UNIT 7

PHYSIOLOGY AND
INJURIES IN SPORT

By: SWATI SINGHAL

(M.P.Ed)
 OVERVIEW
▪ Physiological factors determining components of Physical
Fitness
▪ Effect of exercise on Muscular System
▪ Effect of exercise on Cardio- Respiratory System
▪ Physiological changes due to ageing
▪ Sports injuries: Classification (Soft Tissue Injuries –
Abrasion, Contusion, Laceration, Incision, Sprain & Strain;
Bone & Joint Injuries - Dislocation, Fractures - Green Stick,
Comminuted, Transverse, Oblique & Impacted)
▪ Physiology is the of functioning and mechanism in the living system. It describes how the
different body systems work.
Physiological Factors that determine the Component of Physical Fitness
▪ Exercise physiology is a study of the body’s response to exercise. In the human body we
majorly study skeletal, muscular, nervous, endocrine, cardiovascular, metabolic, respiratory,
digestive, urinary and reproductive systems which are somehow affected by exercises. During
exercise, all systems of our body work jointly but responses of these systems are independent.
▪ Metabolic system produces energy and takes care of intake and output of energy.
Cardiovascular system controls circulation, transports oxygen and energy to muscles and waste
products from muscles to kidney. Respiratory system takes in air, diffuses oxygen to lungs and
muscle tissue and removes carbon dioxide from body. Neuromuscular and skeletal system
allows body movements through muscle contraction. Neuroendocrine and Immune system help
to maintain homeostasis of the body.
▪ To develop fitness, each component has a different exercise, which is performed with different
intensity, and volume, so the responses of systems are different. Three major physiological
factors that determine the various components of fitness are:
▪ Skeletal Muscles Factor
▪ Cardiorespiratory Factor
▪ Energy Production Factor
 SKELETAL MUSCLE FACTOR
▪ Skeletal muscles are made up of muscles fibres which are divided into two categories Slow twitch fibres or Type I fibres
and Fast twitch fibres or Type II fibres. Mostly muscles contain a mix of both fast and slow twitch fibres and the
proportion of theses fibres is dependent on genetics, hormones, and habits of exercises. Composition of fibres in muscles
plays a dominant role in development of strength, endurance, and speed performance.
▪ Slow twitch fibres or Type I fibres or slow oxidative fibres contain large numbers of oxidative enzymes, have more
capillaries, higher concentration of myoglobin and mitochondrial enzyme than fast twitch fibres which promote aerobic
activity and resistance against fatigue. Due to higher concentration of capillaries the colour of fibres becomes red and has
greater supply of blood.
▪ Fast twitch fibres or Type II fibres or Fast glycolytic fibres contain a good volume of glycolytic enzymes which
promote anaerobic activity but due to a smaller number of mitochondria they have limited aerobic capacity and low
fatigue resistance.

ENERGY PRODUCTION FACTOR

▪ Three energy system works in our body ATP-CP (Creatine phosphate) system, anaerobic system, and aerobic system.

