Potential Injuries To The Muscular System

Potential Injuries To The Muscular System

1. Soft Tissue Injuries To Muscles

   • Most common injuries to muscles include tears, pull and strains
   • The small muscle fibres may be torn from their attachment to a tendon
     • Fibres shorten when the muscle contracts and relax when it is used antagonistically
   • During intense competition the muscle fibres contracts and relax very quickly which can cause the connective tissue and the blood vessels which run inside them to be torn

2. Warm - Up

   • Warming up is crucial to minimise the potential for injury
   • Warm - up begins by raising the heart rate and warming the muscle
     • Followed by some exercises and stretching

3. Cool - Down

   • Aim of cooling down is to bring the heart rate gradually back to normal and disperse any lactic acid
   • Ensures readiness for next exercise session or game

4. Treatment For Muscular Injuries

   • RICE used for muscle strains
   • First 24 - 48 hours are crucial

5. Muscle injuries can prevent a person from training and this inactivity can result in muscle atrophy