How can performers prevent injury, and how do performance-enhancing drugs affect sport?
Injury prevention (PARQ, correct technique, protective equipment), common sports injuries and RICE, and the effects of performance-enhancing drugs.
A focused answer to Edexcel GCSE PE on preventing injury: the use of a PARQ, correct technique and protective equipment, common injuries and the RICE treatment, and the positive and negative effects of performance-enhancing drugs.
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What this dot point is asking
Edexcel wants you to explain how injuries are prevented (a PARQ, correct technique, protective equipment), name common sports injuries and the RICE treatment, and evaluate the effects of performance-enhancing drugs.
Preventing injury
A PARQ flags conditions (such as a heart problem or a recent injury) that mean training should be amended, so it is the first safety step before a programme begins.
Common sports injuries
The RICE treatment
Performance-enhancing drugs
The exam asks you to weigh the positive and negative effects. PEDs can improve performance, but they are cheating (unfair to clean athletes), carry severe health risks (heart and liver damage, addiction, aggression), and bring disqualification, fines and lasting damage to reputation if caught. A balanced evaluation sets the performance gain against the ethical and health costs.
Exam-style practice questions
Practice questions written in the style of Pearson Edexcel exam questions on this dot point, with worked answer explainers. The year tag is the paper they imitate, not the source.
Edexcel 20183 marksDescribe three ways a performer can reduce the risk of injury during training and competition.Show worked answer →
A Component 1 short-answer question. One mark per correct method.
Award marks for any three of: complete a PARQ before starting to check readiness for exercise; apply the principles of training correctly to avoid overuse injuries (progressive overload, rest); warm up before and cool down after activity; use correct technique; wear appropriate protective clothing and equipment (shin pads, gum shield, helmet); follow the rules of the activity; and check equipment and facilities are safe before use.
The mark is for a genuine prevention method, so listing a treatment such as RICE would not score here.
Edexcel 20224 marksA sprinter is considering using anabolic steroids. Evaluate the positive and negative effects of anabolic steroids on the performer.Show worked answer →
A Component 1 application question, marks for balanced positive and negative effects.
Award marks for: anabolic steroids increase muscle mass and strength and allow harder training and faster recovery, which could improve sprint power (positive). However, they are banned (so the athlete risks disqualification, fines and a damaged reputation), they cause serious side effects (heart and liver damage, mood swings, aggression), and they are cheating, which is unfair to clean athletes (negative).
A top answer weighs the performance gain against the health and ethical costs and reaches a judgement.
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Sources & how we know this
- Pearson Edexcel GCSE (9-1) Physical Education (1PE0) specification — Pearson Edexcel (2016)