▪ ATP- CP system provides energy if the activity is less than 10 second. Such activities are dynamic in nature and of very
short duration and very intensive. They include jumps, throws, sprints, weightlifting, powerlifting etc.
▪ Anaerobic system provides energy for less than two minutes, in activities like 200m, 400m races. Aerobic system
provides energy for long duration activities like marathon, football, hockey etc.
▪ Aerobic and anaerobic systems work simultaneously, but which system is predominant depends upon type, duration,
intensity of exercise, long and short-term nutritional status, proportions of types of muscle fibres etc.
 CARDIORESPIRATORY FACTOR
▪ The Cardiorespiratory system is combination of respiratory and cardiovascular systems which
jointly work to transport oxygen to the cells and support metabolism by delivering nutrients, which
provide energy to neuromuscular system and neuroendocrine system.
▪ During exercise, the demand for energy increases and to meet the demand, oxygen is required in
appropriate volume. To match the same, the respiratory system -- pulmonary ventilation, external
respiration, and internal respiration work together.
▪ The cardiovascular response to exercise is directly proportional to the demands of the skeletal
muscles for Oxygen. Maximal oxygen consumption (VO2 Max), Blood pressure, blood volume,
oxygen diffusion and extraction, muscle and arterial blood flow etc. simultaneously increase as per
activity.
Physical Fitness Components Determined By the Physiological Factors
The 3 physical factors determine the different fitness components in different ways. The four fitness
components are as follows:
• Strength
• Endurance
• Speed
• Flexibilty
 STRENGTH
▪ Strength is the ability of the body to work against resistance and has varied sub-types such as Maximum
Strength, Explosive Strength, Strength, Endurance etc.
▪ Each has different types of exercise, intensity and duration so physiological factors vary. Different sports
require different amount of strength and according to that, mixture of the slow twitch fibre and fast twitch
fibre is needed.
▪ Generally in all the strength related sports where sudden burst of energy is required, high percentage of fast
twitch fibre is required.
▪ Eg: Games like weightlifting, jumps, sprint or power, agility and strength dominating sports where force
production is high.
ENDURANCE
▪ Endurance is the ability of the body to work for a longer period without getting fatigued. Endurance
also varies from brisk walk to running to marathon. While in each activity intensity and duration
varies, but one thing is common in all these activities: that is long duration and low fatigue activity.
▪ Activities like cycling, swimming or long duration activities come under endurance component.
Slow twitch fibre percentage must be higher in comparison with fast twitch fibres to give better
performance in endurance. Aerobic system provides energy in endurance training. Maximal oxygen
consumption (Vo2), ventilation capacity plays dominating role in endurance training.
 SPEED
▪ Speed is the ability to cover maximum distance in shortest period.
▪ In speed training percentage of fast twitch fibres is very high in muscles, these activities include 100m
race, roller skating, or any movements that require work to be done in minimum possible time.
▪ A vital physiological factor to give best speed performance is motor neuron stimulation. The brain
sends a message to the muscles to act fast. To meet the demand of energy, the ATP CP system works.

FLEXIBILITY
▪ It is the ability of muscle and tendons to lengthen without getting damaged. Activities of stretching or yoga
require a good deal of flexibility.
▪ Physiological factors like elasticity and extendibility of muscles, type of joint, homothermic temperature
are key determinants of flexibility. Muscles, tendons, and ligaments are key components that affect
flexibility.
▪ Muscles groups like agonists, antagonists, neutralizers, and stabilizers should be understood for training
purpose. Agonists are the muscles which contract to perform a certain action. Antagonists are muscles
which oppose the prime movers as they relax and lengthen progressively to allow agonists to move.
▪ Synergists are muscles that work together in a close cooperation as they either contract or relax to modify
the action of the agonist. Synergists include Conjoint, Neutralizer and Stabilizer muscles.
EFFECT OF EXERCISE ON
MUSCULAR &
CARDIORESPIRATORY SYSTEM
 SHORT TERM EFFECT ON MUSCULAR SYSTEM
▪ Increased blood supply: During exercise, in order to match demand of fuel to
muscle, the supply or concentration of blood increases in the whole body or, in the
particular muscle group where activity is largely impacted.
▪ Increased muscle temperature: During exercises muscles demand energy, which
comes from contracting muscles. During the process, a lot of heat energy is
generated which increases the temperature of muscles, and/ or the body.
▪ Increased muscle flexibility: Due to increase in blood flow and rise in temperature,
elasticity of muscles increases. Stretching and mobility exercises also play a
dominant role in increasing muscular flexibility.
▪ Accumulation of Lactate: Muscles requires oxygen. If blood supply does not
provide appropriate volume of oxygen to muscles, it leads to accumulation of lactate
acid in muscles which result in pain, and soreness in muscles.
▪ Micro-tears in Muscle Fibres: During exercises muscle tissue is placed under
stress which results in micro-tears in muscle fibres. The body responds by repairing
the muscle fibres and making them larger. When a muscle gets bigger, this process is
called hypertrophy.
 LONG TERM EFFECT ON MUSCULAR SYSTEM
▪ Hypertrophy of Muscle: Scientific and systematic exercise leads to increase in thickness of muscle
fibres that results in increase in muscle size also known as muscle hypertrophy.
▪ Increase in Strength of Ligaments and Tendons: regular exercise helps to strengthen bones,
ligaments, and tendons. This helps prevent injury and promotes performance.
▪ Increase in Size and Number of Mitochondria: Aerobic exercises leads to increase in size and
numbers of mitochondria, and which take in more oxygen and produce more ATP and energy.
▪ Increase in Myoglobin Storage: Long term effect of aerobic exercise is to increase the storage of
myoglobin which transports oxygen to mitochondria. Large amount of myoglobin means large
amount of oxygen and large amount of energy.
▪ Increase in Glycogen Storage: Glycogen is generally stored in muscles and liver. Regular exercise
helps the body to increase the storage of glycogen which may give continuous energy for 90 to 120
minutes.
▪ Increase in Oxidation/ Metabolism: Endurance exercise training increases the capacity of skeletal
muscle fat oxidation by increasing mitochondrial density. Long term exercises demand a lot of
energy, and to meet this demand, metabolism increases due to oxidation of fat. This leads to
increase in provision of energy.
▪ Increase in Lactate Acid Tolerance: Regular exercises help to tolerate pain and sourness in
muscles due to accumulation of lactate acid.
 Cardiorespiratory System
It consists of two parts:
Cardirespiratory

