Class XII – Physiology and Injuries in Sports – PYQs

Ans. Some of the common sports injuries are abrasion, contusion, strain, sprain, fractures, dislocations, etc.

The two common injuries are as follows:

(i) Strain: It is defined as an injury to a tendon (tissues that connect your muscles and bones) or muscles. It often occurs in the lower back and in the muscle in the back of the thigh.

Prevention:

Develops a balanced fitness program that incorporates cardiovascular exercises, strength, training and flexibility.

(ii) Stress Fracture: It is an overuse injury. It occurs when muscles become fatigued and are unable to absorb added shock.

Prevention:

Conditioning exercises during practice strengthens muscles.

Ans. First-aid is the assistance given to any person suffering from a sudden illness or injury, with care provided to preserve life, prevent the condition from worsening and promote recovery.

Aims and objectives of first-aid are as follows:

• Preserving life by carrying out emergency first aid procedures. It also includes first aider’s life.
• Preventing the casualty’s condition from deteriorating any further.
• Promoting recovery by arranging prompt emergency medical help.
• Provide relief to the wounded person from pain and suffering is another important objective of first aid.

Ans. Physiological factors determining components of physical fitness are as follows:

(i) Muscular Strength: This is the maximum force or tension a muscle or a muscle group can exert against a resistance. Physiologically, the muscle will increase in strength only if it has to increase its workload beyond what is ordinarily required of it.

(ii) Speed: This is the rapidity with which one can repeat successive movements of the same pattern. Individuals with greater speed have superior reaction time.

(iii) Endurance: This is the ability of a muscle or muscle group to perform repeated contractions against a resistance/load or to sustain contraction for an extended period of time with less discomfort and more rapid recovery.

(iv) Flexibility: This is a quality of the muscles, ligaments and tendons that enables the joints of the body to move easily through a complete range of movement.

Ans. The cardiorespiratory system consists of organs responsible for taking in oxygen for respiration and releasing carbon dioxide and water vapour, which are the waste products formed during respiration.

The passages in the nose, windpipe (trachea), bronchi, lungs and air sacs are the main organs of the respiratory system.

A trainer can improve the cardiorespiratory system with the help of exercise by

(i) Decrease in Rate of Respiration: When a beginner starts exercise, then his rate of respiration increases. But when the same individual performs exercise daily, then his rate of respiration decreases in comparison to the beginning stage at rest.

(ii) Lung Volume: For normal breathing at rest, lung expand and here is a change in air pressure. During exercise, due to rapid movement of diaphragm and intercostal muscles, total area of lung expands to accommodate more exchange of gases.

(iii) Lung Diffusion Capacity: During exercise, the lung diffusion capacity increases in both trained and untrained persons. However, trained athletes may increase their diffusion capacity 30% more than that of an untrained person because athlete’s lung surface area and red blood cell count is higher than that of non-athletes.

(iv) Pulmonary Ventilation: The amount of air passing through lungs each minute is called Pulmonary Ventilation.

The Pulmonary Ventilation (PV) is a producer of Tidal Volume (TV) and Respiratory Rate (RR) and therefore at rest it is around 8 l/min.

 During exercise time both TV and RR increase, due to which PV will also increase depending on the intensity of exercise. For an ordinary person, the value of PV may be 40-50 l/min and for well-trained athlete, it may be around 100 l/min.

(v) Residual Air Volume: It is the volume of air in the lungs which is left after exhalation. With exercises, the residual air capacity increases which enhances efficiency of lungs.

Ans. Stroke volume is the amount of blood ejected per bet from the left ventricle.

Ans. Explosive strength is the ability to produce a strong muscle force within a very limited time at a fast pace, as in sports activities or regaining our balance when we are about to fall. In addition to the individual’s metabolic process, the composition, size and coordination of muscles together determine explosive strength. All these factors can be enhanced with training to improve speed up to a certain degree, obviously with the exception of muscle composition.

Ans. The ability to sustain an activity for a length of time using the energy derived from oxygen consumption is one of the crucial factors which determines endurance. In other words, aerobic capacity is the functional capacity of the body to supply sufficient amount of O₂ to the muscle to a generation of energy.

Ans. Explosive strength is the ability to produce a strong muscle force within a very limited time at a fast pace, as in sports activities are regaining our balance when we are about to fall in composition, size and coordination of muscles together determine explosive strength.

