.".
• Physiology comes from the Latin "physis," meaning "nature," and "logia," meaning "study.".

Chapter 2: Professional Disciplines

• The aim of rehabilitation is to restore the patient from "bed to job," requiring a referral network.
• Role players include orthopedic surgeons, sports physicians, physiotherapists, biokineticists, chiropractors, and somatologists.

Assessment Methods and Treatment

• Physiotherapy assesses, treats, and manages a wide variety of injuries and ailments from various medical fields.
• It primarily promotes mobility, independent functioning, and restoring wellness
• Understanding body movement is very critical.
• Uses diagnosis, assessment, and treatment of physical symptoms to treat injury, aging, disability, and health conditions.
• Assists in rehabilitation planning through abnormality identification, reflex dysfunction, interferences with joint function, bone fractures, and malalignment.
• Aims for positive diagnosis alongside consideration of the patient's rehabilitation potential.

Physiotherapist

• The scope encompasses identifying abnormality nature extent and disturbance
• Diagnosing condition is very integral to developing treatment plan
• Assess level of mobility, strength and endurance.
• A Physiotherapist prescribes and demonstrates exercise and treatment and prepare patients for independence.
• The Physiotherapists use biology-based approaches to focus on diseases, identifying one problem to many. They use individualized approaches based on evolving research.
• They are concerned about promoting mobility, independent functioning
• Has advanced understanding: how the body moves, what keeps it from moving effectively and how to restore mobility.
• Diagnose, assessment and treating physical symptoms that limit movement
• The Physiotherapist may work with patients experiencing neurological issues such as stroke, multiple sclerosis, or Parkinson's.
• Another area of expertise for a Physiotherapist is with Neuro-musculoskeletal problems, which includes - back pain, whiplash associated disorder, sport injuries, arthritis.
• For people experiancing Cardiovascular problems the treatment would be geared towards chronic heart disease, rehabilitation after heart attack
• Patients also consult Physiotherapist for Respiratory problems - asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, cystic fibrosis

Treatment Modalities

• Electrical stimulation is used for pain modulation and to stimulate or sedate muscle fibers and increase blood flow.
• Ultrasound uses sound energy via mechanical vibration to create pressure waves for deep heating so that temperature can increase in tissue at considerable depths.
• Cold Laser aids in pain management and affects soft tissue and fracture healing.
• Massage uses hands to knead injured tissue to decrease pain improve circulation.
• Application of thermotherapy- alternating between hot and cold, accelerates the heal process.
• Therapeutic Thermotherapy:Increasing local tissue temperature accelerates the healing process by dilating blood vessels.
• Joint Mobilization: Passive movement of joints in specific directions decreases pain and improve mobility.
• Exercise: involves Controlled physical stress, Improves strength, motion, and flexibility.

Physiological Effects of Heat

• Vasodilation: Which is the increased blood flow, increased metabolic rate.
• Results in Relaxation of muscle spasm, pain relief and reduced ischemia
• Increases connective tissue elasticity
• Ischemia: inadequate blood supply to an organ / part of the body.

Physiological Effects of Cold

• Vasoconstriction, decreased blood flow, decreased metabolic rate, and pain relief with decreased muscle spasm (analgesic).
• Involved restriction of local blood
• Results: Lower metabolism, fewer inflammatory mediators, oedema can be reduced significantly, Lowers the demand being placed on tissues
• If applied too aggressivly minimizes chances of further injury from ischemia

Biokinetics

• addresses dangers of a Sedentary lifestyle / lack of physical activity which are numerous to health.
• Deterioration of the body's function = premature health risks & poor quality of life
• Biokinetics focus on the recognized professional that treats people with a variety of sports / activity and orthopaedic injuries through the modality of exercise therapy
• Exercise prescriptions need to be done using a scientifically based, personalised method.
• Biokinetics uses exercise rehabilitation for chronic disease, injuries and lifestyle diseases
• Biokinetics is key to the health promotion & maintenance of physical abilities
• Biokinetics, an allied health medical team, prescribe Specialised physical activity and plays role in preventative medicine.
• Also involved in the final stage of rehabilitation and work to help improve the quality of life.
• In order to ensure positive functions Biokinetic improve physical well-being, quality of life, body posture, amongst other things.
• Biokinetics in the healthcare proffesion involve preventative medicine, prescribing physical activity, providing health management.
• And maintaining and helping increase people's enjoyment of physical ability and to assist with orthopaedic needs
• They define their area as focusing on the science of movement & application of exercise.
• They have an ability to provide healthcare and rehabilitative exercise.
• Biokinetics a recognised and registered member of the Health Professions Council of South Africa and a degree-based.
• The Council implements final phase rehabilitation & exercise interventions: by promotion of health with a number of Manual therapeutic approaches of mobilisation, manipulation and soft tissue release.
• In essence Biokinetics involves final phase rehabilitation: utilising physical activity & conditioning.
• Medical practice for them involves, evaluation and Measurement of measures such as: Body posture, Composition, Blood pressure, Glucose levels, Lung function, Heart rate.
• Improving physical functioning and healthcare by prescribing particular exercises.
• Its all about movement science and as it applies to rehabilitation.
• health and maintaining the function of the body.
• They also perscibe scientifically based physical activity program prescriptions.

