Module 2: Identification of risk factors

Sports Injuries

1. Identification of risk factors
   1. Extrinsic injury
   2. Intrinsic injury
2. Extrinsic risk factors
   1. Inappropriate coaching of instruction
   2. Incorrect technique
   3. Environmental conditions
   4. Other sports players
   5. Equipment, clothing, and footwear issues
3. Safety checks
4. Intrinsic risk factors
   1. Poor preparation
5. Planning a warm-up activity
   1. Muscle imbalance
   2. Fitness levels
   3. Postural defects
   4. Overuse
   5. Poor technique
   6. Age
   7. Injury history
   8. Nutrition
6. Intrinsic and extrinsic risk factors activity
7. Summary of injuries and risk factors activity
8. Preventative methods

Equipment, clothing, and footwear issues

It is important to remember to always use the equipment needed to play a particular sport correctly or this too can increase the chances of injury to either the player themselves or to other players.

All forms of exercise and sport require at least minimal equipment. Specialist clothing is desirable for many activities. Risks are reduced by wearing the appropriate clothing, which may be supportive and protective and/or environment-responsive, especially footwear.

Correct footwear for the correct surface that the sports are being played on is also extremely important. There is a variety of specialised footwear for all sports including basketball, running, tennis, hockey, and wrestling. All of these specialised pieces of footwear are made to be supportive to the player and totally suitable for the surface of the sport.

Incorrect footwear can also be a factor in causing injury. For example, long distance runners require trainers with a great amount of cushioning to absorb repeated impact. If they were to wear fashion trainers, with little or no padding, they would be at a greater risk of sustaining an overuse injury.

Certain sports require, as stipulated by the respective governing body of the sport, certain pieces of protective clothing, such as shin pads for football, pads, gloves and helmets for cricket and hockey.

Other sports, by their very nature, need to have clothing which is very flexible and allows a full range of movements. For example, gymnasts wear clothing which allows them to perform complex movements on the floor and specialised equipment.

Equipment clearly includes the bats, balls, racquets, nets, sticks, clubs, and other items integral to the game or training session. The equipment should be the correct type for the session, maintained, regularly inspected for faults or damage, and replaced when necessary.

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