Ans. The amount of blood (in litres) pumped by the heart in one minute is called cardiac output.

Ans. Hypertrophy is an increase in the thickness of an individual’s muscle fibre. Generally, it is called an increase in size of muscles.

Ans. Fatigue which is caused by the excessive concentration of carbon dioxide, lactic acid and acid phosphate in the muscles reduces with regular exercise.

Ans. Overuse injury occur when specific parts of our body are used over a period of time, especially when the movements are repetitive.

Ans. Soft tissue injuries can be direct like a blister or bruise at the site of external force or they can be indirect injuries caused by internal forces such as a strain or sprain, for example, sprained ankle.

Ans. Contusion, strain, sprain, abrasion, laceration. Incision, hematoma are the types of soft tissue injury.

Ans. Bending of bones or a slight crack is called green stick fracture. Children are more vulnerable to this type of fracture due to underdeveloped bones.

Ans. Laceration is the tearing of skin which results in an irregular cut. It is caused of injury with a sharp sports equipment. Incision is a smoothly-cut skin wound made by a sharp sport equipment, spike, etc.

Ans. Strains are caused by excessive use or forced stretching of the muscles or tendons. There may be complete tearing of muscles or tendons. Strains are common in contact sports such as boxing, football, hockey, wrestling, etc.

Ans. Contusion is a muscle injury caused by a blow to the skin, such as getting hit or bumping against something which leads to ruptured blood vessels. The affected area becomes red, then blue and then purple.

Ans. Abrasion is a superficial injury to the skin when something rubs against it. It does not penetrate deeper than the epidermal layer of the skin. Friction between skin and hard or rough surface leads to abrasion.

Ans. The three factors or components which determine physical fitness are as under:

• Size of the muscle: Size is an important determinant of strength. Larger muscles can exert greater amount of force than smaller ones. It has been noted that while the same amount of force is produced by the male and female muscles of the same type, males are stronger because their muscles are larger, and thus more powerful. Weight training increases the size of muscles and is used as an effective method of strength training.
• Intensity of nerve impulse: Muscles have several motor units. These units’ contract whenever a nerve impulse from the central nervous system stimulates them. Intense nerve impulse stimulates more number of motor units, which raises the strength of the muscular contraction. Hence, impulse also determines strength.
• Muscle composition: Muscles are composed of two types of fibres, fast twitch fibres which can contract swiftly and produce more force, and slow-twitch fibres, which contract at a slower speed but which can sustain the contraction for a longer duration of time. Muscles with higher percentage of fast-twitch fibres are superior in strength. Therefore, strength is also determined by muscle composition. However, genetics determine the proportion of fast-twitch fibres and slow twitch fibres in the muscles and training cannot alter it.

Ans. The three physiological determinants of endurances are:

• Lactic acid tolerance: This is an efficient predictor of endurance capacity. It is the ability to tolerate accumulation of lactic acid, especially during activities spanning 40 seconds or more. This accumulation is due to imbalance in formation and removal of lactic acid in the body. Endurance can be improved by enhancing lactic acid tolerance with proper training.
• Movement economy: Saving energy is always advantageous in endurance sports, to maintain the level of performance throughout the whole activity. Economical movements minimise energy consumption. This enables one to make precise movements and reduce unnecessary movements.
• Muscle composition: Muscles have two types of fibres, namely, fast twitch and slow twitch fibres. Slow twitch fibres exert a small force and maintain it for a long time. That is why, higher percentage of slow-twitch fibres is ideal for endurance activities. However, this percentage is determined by genetic factors.

Ans. The role of exercises on the ageing process is to maintain the functionality of their body in many ways. Healthy ageing should be the goal of exercises. An efficient and consistent technique of exercise helps us to stay fit and prevents diseases associated with advancing age. However, some effects of exercise on ageing are as follows:

• Reduces the loss of muscle weight.
• Helps to maintain bone density
• Slows down brain ageing
• Reduces risk of age related diseases
• Improves muscular strength
• Enhances the capacity of lungs
• Improves flexibility and
• Reduces stress and tension, etc.