Cardiovascular Respiratory

Cardiovascular system - It consists of three parts: the heart, blood vessels and blood. Its major function is to
deliver oxygen and nutrients, remove CO2 and other metabolic waste products, to transport hormones and other
molecules, to support thermoregulation and control of body fluid balance and lastly to regulate immune
function.

Respiratory system - The important parts of the respiratory system are the nose, nasal cavity, pharynx, larynx,
trachea, bronchi, and lungs. Air can also enter the respiratory system through the oral cavity. Its major functions
include, transporting air to the lungs, exchanging gases (O2 and CO2) between the air and blood, and regulating
blood pH.
 SHORT TERM EFFECT ON CARDIOVASCULAR SYSTEM
▪ Increased Heart Rate: Exercise makes the body work harder and therefore muscles require more oxygen to
continue to work effectively. This sudden increase in demand of oxygen is met by an increase in blood
circulation which is achieved by the heart. In this process, the heart rate increases.
▪ Increased Blood Circulation: As the heart rate increases, blood circulation increases in the body to deliver
the oxygen to muscles. As a result, the movement or flow of blood increases to tissues or organs.
▪ Increased Endurance: Exercise leads to increase in systolic blood pressure which is in direct proportion to
the increase in exercise intensity. The increased systolic blood pressure is because of the increased cardiac
output that accompanies increasing rates of work. With most types of training there is minimal change in
diastolic blood pressure.
▪ Increased Stroke Volume: The volume of blood pumped during one beat (contraction) is called stroke
volume. During exercise, stroke volume increases as more oxygen is required. This is accomplished by
delivering blood to muscles. After an endurance training programme capacity of heart to pump blood in one
contraction increased by 20 to 50 percent.
▪ Increased Cardiac Output: Cardiac output is the amount of blood pumped out by each ventricle of the heart
in 1 minute. It is the product of the heart rate (HR) and the stroke volume (SV). Resting cardiac output is
approximately 5.0 L/min but differs according to the size of the person. Maximal cardiac output varies
between less than 20 L/min in sedentary individuals to 40 or more L/min in elite endurance athletes. Increase
in heart rate and stroke volume results in increase in cardiac output.
 LONG TERM EFFECT ON CARDIOVASCULAR SYSTEM
▪ Increased Size and Strength of Heart: Continuous aerobic exercises help to increase the strength and the
size of heart which helps in better performance. It is also referred as cardiac hypertrophy.
▪ Low Level of Accumulation of Lactic Acid: Anaerobic respiration is the process of converting glucose into
energy without oxygen. During the conversion from glucose to energy, lactic acid, a waste product, is created.
Lactic acid makes muscles tired and painful. Regular exercises prepare muscles to adjust to working with
lower levels of oxygen and the circulatory system develops itself to transport oxygen to different parts of the
body, thereby resulting in low levels of lactic acid.
▪ Decrease in Resting Heart Rate: Due to improved efficiency of the heart, it is required to pump less blood to
meet the needs of the body. As a result, the heart rate at rest decreases. It is also called as Bradycardia.
▪ Normal Blood Pressure: In response to endurance training, there can be substantial reduction in both systolic
and diastolic blood pressure. Regular exercise helps keep the blood pressure normal.
▪ Increase in Stroke Volume and Cardiac Output: Since the size and strength of the heart increases, heart
pumps blood more efficiently with increase in stoke volume and cardiac output.
▪ Increase in Capillaries Network: To achieve the demand for oxygen, capillaries network increases. Due to
the demands placed on different parts of the body during exercise, the capillary density at muscle sites
improves. Increased capillary density allows for greater oxygen being transported to the muscles, improving
their ability to perform intense exercise. Moreover, exercise helps in preventing the decline in capillary
function that happens with age.
 SHORT TERM EFFECT ON RESPIRATORY SYSTEM
▪ Respiratory Rate Increases: Our body requires more oxygen during exercise, and to meet this increased
demand, the respiratory rate (breathing rate) increases. The normal respiration rate for an adult at rest is 12 to
20 breaths per minute, but during exercise it increases to 40 breaths per minutes.
▪ Tidal Volume Increases: The amount of air inhaled and exhaled in one breath is known as tidal volume.
Tidal volume increases as a result of exercise to take in more oxygen and remove carbon dioxide from our
body.
▪ Rate of Exchange of Gas Increases: Regular exercise increases the rate of exchange of gas in lungs.

