Physiology and Injuries in Sports
This domain asks you to explain what limits physical performance - muscle, heart, lungs - and then to classify and manage the injuries sport produces.
Physiological determinants
- Strength depends on muscle cross-sectional area, fibre type, motor-unit recruitment and neural coordination.
- Endurance depends on VO2max, lactate threshold, mitochondrial density and capillary density.
- Speed depends on fibre composition, reaction time and technique.
- Flexibility depends on joint structure, muscle and tendon elasticity, and the nervous system's tolerance to stretch.
Long-term training effects
Cardiac output rises mainly through stroke volume; resting and submaximal heart rates fall; capillaries and mitochondria increase; respiratory volumes improve. These are training adaptations, not pathology.
Injury classification and prevention
Soft tissue: sprain (ligament), strain (muscle or tendon), contusion, abrasion, laceration. Bone and joint: fracture, dislocation, subluxation. Prevention means warm-up, progressive conditioning, correct technique, protective equipment, fair play and adequate recovery.
Worked example
A volleyball player lands on a teammate's foot and inverts the ankle; swelling appears within minutes, with tenderness over the lateral ligaments but no bony tenderness or deformity. This is a lateral ligament sprain. For the first 48–72 hours apply RICE - rest, ice for 15–20 minutes every 2–3 hours, compression, elevation - with no heat, no deep massage and no running. Reassess for fracture if bone tenderness or inability to bear weight persists.
Traps that cost marks
- Calling a ligament injury a strain.
- Applying heat or deep massage in the first 48 hours.
- Presenting a lower resting heart rate as a sign of disease.