Regular exercise can delay the ageing process. As by regular exercise, all the body functions work properly and blood supply to all the organs improves the efficiency of an individual. Regular exercise also makes body strong. Regular exercise delays the ageing process by:

• Increasing the heart rate and stroke volume.
• Increasing the cardiac output
• Increasing in the size of lungs and the heart

Ans. The physiological factors determining speed are:

• Mobility of the nervous system
• Muscle composition
• Explosive strength
• Flexibility
• Biochemical reserves and metabolism

(brief explanation from book)

Ans. Endurance is the ability to resist fatigue and sustain an activity for a long duration of time. It is determined by the physiological factors like aerobic capacity which means oxygen intake, oxygen transport, oxygen uptake, energy reserves, and secondly lactic acid tolerance, thirdly movement economy and finally muscle composition.

Ans. Physical activity can play a very significant role in maintaining functional fitness in aged population. Physical activity is the most powerful tool in the hands of aged people that it can improve, as well as, maintain functional fitness of older people very effectively. It is because of the physical activity that they can perform daily routine work more efficiently. It makes the person more energetic and removes the signs of ageing. It is also a fact that physical activities can reverse the common signs of old age like muscle and bone loss, increases body fat, memory and cognitive decline, decreases metabolism, decreases flexibility, etc.

Ans. Contusion: It is a muscle injury caused by a blow to the skin, such as getting hit or bumping against something, which leads to ruptured blood vessel. Such an injury can occur with or without the involvement of sports equipment.

Management of Contusion:

• The first step is to apply cold compression on the injured area for a duration of not less than 40 minutes. This should be repeated 5 to 6 times daily.
• Anti-inflammatory medicine should be given in case of swelling. If swelling persists expert medical help should be sought.
• Flexibility exercises will help during rehabilitation.

Dislocation: Dislocation of joints is mainly caused by sudden trauma causing the joint go beyond its limits. Forceful impact between the body and another player or equipment, a hard surface may cause dislocation of joints and associated bones. Dislocation can occur at any major joint like shoulders, knees, or minor joint like toes, fingers, etc.

Management of Dislocation: In bone injuries, initial care and treatment for dislocation involves RICE (Rest, Ice, Compression and Elevation). After this treatment, sometimes, the dislocated joint might naturally go back into place. The application of ice immediately after injury to the injured area checks internal haemorrhage aiding in keeping the clot organization as small as possible. This helps in fast repair and healing. For small joints, compression and cold must be maintained for at least an hour and for larger joints up to 24 hours. Depending on the extent of injury, fixation and support should be avoided for 2 days to ensure proper haemorrhage control. While taking the patient to the physician for evaluation, the injury should be properly splinted and supported to prevent any further damage to the area.

Ans. Sports injuries can be classified into the following depending upon their cause and locations.

Depending on their causes:

• Direct injury is an injury incurred where the body makes contact with an external force.
• Indirect injury is an injury caused by force inside the body like excess strain on muscles and ligaments.
• An overuse injury occurs when specific parts of our body are used over a period of time, especially when the movements are repetitive.

Depending on the location:

• Soft tissue includes all muscles, ligaments, tendons, skin, organs, etc.
• Bone injuries are fractures caused by forces or pressure greater than the strength of the osseous tissue.
• Joint injuries to any point in the body is joint injury and dislocation is one of the most common joint injuries.

Ans. Bone injuries are fractures caused by forces or pressures greater than the strength of the osseous tissue. The different types of bone injuries are:

• Simple fracture: A broken bone in a single part of the body in the absence of a wound is called simple fracture.
• Compound fracture: This type of fracture is accompanied by damage to the muscles and skin and the bone usually protrudes out of the torn skin.
• Complicated fracture: Along with the bones, other parts of the body also get damaged in a complicated fracture. It is a serious and dangerous type of injury.
• Comminuted fracture: It is a type of fracture in which bones break into or more pieces.
• Impacted fracture: In this type of fracture, shattered or fragmented pieces of a broken bone enters into another bone under the influence of an object.

Ans.

• Dislocation of the jaw: This injury impacts one or both of the joints connecting the lower jaw to the skull. It may be caused when the chin forcefully strikes another object, or when the face is hit by a strong external force.
• Dislocation of shoulder joint: In this type of dislocation, the ball of the humerus comes out of the socket. This may be caused by extreme rotation of the shoulder joint or when the joint is hit by a sudden blow or is impacted by a fall against a hard surface.
• Dislocation of hip joint: A hip dislocation occurs when the head of the high bone is forced out of its socket in the hip bone.
• Dislocation of the wrist: It is dislocation of any of the eight carpal bones making up the wrist. This may happen when the carpal bones, which are small bones, are hit or come into contact with another force which is too great.