Sports Injuries, First Aid and Rehabilitation
Domain focus
Sports injuries, first aid and rehabilitation tests injury classification, immediate management and the safe return to play. The exam favours acute soft-tissue injury scenarios.
Core concepts
- Sprain: ligament injury; strain: muscle or tendon injury.
- Acute management: PEACE & LOVE - Protection, Elevation, Avoid anti-inflammatories, Compression, Education; then Load, Optimism, Vascularisation, Exercise. The older RICE/PRICE sequence is still used for immediate care.
- Fracture/dislocation: immobilise, do not realign, seek medical help.
- Concussion: remove from play, no same-day return.
- First aid priorities: danger, response, airway, breathing, circulation; control bleeding; treat shock.
- Rehabilitation: reduce pain and swelling, restore range, strength, proprioception, then sport-specific function.
Worked example
A basketball player lands on an inverted ankle. The ankle swells within minutes. Management: protect, rest, ice for 15–20 minutes with a cloth barrier, compress, elevate. Do not apply heat or massage in the first 48 hours. Reasoning: the likely injury is a lateral ligament sprain; cold reduces bleeding and pain. Heat would increase blood flow and swelling. Refer for imaging if bony tenderness or inability to bear weight.
Traps
- Putting ice directly on skin for long periods.
- Using heat or deep massage immediately after injury.
- Returning to play after a concussion in the same match.
- Confusing a sprain with a strain.