How are sporting injuries prevented, classified and rehabilitated?
Injury prevention and rehabilitation: intrinsic and extrinsic risk factors, acute and chronic injuries, immediate treatment (PRICE), and rehabilitation methods including the role of technology.
A focused answer to Eduqas A-Level PE on injury: intrinsic and extrinsic risk factors, the difference between acute and chronic injuries, immediate treatment using PRICE, rehabilitation methods such as stretching, strengthening, proprioceptive work and cryotherapy, and the role of technology in diagnosis and rehab.
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What this dot point is asking
Eduqas wants you to identify intrinsic and extrinsic risk factors for injury, distinguish acute and chronic injuries, describe immediate treatment using PRICE, and outline rehabilitation methods and the role of technology.
Risk factors for injury
Acute and chronic injuries
Immediate treatment: PRICE
Rehabilitation methods and technology
Rehabilitation restores the injured area to full function and prevents re-injury. Stretching (static and PNF) restores the range of movement lost during immobilisation. Progressive strengthening rebuilds the muscles around the joint, which weaken after injury, using gradually increasing resistance. Proprioceptive training (wobble boards, balance work) restores the joint's position sense and stability, key for ankle and knee injuries. Modalities support these: cryotherapy (ice) and heat manage pain and circulation, hydrotherapy allows low-impact loading in water, and massage aids circulation and reduces stiffness. Technology aids both diagnosis (MRI and ultrasound scans, force plates to measure asymmetry) and graded return (anti-gravity treadmills, isokinetic machines that measure and rebuild strength safely).
Exam-style practice questions
Practice questions written in the style of WJEC Eduqas exam questions on this dot point, with worked answer explainers. The year tag is the paper they imitate, not the source.
Eduqas 20184 marksDistinguish between an acute and a chronic injury, giving a sporting example of each, and explain why a thorough warm-up reduces injury risk.Show worked answer →
A Component 1 injury question. One mark for each injury type with an example, two for the warm-up reasoning.
An acute injury happens suddenly from a specific incident and has immediate symptoms, for example a sprained ankle from landing awkwardly in netball or a hamstring tear in a sprint. A chronic (overuse) injury develops gradually from repeated stress over time, for example shin splints in a distance runner or tennis elbow. A thorough warm-up reduces injury risk because it raises muscle temperature, which increases the extensibility (stretchiness) of muscles, tendons and ligaments, and increases the speed of nerve conduction and the range of movement at joints, so tissues are less likely to tear under sudden load.
A common dropped mark is giving two acute examples; one must be a gradual overuse injury.
Eduqas 20216 marksA footballer sprains an ankle. Describe the immediate treatment using PRICE, then outline two rehabilitation methods that would help them return to play.Show worked answer →
A Component 1 applied treatment question. Markers reward the PRICE protocol and two justified rehab methods.
Award marks for PRICE: Protection (stop play and protect the joint from further damage), Rest (avoid weight-bearing to prevent worsening the injury), Ice (apply cold to cause vasoconstriction, reducing blood flow, swelling and pain), Compression (a bandage to limit swelling), and Elevation (raise the limb above the heart to drain fluid and reduce swelling). Rehabilitation methods: progressive strengthening exercises rebuild the muscles around the joint that weaken after injury and immobilisation; proprioceptive training (for example wobble-board or balance work) restores the joint's position sense and stability, reducing the risk of re-injury. Other valid methods include stretching to restore range of movement, hydrotherapy for low-impact loading, and cryotherapy or heat and massage to manage pain and circulation.
A top answer states what each PRICE step does physiologically and links each rehab method to restoring function.
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Sources & how we know this
- Eduqas A Level Physical Education Specification — Eduqas (2016)