Transcript Lecture 6 Assessment of INjury

Assessment of Injuries
Lecture 6
Assessment
with a sports related injury the athletic
therapist is expected to evaluate the
situation , assess the extent and
seriousness of the injury and determine
the necessary next step
 ie. treatment, referral to physician, hospital
etc

Assessing an Injury
History,
 Observation,
 Range of motion,
 Special tests and
 Palpation’s

History
history taking requires practice and
patience and involves asking lots of
questions
 the therapist must listen and establish a
rapport with the athlete
 a complete history includes
 primary complaint , mechanism of injury
, extent of pain, disability due to the
injury , pervious injuries and family
history

Observation
is a visual analysis of the overall
appearance, symmetry , motor function ,
posture and gait of the individual
 often the therapist will see the injury
happen, however many times they will not
 in observation the therapist will note the
individuals willingness to move, ability to
move, did they walk in, crutches etc

here a posture assessment may be
performed
 inspect the injury site
 deformities, discoloration , swelling ,
scars,

Range of Motion
I) Active Range of Motion
shows their ability and willingness to move
 is joint motion performed voluntarily by the
individual
 determines possible damage to contractile
tissue
 measures muscle strength

II) Passive range of motion
body part is move with no assistance from
the injured individual
 distinguishes injury to noncontractile tissue
(bone, ligament, bursae)

III) Resisted movement
outside resistance is added to the
movement
 isometric contraction
 assess muscle strength

Special Tests
1) Stress tests
 each body segment has a series of special
tests to assess joint function and integrity
 test ligaments, intra-articular structures,
impingement’s and joint capsule stability
1) Neurologic testing
 nerve roots – named by where they depart
the spinal column
 each nerve root supplies nerve impulses
to a series of muscles and an area of skin
 myotome – a group of muscles innervated
by a single nerve root
 dermatome – a region of skin supplied by
a single nerve root
3) reflex testing
 exaggerated, distorted or absent reflexes
indicate degeneration or injury to the
nervous system
 most familiar – patella reflex or knee jerk
(L3)
Palpation
bilateral palpation of paired anatomical
structure can help to detect
 temperature changes, swelling, point
tenderness, crepitus, muscle spasm,
pulses and sensations
 palpate painful area last, start on uninjured
side and compare