LONG TERM EFFECT ON RESPIRATORY SYSTEM

Increased Efficiency of Respiratory Muscles: Due to regular exercise efficiency of respiratory muscles
increases, inhalation and exhalation become fluent. This helps to meet the demand of oxygen.
Increased Lung volume: Continuous exercises done for long duration help to increase the capacity and volume
of lungs. Vital capacity increases almost 100 % as compared to that of a normal individual.
Increased Pulmonary Diffusion: Pulmonary Diffusion refers to the capacity of the lungs to allow oxygen and
carbon dioxide to pass in and out of the blood. Regular sub-maximal exercise training develops the scope of
increasing the exchange of gases, and in this process the size of the alveoli also increases.
Increased Residual Volume: Residual volume is the volume of air that remains in the lungs after forceful
expiration. Regular exercise increases residual volume that helps to exchange the gases in normal limits.
PHYSIOLOGICAL CHANGES DUE
TO AGEING
Ageing, an inevitable and extremely complex multifactorial process, is characterized by the progressive
degeneration of organ systems and tissues. It is largely determined by genetics, and influenced by a wide range
of environmental factors, such as diet, exercise, exposure to micro-organisms and pollutants. Changes due to
ageing are as follows:
▪ Muscular Strength - It is defined as the maximal force that a muscle or muscle group can generate. Men and
women usually attain their highest strength levels between ages 20 and 40, the time when muscle cross-
sectional area is largest. Concentric strength of most muscle groups declines, slowly at first and then more
rapidly after middle age. Decline in eccentric strength begins at a later age and progresses more slowly than
those in concentric strength.
▪ Neural Function - A nearly 40% decline in the number of spinal cord axons and a 10% decline in nerve
conduction velocity reflects the cumulative effects of ageing on central nervous system functioning. These
changes are likely to contribute to the age-related reduction in neuromuscular performance assessed by simple
and complex reaction and movement times. Ageing most adversely affects the time required to detect a
stimulus and process the information to produce the response.
▪ Endocrine Changes with Ageing - The endocrine system consists of a host organ (gland), minute quantities
of chemical messengers (hormones), and a target or receptor organ. Approximately 40% of individuals aged
between 65 and 75 years and 50% of those older than age 80 have impaired glucose tolerance leading to Type
2 diabetes. Thyroid dysfunction, primarily from lowered pituitary gland release of the thyroid-stimulating
hormone thyrotropin (and reduced output of thyroxine), is common among the elderly. This directly affects
metabolic function, including decreased glucose metabolism and protein synthesis. Mean pulse amplitude,
duration, and fraction of secreted growth hormone (GH) gradually decrease with ageing, a condition termed
somatopause.
▪ Pulmonary Function - Mechanical constraints on the pulmonary system progress with age
to cause deterioration in static and dynamic lung function measures. Also, pulmonary
ventilation and gas exchange kinetics during the transition from rest to submaximal
exercise slow substantially.
▪ Cardiovascular Function - Cardiovascular function and aerobic capacity do not escape
age-related effects. Because of a lower maximum heart rate, maximum cardiac output
typically decreases with age in trained and untrained men and women. Reduced peripheral
blood flow capacity accompanies age-related decreases in muscle mass. Sedentary living
produces losses in functional capacity at least as great as the effects of ageing.
▪ Body Composition - In physical fitness, body composition is used to describe the
percentages of fat, bone, water, and muscle in human bodies. After age 60, total body mass
decreases despite increasing body fat.
▪ Bone Mass- Bone Mass is a measure of the amount of minerals (mostly calcium and
phosphorous) contained in a certain volume of bone. Osteoporosis poses a major problem
with ageing, particularly among postmenopausal women. In this condition it produces loss
of bone mass as the ageing skeleton demineralizes and becomes porous. Bone mass can
decrease by 30% to 50% in persons older than age 60.
SPORTS INJURIES
▪ Sports participation and exercise engagement have always witnessed an interruption
among athletes towards active participation or lead to painful experience due to some
or the other form of injuries.
▪ The injuries may be due to incorrect movement, hitting or colliding with equipment or
aggressive sporting actions like diving and sliding, overtraining or lack of conditioning.
▪ All these injuries caused due to different reasons may not be of the same type, which
means they may need different remedies and specific understanding towards each
injury to avoid and prevent such injuries.
▪ The injury in sports and exercise refers to the physical damage caused to tissue, bone,
or any other organ of the body while in action and further leading to withdrawal from
participation or experience pain while performing movement actions.
▪ Sports injury may be defined as any stress or overstretch put on soft tissues or bone on
or off the field resulting in pain and hindering performance. Cut, tear, overstretching of
tissues, breakage of bone or dislocation of joints are common injuries in sports. The
injuries that occur during sport, athletic activities or during certain exercises.
CLASSIFICATION OF SPORTS
INJURIES
SPORTS INJURIES CAN BE CLASSIFIED ACCORDING TO THE CAUSE OF THE INJURY:
▪ Direct Injuries: They are sustained from an external force causing injury at a point of contact.
▪ Indirect Injuries: It usually involves the athlete damaging the soft tissues such as ligaments tendons or muscles of the
body through internal or external force.
▪ Soft Tissue Injuries: Any injuries to skin muscles or ligaments are soft tissue injuries.

