define load
external force acting on tissues that causes internal reactions within the tissue (this is basically just the object you are picking up)
define stiffness
ability of a tissue to resist a particular load
define stress
internal resistance of the tissues to an external load
define dislocation
at least 1 bone in a joint is forced completely out of its normal and proper alignment
define subluxation
partial displacement (w/ return to “normal” position)
________________ is a complex physiological process that can be impacted by multiple things including:
extent of injury
physical health
nutrition
psychological factors
corticosteroid use
infection
adherence to protocols
healing
what are the 3 mechanisms of injury
compression
tension (separation)
Shear (torsion)
what is compression (mechanism of injury)?
force that occurs when the tissue is crushed in between 2 or more objects
what is tension/separation (mechanism of injury)?
force that occurs when a structure is pulled apart from either one of both ends
what is shear/torsion (mechanism of injury)?
when one or more forces move across the tissues
ex: knee ligaments (ACL or PCL tears), low back (disc herniations), blisters, abrasions
what is the degree of injury determined by?
the severity and intensity with which the force is applied and by the size of the area affected
T/F: Most likely a more severe injury if a great amount of force or stress is applied over a small area vs a larger area
true
what are the 3 phases of healing?
inflammatory phase
fibroblastic repair phase
maturation remodeling phase
how long is the inflammatory phase?
begins right when injury occurs and then up to 4 days post injury
how long is the fibroblastic phase?
from 3 days post injury to 6 weeks
how long is the maturation remodeling phase?
from 3 weeks post injury to years later
T/F: the 3 phases of healing do not overlap
false
what happens during the inflammatory phase?
thromboplastin is released from cells which creates events leading to formation of a clot (basic idea is that a “scab” starts forming)
platelets create a plug that helps limit the size of the inflamed area
vasoconstriction occurs and then vasodilation begins
some symptoms are pain, redness, swelling, and increased tissue temperature
at the end of this phase phagocytes debride the area
what happens during the fibroblastic repair phase?
(basic idea is that the “scab” is being replaced by stronger material but the stronger material is still pretty darn thin and prone to damage)
decrease in signs and symptoms of inflammation, continuation of phagocytic activity, fibroblastic activity, and formation of collagen tissue and a fragile scar
capillaries are formed which brings oxygen to the area
decreased debris, pressure, pain, and swelling (causes increased ROM)
fibroblasts create a loose meshwork of unorganized collagen at the injury site, which creates a fragile scar
what happens during the maturation remodeling phase?
(basic idea is that your “scab” is gone, and your scar is formed but is now strengthening)
organization of collagen scar tissue fibers occurs more in the beginning of this phase due to stress applied to the tissue
scar continues to strengthen and decrease in size
if too much stress exists, then scar disruption occurs and healing process takes much longer
what is a fracture?
a break or crack in the bone
what are the 2 simple fracture types?
closed
open/compond
list the signs and symptoms of a fracture:
Swelling: caused by bleeding, occurs rapidly
Deformity: not always obvious, bilateral comparison
Pain and tenderness: “sharp” acute pain at injury site
Loss of use: possible guarded motion
Crepitation: bone ends rubbing together. Do not move to in an attempt to reproduce
hairline fracture
a small crack in the bone that doesn’t go all the way through
oblique displaced fracture
when your bone breaks all the way and then moves out of place
oblique non-displaced fracture
when your bone breaks all the way but stays in place
linear fracture
a fracture that is a line down your bone
comminuted fracture
part of the bone shatters into many pieces (community of little bone dudes)
spiral fracture
a fracture that goes around the bone in a spiral way (spiral staircase)
segmental fracture
the bone breaks into 3 or more separate pieces (not in a tiny shattered way tho)
define luxation
complete bone displacement
what are the 3 skull fracture types?
linear
depressed
compound
linear skull fracture
breaks in the bone that transverse the full thickness of the skull
fairly straight fracture with no bone displacement
what is the common cause of a linear skull fracture?
blunt force trauma (falls/impacts) where the impact energy is transferred over a wide area of the skull
depressed skull fracture
comminuted (fragmented) fractures in which broken bones displace inward
these present a high risk of increased pressure on the brain, or hemorrhaging within the brain
look at this nice picture to help explain skull fractures…
compound skull fracture
a fracture in that puts the outside environment in contact with the brain itself (basically a piece of skull breaks off exposing the brain)
what are the symptoms of a skull fracture?
