Sport Injury Prevention Anatomy

Sport Injury Prevention Anatomy provides an in-depth look at common athletic injuries and the best exercises and training protocols to reduce their occurrence. With the latest research, expert analysis, detailed anatomical illustrations, and programming advice, it the definitive guide for understanding and preventing sports injuries.

Sport Injury Prevention Anatomy

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Chapter 1

Injury prevention requires the thoughtful use of specific exercises, appropriate intensity, proper technique, and sound training practices. If just one of these factors is ignored, effectiveness can be compromised. This book will identify specific injuries and how they typically occur, as well as provide exercises that directly address those injuries. However, an understanding of injury basics is important to effectively use the strategies that will be covered in later chapters. While this book is about reducing the risk of sport-related injuries, many of the principles apply to other activities, including those related to exercise, fitness, and even work.

Injury is relatively easy to understand. An injury is, quite simply, damage to a specific structure that often impairs intended function. There are four parts to this definition:

  • Damage indicates that the integrity of the structure has changed (e.g., a break or rupture).
  • Specific structure refers to the anatomy involved (e.g., a bone or tendon).
  • Impairs means that the structure can no longer fully perform its job (e.g., decreased joint stability or force production).
  • Function is a specific goal-oriented task (e.g., running or climbing stairs).

Injury-related damage occurs when the stress experienced by a given structure is more than the structure can tolerate. Stress is not necessarily a problem unless the stress applied is greater than the structure’s maximal tolerance. For example, performing the bench press exercise stresses the muscles involved with the movement, specifically pectoralis major, anterior deltoid, and triceps brachii, but for most people, the stress those muscles experience during a typical repetition of the bench press is well-tolerated and no injury occurs. But what might happen when a novice lifter attempts to perform a One Repetition Maximum (1RM) his first time? Or what can occur when an experienced lifter changes her routine by doubling the volume she is used to using? In the first example, the pectoralis major muscle may not have sufficient strength to tolerate the 1RM attempt; if the force required of the untrained pectoralis major is greater than the amount of force that it can withstand, a traumatic injury can occur to the pectoralis major. In the second example, if the force experienced over a period of time is greater than the pectoralis major has been trained to encounter, an overuse injury can occur. In both examples, the stress experienced was greater than the muscle could tolerate.

Another example is a hip flexor strain for a soccer player. When shooting a soccer ball on goal, the hip flexor muscle fibers (most commonly those of rectus femoris) can tear either partially or completely. This muscle fiber tearing is the definition of a strain. When strained, the rectus femoris can often still perform its task of flexing the thigh at the hip, but it causes pain, which commonly decreases the force that the rectus femoris is able to produce, resulting in decreased velocity when shooting the ball. Referring to our definition of injury, a strain (or tearing of muscle fibers) is the damage, the rectus femoris muscle is the specific structure, decreased force production is the impairment, and the effectiveness of shooting a soccer ball is the function.

One way to define or classify injuries is based on both the structure involved and the mechanism that caused the injury. Some injuries, termed traumatic, are the result of a specific episode, whereas other injuries, termed overuse, occur over time. Both types of injury occur because the involved tissues—like muscles, ligaments, tendons, and bones—are unable to tolerate the stresses experienced. Stress is not necessarily a problem unless the stress applied is greater than the structure’s maximal tolerance. For example, performing a typical repetition of the bench press stresses the muscles involved with the movement (specifically pectoralis major, anterior deltoid, and triceps brachii), but for most people, this stress is well tolerated and no injury occurs. But what might happen if a novice lifter attempts to perform a one-repetition maximum (1RM) for his first lift? Or if an experienced lifter doubles the volume of her usual routine? In the first example, if the force required of the untrained pectoralis major is greater than the amount of force that it can withstand, a traumatic injury can occur. In the second example, if the force experienced over a period of time is greater than the pectoralis major has been trained to encounter, an overuse injury can occur.

Chapters

Chapter 1. Understanding Sport Injuries
Chapter 2. Injury Prevention Exercise Principles
Chapter 3. Head, Neck, and Shoulders
Chapter 4. Elbows, Wrists, and Hands
Chapter 5. Spine and Trunk
Chapter 6. Hips
Chapter 7. Thighs
Chapter 8. Knees
Chapter 9. Legs, Ankles, and Feet
Chapter 10. Warm-Up for Injury Prevention
Chapter 11. Injury Prevention Program Design

Overview & Preview

11 Chapters

320 Pages

Develop a body that can withstand the rigorous pressures of competitive sport and physical activity! Sport Injury Prevention Anatomy offers you a detailed look into some of the most common sports injury conditions and the best exercises to help prevent their occurrence.