▪ Hard Tissue Injuries: Injuries that occur in bones and cartilages.

▪ Overuse Injuries: They are sustained from continuous or repetitive stress, incorrect technique, or equipment or too much
training.

TYPES OF SPORTS INJURIES:

SOFT TISSUE INJURIES
 Soft Tissue Injury

Abrasion Contusion Laceration Strain Sprain Incision

 Abrasion
▪ These injuries most commonly occur due to moving contact with a rough surface, causing a grinding, or rubbing away of
the upper superficial layers of the epidermis.
▪ Cause - Abrasion injuries commonly occur when exposed skin encounters a rough surface, causing a grinding or rubbing
away of the upper layers of epidermis.
▪ Treatment - Clean the surface of the affected part. Stop bleeding at the earliest by compression bandages. Anti-tetanus
injection should be provided.
Contusion
▪ It is the type of hematoma, which refers to any collection of blood outside of a vessel.
▪ Cause - When a part of the body is struck by enough force to crush underlying muscle fibres and connective tissue
without breaking the skin, a contusion may occur. It can be due to a blow from a collision with a player or a piece of
equipment or because of a heavy fall.
▪ Treatment - Non-steroidal anti- inflammatory drugs such as Ibuprofen, or other medications for pain relief as prescribed
by the doctor.
Laceration
▪ The irregular tear-like wounds caused by some blunt trauma.

▪ Cause – Mostly, laceration is the result of the skin hitting an adjacent object, or an object hitting the skin with force.
▪ Prevention - Proper personal equipment, including eye protection can be helpful in preventing the same.
 Strain
▪ Strain is an injury to the muscles which are attached to a bone. A strain is an injury to either a muscle or a tendon
generally caused by overuse, force, or stretching.
▪ Cause - Strains occur suddenly (acute strain) or develop slowly over time (chronic strain). Causes include lifting of heavy
objects, running, jumping, throwing etc.
▪ Treatment - It can be managed by applying ice packs and maintaining the strained muscle in a stretched position. (RICE:
rest, ice, compression, and elevation).
Sprain
▪ Sprain is the stretching or tearing of ligaments, the fibrous tissue that connects bones in the joints. A sprain occurs when
you overextend or tear a ligament while surely stressing a joint.
▪ Cause - A sprain occurs when one overextends or tears a ligament while severely straining a joint.

▪ Treatment - RICE (rest, ice, compression and elevation).

Incision
▪ An incision is a cut made into the tissues of the body to expose the underlying tissue, bone or organ.

▪ Cause - Can be caused by a clean, sharp-edged object – such as a knife, razor or glass splinter.

