B-Tec Sport Risk Factors

Lack of Warm Up

The short term affect of a lack of warm up is that it you could pull your muscles. The time that you are out of action for will depend on the extent of the injury. The normal period of time that you will be out for with pulled muscles is 2-3 weeks.

The long term affects of a lack of warm up is that it could take longer for you to recover from any injuries that you might have. A constant lack of warm up will result in you being out of action for a longer period when you are injured in the future.

Lack of Cool Down

The short term affect of a lack of cool down is that it can cause a build up of lactic acid which will lead to cramp. To prevent this, all you need to do is do a short cool down at the end of each physical activity e.g. light jog around the playing area.

The long term affects of a lack of cool down is that you will be required to warm up more than usual to loosen up any tight muscles before participating in any future physical activities. Constant lack of cool down may cause you to get cramp persistently.

Poor Physique

The short term affect of poor physical fitness and a poor physique is that it will cause pulled muscles. To prevent this, all that is required is for you to stay in shape by doing regular exercise. The exercise does not have to be done at a high intensity level as long as you exercise regularly.

The long term affects of poor physical fitness and a poor physique is that it will take you longer to recover from injuries. For example if you get a hamstring injury, it will normally take you two weeks to recover from it. However, if you have poor physical fitness and a poor physique, it might take you 3-4 weeks.

Inadequate Diet

The short term affect of having an inadequate diet is that can cause injury. Carrying extra weight can cause you to get a back strain. It can also cause you to perform poorly. Sports stars especially boxers need to have a good diet consisting of carbohydrates, calcium, fats (not too much), fibre, minerals, proteins and vitamins.

The long term affects of having an inadequate diet is that it can limit the amount of time that you are involved in sport at the highest level. If you eat too much fatty foods it will lead to weight gain, which will then be harder to get rid of as you get older. Over dehydrating can also cause you to fall unconscious. This can be a big risk to your general health.

Misuse of Alcohol & Drugs

The short term affect of misuse of alcohol and drugs is that it can cause drowsiness and dehydration. Too much alcohol and drugs could even lead to you fainting. There are not many negative short term affects of taking performance enhancing drugs. However, there are negative long term affects. For misuse of alcohol and drugs.

The long term affects of misuse of alcohol and drugs are that it can cause permanent damage to organs in the body which can affect performance in sport. Too much alcohol can cause damage to the liver which can make it difficult for the athlete to perform. Misuse and overuse of alcohol and drugs can also result in decrease in stamina. Stamina is one of the most important aspects of a boxer. Drinking alcohol and taking drugs excessively can also slow down your reactions.

Environment

The short term affect of an environment with dangerous surroundings is that you could injure yourself e.g. if a player slid into the advertisement boards he could get cut etc…

The long term affect of an environment with dangerous surroundings such as advertisement boards is that you can dislocate a part of your body which can result you being out of action for a while.

Poor Technique

The short term affect of poor technique can be a minor injury such as bruising. This might keep you out of action for about a week depending on the extent of the bruising. If a rugby player has not been taught the correct way to tackle, he could injure himself as well as the opposing player.

The long term affects of poor technique are that it can cause a serious injury. These injuries can include a dislocated shoulder, broken arm, broken leg etc… These injuries can keep you out for quite a long time. Another long term affect is that until you don’t work on your technique, you will continue to cause injury and you will also be a technically poor athlete.

Lack of Skill

The short term affect of a lack of skill is that you can get an injury such as a twisted ankle. If a basketball player tries to a slam dunk but he lands awkwardly he might twist his ankle.

The long term affects of a lack of skill is that you can get ligament damage. This is the type of injury that can affect your future performances even when you have fully recovered.

Inappropriate clothing

The short affect of inappropriate clothing is that it can affect your performance. For example if you make good runs but you have a loose t-shirt, an opposing player is likely to take advantage by constantly pulling you t-shirt which will prevent you from playing your best.

The long term affects of inappropriate clothing is that it can cause serious injury. If you have a loose t-shirt on and an opposing player pulls your t-shirt and you fall down in an awkward position you could get seriously injured. You could get torn ligaments there is even a possibility of you breaking you leg. This will keep you out for a long time.

Overtraining

The short term affect of overtraining if muscle fatigue and cramp. Overtraining is bad for the body. You should only train according to how much your body can endure. This will prevent muscle fatigue and cramp.

The long term affect of overtraining is also muscle fatigue. If continue to persistently over train, your body will finally give in and you will have to take a long break from any physical activity. Constantly overtraining can also cause you to pull you muscles such as pulled quadriceps.

Weather conditions

The short term affect of poor weather conditions is that it can have a negative affect on your performance. If the football pitch is waterlogged, it will be difficult to play well.

The long term affect of poor weather conditions is that you can get injured. The weather might be so poor that it might affect the pitch in a bad way which can cause the players to get injuries such as twisted ankles and ligament damage.

Playing surface

The short term affect of a poor playing surface is that can affect your performance in the game. If the pitch has lumps and big patches of mud, players will find it difficult to perform well.

The long term affect of a poor playing surface is that it can cause injury. Your foot might get caught in the ground which can result in a twisted ankle or ankle ligament damage.

Incorrect Lifting and Carrying Procedures for Special Equipment

The short term affect of not using the correct procedure when lifting something is injuring yourself as well as the player you are lifting. The correct way of lifting something or someone is to bend your knees and back.

The long term affect of not using the correct procedure when lifting something or someone is permanent damage. If you lift something or someone in an incorrect way you could do some permanent damage to your back. This will limit what you can do in future physical activities.

Inappropriate or Lack of Specialist Sporting Equipment

The short term affect of having a lack of specialist sporting equipment is that it can cause injury. For example If a rugby player is not wearing a mouth-guard, he could get his teeth knocked out.

The long term affect of having a lack of specialist sporting equipment is that can affect your performance and it can cause you to get injured more often.

Misuse of Protective Equipment

The short term affect of misuse of protective equipment is that you will be more prone to injuries. For example if a boxer needs to wear a foul protector but he doesn’t he will get injured if he gets punched in the groin.

The long term affect of misuse of protective equipment is that you will get injured very easily. If you don’t use a mouth guard when boxing, you could get damage to the mouth.

Faulty and Damaged Equipment

The short term affect of using faulty and damaged equipment is that it might cause injury. If you don’t wear shin pads, you will come out with bruising to the shin in the least possible scenario.

The long term affect of using faulty and damaged equipment is that you can get seriously injured. If a player tackles you with a lot of force on your shins, you can split your shins. This is a very painful injury and will keep you out of action for a while.

Behaviour of Other Participants Endangering Others

The short term affect of this is that you will pick up an injury that will probably keep you out of physical action for about a couple of weeks.

The long term affect of this is that you might get permanent scaring or cuts if players start going out of order e.g. fighting.