deformity
bleeding
“battle’s sign” (bruising right behind the ear)
“racoon eyes”
clear/pinkish fluid coming from ears or nose (w/ halo sign)
what are the 2 types of hematomas that can happen because of intracranial hemorrhages?
epidural hematoma
subdural hematoma
what is an epidural hematoma?
bleeding between the dura mater and the skull that herniates the brain towards the foramen magnum (this causes rapid bleeding and reduction of oxygen within tissues)
what is a subdural hematoma?
bleeding within meninges beneath dura mater and within subarachnoid space (this causes slow bleeding and signs progress over several days w/ slow deterioration of mentation)
what is a cerebral contusion?
a brain bruise where intracerebral bleeding occurs, and blood leaks into the brain tissue
what is a cerebral contusion caused by?
blunt trauma to local brain tissue (linear fractures & concussions)
what are the S/Sx for a cerebral contusion?
confusion
neurological deficits (personality changes, vision changes, speech changes)
what is a concussion?
a typically non-life‐threatening injury when the brain is jarred in the skull, resulting in altered consciousness and neurological deficits
evidence suggests that there is some level of structural damage in all of these injuries
minor changes may include decreases in blood flow, increases in intracranial pressure, or tissue anoxia
any brain cells damaged are extremely vulnerable to subsequent trauma
individuals sustaining a concussion have a ___ increased risk of sustaining an additional concussion
3x
what are the S/Sx of a concussion?
eye signs: pupil reaction to light, visual disturbances (double vision or photophobia)
balance disturbances: inability to maintain equilibrium
somatic changes: headache, vomiting, nausea, sleepiness
memory loss (anterograde amnesia or retrograde amnesia)
concentration deficits/information processing deficits (slurred speech, unable to follow directions, etc)
emotional changes
what is anterograde amnesia?
the inability to recall events that have transpired since the time of the injury
what is retrograde amnesia?
the inability to recall events that occurred prior to the injury
what is second impact syndrome (SIS)?
when an individual with a head injury receives another head injury before the symptoms of the initial injury have resolved
this involves rapid, catastrophic brain swelling that can result in death or permanent brain damage
what do you test in QUICK neurological tests?
observational testing (eye dilation, photophobia, gait, head tilt)
cognitive abilities
balance
name 2 types of scalp injuries
contusions (bruising) and edema (swelling)
significant hemorrhages
lacerations (cut/slit on head)
avulsions (whole ass piece ripped off head, like all layers of epidermis)
refer for possible underlying skull and brain injuries
T/F: your face has highly vascular tissue
true
name some common face fractures
mandibular (jaw) fractures
maxillary and nasal fractures
orbit (eye) fractures
what are the S/Sx of jaw dislocation?
extreme pain and deformity in the region of the TMJ (temporomandibular joint)
inability to move lower jaw
jaw is “locked”
T/F: you should immediately relocate jawbone if it dislocates
false (never do this)
what are the S/Sx of a zygomatic bone fracture
pain and edema at site of injury
diplopia (double vision)
edema and ecchymosis (bruising) spreads to the region of the orbit
Tx: have them transported to the ER or call EMS (don’t let them drive themselves)
the nose is a _________ framework wih skin attatched
bone-cartilage
T/F: most nasal injuries are rarely life threatening
true
what is epistaxis?
a nosebleed
what is epistaxis (nosebleed) caused by
direct trauma
allergies
dry nasal passages
continual inflammation from colds, nose picking, or drugs “snorted” up nose
how do you care for epistaxis?
wear gloves to avoid contact with blood
finger pressure applied directly against the nostril that is bleeding
application of a cold compress against the nasal region
can pack with gauze or cotton that protrudes from nostril
do NOT lie down or look up (that can cause blood to flow down throat and cause vomiting or choking)
what is a septal hematoma?
bleeding between the septum and the mucous membrane
swelling is usually visible inside and outside the nose
can lead to septal erosion
refer to physician for evaluation and treatment
what are the signs of a nasal fracture?
nosebleed
deformity
swelling at bridge of nose
Tx: control bleeding and refer
what is the treatment for a jaw dislocation?
application of ice pack and medical referral
suspect _______ _______ ______ if patient complains of sudden eye pain and sensation of something on the eye
small foreign body
what is a subconjunctival hemorrhage
occurs when a tiny blood vessel breaks just underneath the clear surface of your eye (conjunctiva)
less serious condition
may occur after a strong sneeze, severe vomiting, or direct trauma
what is hyphema?