▪ Treatment - Gently wash the affected area with soap and water to remove the dirt. Dry the incision with a clean, fresh
towel before applying the dressing.
HARD TISSUE INJURIES
 Hard Tissue
Injury

Contusion Fractures:
Dislocation Stress fractures
Greenstick
Commutated
Transverse
Oblique
Impacted
 Dislocation
▪ Dislocations are joint injuries that force the ends of bones out of position. The cause is often a fall or a blow,
sometimes from playing a contact sport. A joint dislocation, also called luxation, occurs when there is an
abnormal separation in the joint, where two or more bones meet. A partial dislocation is referred to as a
subluxation.
▪ Causes - Trauma that forces a joint out of place causes a dislocation. Accidents, falls, and contact sports such
as football are common causes of this injury. Dislocations also occur during regular activities when the
muscles and tendons surrounding the joint are weak.
▪ Symptoms - Symptoms of a dislocation vary depending on the severity and location of the injury. The
symptoms of a dislocated joint include:
▪ Pain
▪ Swelling
▪ Bruising
▪ Instability of the joint
▪ Loss of ability to move the joint
▪ Visibly deformed joint (bone looks out of place)

▪ Treatment - Treatment can vary based on the severity of the injury, and the joint that is dislocated. Applying
ice and keeping the joint elevated can help reduce pain while you wait to see a doctor.
 Fractures
▪ A fracture is a break in a bone. Fractures are caused by a direct impact, such as a fall or a severe tackle. Stress
fractures develop over time and are caused by overuse.

Stress fracture
▪ Stress fractures may occur because of overuse injuries and the failure to have adequate equipment to protect
the body.
▪ Causes - Stress fractures often result from increasing the amount or intensity of an activity too quickly.
▪ Treatment - Rest, cold therapy ice packs, cold compresses, apply ice to the injured area, anti- inflammatory
medications such as Ibuprofen, aspirin etc and a recovery time of 6 to 8 weeks is required for healing.

Greenstick
▪ A fracture in a young, soft bone, in which the bone bends.
▪ Causes - These fractures most commonly occur with a fall.
▪ Treatment - Removable splints result in better outcomes than casting in children with – Torus fractures of the
distal radius.
 Comminuted
▪ A fracture in which a bone is broken, splinted, or crushed into number of pieces.

▪ Causes - Direct and indirect trauma or violence can be causes for commutated fracture. Prevention - Maintaining strong
bones by eating food that is rich in calcium and regular exercise can help in the prevention of this type of fracture.
▪ Treatment - An X-ray is important for diagnosing of the condition. An open reduction when the bone fragments are
jammed-together using surgical nails, wire plates etc. is required for comminuted fracture.

Transverse
▪ Transverse fracture is when there is a straight break right across a bone.

▪ Causes - When a large amount of force is transmitted directly i.e., perpendicularly to the bone.

▪ Treatment - Can be treated at home along with rest and medicine. A back brace (called TSL) or abdominal binder may be
prescribed to reduce the pain by limiting motion at the fracture site.

Oblique
▪ Oblique fracture is one in which the bone breaks diagonally.

▪ Causes - This fracture is usually caused by an injury to the bone as the result of a fall, accident, or other trauma.

▪ Treatment - It depends upon the severity of the crack or break. Anti- inflammatory medication, reduction (Resetting the
bone) can also help to some extent.
 Comminuted
▪ A fracture in which a bone is broken, splinted, or crushed into number of pieces.

▪ Causes - Direct and indirect trauma or violence can be causes for commutated fracture. Prevention - Maintaining strong
bones by eating food that is rich in calcium and regular exercise can help in the prevention of this type of fracture.
▪ Treatment - An X-ray is important for diagnosing of the condition. An open reduction when the bone fragments are
jammed-together using surgical nails, wire plates etc. is required for comminuted fracture.

Transverse
▪ Transverse fracture is when there is a straight break right across a bone.

▪ Causes - When a large amount of force is transmitted directly i.e., perpendicularly to the bone.

▪ Treatment - Can be treated at home along with rest and medicine. A back brace (called TSL) or abdominal binder may be
prescribed to reduce the pain by limiting motion at the fracture site.

Oblique
▪ Oblique fracture is one in which the bone breaks diagonally.

▪ Causes - This fracture is usually caused by an injury to the bone as the result of a fall, accident, or other trauma.

▪ Treatment - It depends upon the severity of the crack or break. Anti- inflammatory medication, reduction (Resetting the
bone) can also help to some extent.
 Impacted
▪ This type of fracture occurs when the broken ends of the bones are jammed together by the force of the injury.
▪ Causes - It is caused mainly when someone falls from height with a great impact.
▪ Treatment - In an impacted fracture the bones get broken into fragments. Therefore, a sling or a splint may be
required to keep the broken bones in place, so that movement of the sharp ends of the broken bone is
prevented. This is essential to prevent further damage to the bone.

Impacted