Powerpoint Notes
Intrinsic Factors
Muscular Factors
- Muscle imbalances between the dominant and non-dominant limbs in which the
difference is identified significantly during performance. E.g. When performing a
bench press, some will have a difference in strength between each side.
- In this case, they could become injured if their one side was so much weaker that the
barbell had dropped onto them. This could cause a multitude of injuries.
Lack of Flexibility
- General muscle tightness, focal areas of muscle thickening due to repetitive loading,
or restricted range of motion can increase the risk of injury to an athlete, affecting
muscles, tendons and joints.
- E.g. Decreased flexibility can lead to excessive stress of tissues away from the
original tendonitis of the knee can be related to the tightness of the individual’s calf
muscles.
Postural Defect
- Abnormal spine curves can restrict sporting ability, excessive strain on the
abnormalities can cause pain and/or worsen the current effects.
- In addition to this, ageing the intervertebral discs become thinner which can also
increase the risk of injury.
Individualised Variables
- Each athlete will have different strengths and weaknesses, as well as different
training styles to accommodate such.
- Injury patterns will differ with an athletes’ age, growth and gender. E.g. older athletes
are more at risk to strains while younger are more likely to develop apophysitis
injuries.
Malalignment
- With asymmetry comes compensation, leading to excessive forces going through the
body.
- E.g. An uneven running technique could be developed through having a wider Q
angle from a wider pelvis, causing the knees to collapse inwards. This increases a
lateral pull of the quadriceps, making the ACL vulnerable to injury. Women typically
have a wider pelvis, hence are more at risk to these types of injuries.
Psychological Factors
- Each individual’s psychological make-up is dependent on both their social and family
environment, as well as their sporting environment (sporting and non-sporting
stressors) and coping methods.
- Increased stress with minor socialism support and ineffective coping mechanisms are
linked to the increase of injury risk.
, Extrinsic Factors
Training Errors
- Athletes who overtrain often experience injury and fatigue as they are not recovering
for the proper amount of time.
- Repetitive movements paired with frequent training, increases the chance of injury as
well as competing too often.
- In strength sports, e.g. weightlifting, personal records (pr’s) are usually achieved
once every few weeks to not overload the body too often.
Coaching and Social Factors
- Coaching style and communication can also enhance the risk of injury as they
influence athletes in a multitude of ways.
- The expectations of a coach can also alter the risk factor as some athletes may be
expected to do well and feel pressure to overwork themselves (linked to the previous
point), leading to possible injury.
Incorrect Technique
- Those who have an effective and correct technique are less likely to injure
themselves, so the same applies to the opposite.
- If the technique is so wrong, the injury risk is immense especially in technique-based
sports, e.g. gymnastics.
Hazards
- Both coaches and athletes must be aware of safety hazards and risks, usually done
by taking a risk assessment as well as emergency action plans and health
screenings.
Environmental Factors
- Outdoor sports must be cautious of weather conditions as they can affect the
possibility of injury.
- For example, rain can cause wet and slippery surfaces, meaning players are more
likely to slip and hurt themselves.
- This could cause a minor injury, e.g. abrasions, or a more major injury, e.g.
dislocation or bone fracture.
Clothing and Footwear
- Incorrect equipment worn can alter an athlete’s ability, e.g. flip-flops are not suitable
for most sports as they are not fastened to the foot.
Misuse of Equipment
- Equipment is designed for a specific purpose, therefore tampering with it can make it
less useful and possibly a danger to the athlete etc.
Inadequate Nutrition and Hydration
- Too little energy can cause fatigue to an athlete, increasing their risk of injury.
Intrinsic Factors
Muscular Factors
- Muscle imbalances between the dominant and non-dominant limbs in which the
difference is identified significantly during performance. E.g. When performing a
bench press, some will have a difference in strength between each side.
- In this case, they could become injured if their one side was so much weaker that the
barbell had dropped onto them. This could cause a multitude of injuries.
Lack of Flexibility
- General muscle tightness, focal areas of muscle thickening due to repetitive loading,
or restricted range of motion can increase the risk of injury to an athlete, affecting
muscles, tendons and joints.
- E.g. Decreased flexibility can lead to excessive stress of tissues away from the
original tendonitis of the knee can be related to the tightness of the individual’s calf
muscles.
Postural Defect
- Abnormal spine curves can restrict sporting ability, excessive strain on the
abnormalities can cause pain and/or worsen the current effects.
- In addition to this, ageing the intervertebral discs become thinner which can also
increase the risk of injury.
Individualised Variables
- Each athlete will have different strengths and weaknesses, as well as different
training styles to accommodate such.
- Injury patterns will differ with an athletes’ age, growth and gender. E.g. older athletes
are more at risk to strains while younger are more likely to develop apophysitis
injuries.
Malalignment
- With asymmetry comes compensation, leading to excessive forces going through the
body.
- E.g. An uneven running technique could be developed through having a wider Q
angle from a wider pelvis, causing the knees to collapse inwards. This increases a
lateral pull of the quadriceps, making the ACL vulnerable to injury. Women typically
have a wider pelvis, hence are more at risk to these types of injuries.
Psychological Factors
- Each individual’s psychological make-up is dependent on both their social and family
environment, as well as their sporting environment (sporting and non-sporting
stressors) and coping methods.
- Increased stress with minor socialism support and ineffective coping mechanisms are
linked to the increase of injury risk.
, Extrinsic Factors
Training Errors
- Athletes who overtrain often experience injury and fatigue as they are not recovering
for the proper amount of time.
- Repetitive movements paired with frequent training, increases the chance of injury as
well as competing too often.
- In strength sports, e.g. weightlifting, personal records (pr’s) are usually achieved
once every few weeks to not overload the body too often.
Coaching and Social Factors
- Coaching style and communication can also enhance the risk of injury as they
influence athletes in a multitude of ways.
- The expectations of a coach can also alter the risk factor as some athletes may be
expected to do well and feel pressure to overwork themselves (linked to the previous
point), leading to possible injury.
Incorrect Technique
- Those who have an effective and correct technique are less likely to injure
themselves, so the same applies to the opposite.
- If the technique is so wrong, the injury risk is immense especially in technique-based
sports, e.g. gymnastics.
Hazards
- Both coaches and athletes must be aware of safety hazards and risks, usually done
by taking a risk assessment as well as emergency action plans and health
screenings.
Environmental Factors
- Outdoor sports must be cautious of weather conditions as they can affect the
possibility of injury.
- For example, rain can cause wet and slippery surfaces, meaning players are more
likely to slip and hurt themselves.
- This could cause a minor injury, e.g. abrasions, or a more major injury, e.g.
dislocation or bone fracture.
Clothing and Footwear
- Incorrect equipment worn can alter an athlete’s ability, e.g. flip-flops are not suitable
for most sports as they are not fastened to the foot.
Misuse of Equipment
- Equipment is designed for a specific purpose, therefore tampering with it can make it
less useful and possibly a danger to the athlete etc.
Inadequate Nutrition and Hydration
- Too little energy can cause fatigue to an athlete, increasing their risk of injury.