blunt trauma to the anterior chamber of your eye (blood in front of the iris or pupil)
what is the cause of an orbital fracture?
a direct blow to the eye
S/Sx of orbital fractures depend on which bones are fractured, but they generally include what?
sunken or bulging eye
inability to look in various directions
blurred vision
swelling
deformity
racoon eyes
bleeding from lacerations
what is the treatment for an orbital fracture?
call 911
treat for shock
control bleeding
what are the symptoms for a retinal injury
floating particles in field of vision
distorted vision
changes in amount of light seen
what is a corneal abrasion?
a scratch on the surface of your eye that occurs due to something scraping the cornea or liquids getting into the eye that cause an allergic reaction
what are the S/Sx of a corneal abrasion?
pain and the sensation of an object in the eye
teary, red, and bloodshot eyes
blurred and decreased vision and sensitivity to light
what is the treatment for a corneal abrasion?
eye wash if possible and referring the individual to an ophthalmologist or the ER
what is conjunctivitis?
pink eye
what is the cause of conjunctivitis?
typically caused by a viral infection but can also be caused by bacteria, fungi, allergies, chemicals, and contacts
what are the S/Sx of conjunctivitis?
redness or pink color in the eye’s sclera (white of the eye)
itching
pain
blurred vision
sensitivity to light
significant eye discharge
Also this is highly contagious
what is the treatment for pink eye?
refer to physician and ensure good hygine
explain eye injury care:
corneal irritations
check for foreign bodies
rinse with clear water or saline solution
general injury
cover injured and uninjured eye
prevents sympathetic motion
consider sterile dressing soaked in saline
avulsed or impaled eye
cover and protect from injury
general care
calm and reassure patient
what are the 4 question to ask when looking at dental injuries?
can person open and close their mouth without pain?
what is the general symmetry of the teeth?
are there any irregularities in adjacent teeth?
is there bleeding, especially along gum line?
explain general external ear injuries
pinna frequently injured due to trauma, poor blood supply, or previous poor healing
explain general internal ear injuries
inner ear is well protected from trauma but can be injured due to things like rapid pressure changes (like diving, a blast, or explosion)
can cause temporary or permanent hearing loss
tinnitus (ear ringing) may occur
what is an auricular hematoma (cauliflower ear)?
the collection of blood below the skin of the outer ear due to constant friction or direct/blunt trauma
S/Sx for auricular hematoma (cauliflower ear)
friction induced S/Sx: pain, warmth, and swelling to cauliflower deformation
blunt trauma induced S/Sx: tinnitus, hearing loss, visual disturbances, pain, warmth, and swelling
Tx for auricular hematoma (cauliflower ear)
ice application
manual compression
referral to a physician if fluid must be drained from ear
injury prevention includes wearing appropriate protective ear wear, headgear, and helmets
what is otitis externa (swimmers ear)?
infection of the outer ear canal
occurs b/c water remains in the outer ear canal after bathing or swimming, sits in canal and bacteria grow
S/Sx of otitis externa/swimmers ear (may not experience significant signs and symptoms at first except for these)
itching
mild discomfort
redness of the outer ear canal
possible slight discharge
Tx and prevention for otitis externa/swimmers ear
refer individual to a physician
prevention includes keeping the outer ear canals dry after swimming or bathing
commercial preparations
ear plugs
what is otitis media?
a middle ear infection caused by bacteria or viruses trapped in the middle ear
S/Sx of otitis media
Significant pain
Sore throat
Fluid drainage from the ear
Muffled hearing
Difficulty sleeping
Low grade fever
Tx and prevention of otitis media
Tx: Refer to physician
Prevention: get flu vaccine annually, quit smoking and avoid secondhand smoke, wash hands regularly
care for fractures and dislocations in spine
tell the person not to move
maintain in-line stabilization
check ABCs
call 911
watch for/treat for shock
T/F: the level at which the vertebrate and spinal cord is damaged will result in different levels of dysfunction and possible permanent damage
true
a spinal cord/nerve injury on C1 and C2 results in
usually death
a spinal cord/nerve injury on C3 and C4 results in
complete disability
a spinal cord/nerve injury on C5-C8 results in
quadriplegia
a spinal cord/nerve injury on T1-T5 results in
paraplegia w/ potential thorax issues
a spinal cord/nerve injury on T6-T12 results in
paraplegia w/ less to no trunk issues
a spinal cord/nerve injury on L1-S5 results in
some possible loss of function in hips or legs but not necessarily paraplegia