Scope of practice in Biokinetics

• Biokinetics, helps the medical proffesion to determine risks.
• They utilize capacity tests in to develop a safe exercise level.
• Prescribe exercise through the means and evaluation of heart rate electrocardiograph.
• The Biokinetics must ensure all the musculoskeltal system is asessed for limitation.

Chiropractor:

• Specializes in diagnose, treatment and prevention of issues.
• Using Mechanical applications to manage a range of disorders to the bodies musculoskeletal system.
• Chiropractors have mastered spinal treatment, including cervical and thoracic spines.
• Which is widely considered as being incredliby safe to do, and help to eliminate pain.
• The extent of that sort of medical rehabilation goes so far beyond what is possible by manipuating the spine.
• There are methods used to treat both soft tissue and overuse injuries.
• There are several common therapies like therapeutic stretches. and exercise that they may offer.
• Modalities such as traction and other physical modality are also used.
• Chiropractors make sure, through a number of methods, to check and ensure no non-invasive, treatment is being employed.
• They use medication in order to acheive a number of goals such as, proper and healthy behaviour.
• The goal for Chiropractors is to promote healhty lifestyles - by avoiding smoking and excessive stress.
• May treat areas beyond the spine, like what a physiotherapy session would have.

Somatology is

• A brand of skin and health care that is related to the industries.
• A range of services must be carried out with care.
• Somatologists are well intersted in the well-being of clients.
• A holistic approach is core to all the treatment plans and must be employed.
• Somatologists are well versed in treating, disorders that effect the kin and other parts of the body
• Somatologists employ a wide variity of methods such as manual lympathic drainage.

Personal Trainers

• Has wide knowledge of A&P such that they can construct personal workout plans.
• Understands screening.
• And the importance of tailoring programs to the users effective style.

Return-to-play:

• Two important principles
• The patient or client must be able to move the injured area must, fully.
• Should be able to stand and place force down with strength.
• Important to consider social and economic factors
• Ensure all parties responsible are accounted for.
• Make sure referral letter that helps with the problem such that there is better understand between practictioners.
• Clear advice.
• The scope practise is important as it may otherwise lead to harm to the patient.
• Writing letters helps further enfluence that they provide client care.

Letters

• In order to write a letter makes sure to: Make sure to have some heading to assist in the goal of completing a referral

Symptoms of a referral

• When there is no progress, then it need to get done, to find additional solution.
• Make sure to consult with and ask: General Practioners/ Counsellors/ Sports proffesionics.
• When it is simple one line it is ok.
• Highlight areas that need help with medication and any tests

Chapter 3

• Alignment is needed in order to sustain health
• Postioning of the body correctly enables the body to move better

Key terms

• Ergonmics involved design of the work tasks to the worker.

• Posture is defined in relation to gravity around the body that affect the body when standing.

• Chains that affect joints on other side.

• Deviations in the posture of joints contribute to disfunction of the entire body.

• Proprioception is a means through which to achieve this balance.

• Posture helps indicate a host of variables include spinal alignment and forces of gravity.

• Postures also have indication toward physical health.

Evaluation of Posture

• Perfect measuring tool, provides simple solution.
• Trauma, self-consciousness, all play a part.
• Assesment can take shape best when using: the way that they respond can have information to provide us, and show best route to take.
• Assess as: foundation, and goal for the treatment plan.
• As a picture for both short, and long term effects.

Poor/Imbalance

• Can lead to musle damage
• The deviation help in the the analysis in order to plan

What necessary

• What goals and history in the past must be observed.
• Note where pressure is carried when standing.

Real way of standing

• Assume standing easy.
• Improve look, use muscles.
• Make sure can feel the upright position.

Level

• Shoulder height
• Are there shoulder blades positioned the same or off?

Observational factors that lead to problems

• What is the nature of a scarr or how its positioned.
• Check joints and bones for any unevenness.
• Do you see anything in them.
• If muscles are tight they must be able to stretch and that must also be asseessed.

Stretches

• Should also be planned.

Check girth as well

• In order to help understand any issues associated with the waist.
• Ensure the joints are as they should be in terms of shape and formation.
• Knee problems are best diagnosed when looking closer at joint deformities and that may assist.

Foot possition

• The foot is another key factor that can give additional information regarding health, so its recommended to assess here.

View and posture

• The shape and length that can give additional health to look for

• Kyphosis posture for: what it can do the head position

• Long term will often show in shoulders.

• A more kyphotic position will see to the chest, that will in turn put pressure downward.

• This leads to lung pressure, less ability to breath through and is a common problem.