Throughout the text, stunning full-color medical illustrations paired with the latest sport injury science guide you in reducing the likelihood of an injury before it even happens.

Reduce the risk of common injuries like ACL tears; shoulder instability; concussion; ankle sprains; and strains of the hamstrings and low back. The book’s comprehensive coverage presents injuries by body segments—beginning with the head and neck, all the way down through the lower leg and foot.

Sport Injury Prevention Anatomy helps you design your own exercise programs by exploring the key components of an injury prevention program: needs analysis, exercise selection, training frequency, timing, and intensity and volume. Focusing on resistance training as an ideal injury prevention method, you’ll find sample programming templates, as well as advice on how to incorporate the various exercises into an existing training plan. You’ll also learn the important role the warm-up plays in injury prevention, along with methods to prime your body for optimal performance.

No one wants to be sidelined by injury. Sport Injury Prevention Anatomy provides you with the know-how to protect your body from damage and stay in competitive form.

Sample Pages

About the authors.

David Potach, PT, SCS, CSCS, is the director of rehabilitation at Cheshire Medical Center in Keene, New Hampshire. In addition, he is the founder of the Injury Prevention Project, a nonprofit organization focused on providing low-cost injury prevention programming to athletes. He has been helping athletes reach their performance goals for over 30 years and has a passion for incorporating strength training and plyometric principles in rehabilitation settings and using those principles as a tool to reduce the risk of injury in sport. Potach previously served as a strength and conditioning coach at Creighton University, owned Omaha Sports Physical Therapy, and was director of sports rehab at Children’s Hospital and Medical Center.

Potach has spoken internationally and regionally on strength training and conditioning, plyometrics, injury prevention, and sports rehabilitation. He has authored several articles on sports rehabilitation as well as textbook chapters on sports medicine and sports conditioning. In 2005, he became one of the first recipients to be awarded the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA) Sports Medicine Professional of the Year award.

He is an ABPTS board-certified Sports Clinical Specialist and is recognized by the NSCA as a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS). He was the cofounder of the NSCA’s Sports Medicine Special Interest Group, was a longtime member of the NSCA’s CSCS Exam Development Committee, and was a member of the ABPTS Sports Specialization Academy of Content Experts. He holds master of physical therapy and master of science degrees—both from the University of Nebraska—and a bachelor of arts degree in exercise science from Creighton University.

I am excited to present these concepts that Erik and I spent a long time developing. Happy (injury-free) training!

David Potach

Erik P. Meira, PT, DPT, is currently the director of Physical Therapy Science Communication Group, a company based out of Portland, Oregon, that specializes in sports rehabilitation and education. He is also a clinical advisor to the University of Portland NCAA Division I program. He is an ABPTS board-certified Sports Clinical Specialist and is recognized by the NSCA as a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS) with extensive experience in the management of sport injuries at many different levels. He is a frequent consultant for organizations within the NCAA, NBA, NFL, MLS, WNSL, and other elite sports leagues.

Dr. Meira has authored several articles and textbook chapters, and he lectures internationally, in settings that range from speaking to small teams in private settings to being the keynote speaker at large professional conferences. Known for his ability to make complex ideas simple to understand with a humorous delivery style, he covers topics such as hips, knees, exercise prescription, returning athletes to sport, science application, applied biomechanics, and physical therapy practice models. He was the founder and the original chair of the Hip Special Interest Group of the American Academy of Sports Physical Therapy (AASPT), served as their APTA Combined Sections Meeting (CSM) program chair, and was a member of the AASPT Executive Committee. He is also the cohost of PT Inquest, a podcast dedicated to understanding physical therapy science, and provides continuing education through The Science PT.

Erik Meira

"Sport Injury Prevention Anatomy is an excellent resource that provides a foundation for the anatomy of movement and function. It presents anatomical structures in a common-sense format to prevent musculoskeletal injuries."

Kody Moffatt, MD, MS, FAAP, FACSM, Division Chief of Sports Medicine at Children’s Hospital & Medical Center

“In Sport Injury Prevention Anatomy, David and Erik have provided a science-based overview of common sport injuries and clearly articulated exercise interventions to reduce injury risk. They have successfully applied these concepts with their own patients, who range from recreational athletes to elite athletes.”

Terry L. Grindstaff, PhD, PT, ATC, Creighton University Department of Physical Therapy

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Sport Injury Prevention Anatomy