Athletic Training: Trauma Mechanisms, Emergency Procedures, and Injury Evaluation

Vocabulary practice flashcards covering trauma mechanisms and tissue stresses, acute on-field emergency management and shock, and systematic off-field orthopedic evaluation protocols.

Trauma

A physical injury produced by an internal or external force, categorized as either acute or chronic in nature.

Yield Point

The limit at which tissue elasticity is almost fully exceeded; applying stress beyond this point leads to permanent plastic deformation and mechanical or tissue failure.

Tension

A mechanical tissue stress produced by pulling or stretching forces that elongate a structure.

Compression

A mechanical tissue stress produced by an axial or crushing load applied toward each other, causing tissue shortening.

Shearing

A mechanical stress caused by equal unaligned forces acting parallel across tissue surfaces in opposite directions.

Torsion

A twisting mechanical stress resulting from rotational forces applied along the longitudinal axis of a structure.

Epidermis

The outermost, non-vascularized epithelial layer of the skin located superior to the dermis.

Blister

A skin wound caused by repetitive friction stress resulting in fluid accumulation between epidermal layers, presenting as either open or closed.

Abrasion

An open wound produced by friction stress where the outer epidermal and dermal layers of the skin are scraped away.

Laceration

A jagged, irregular skin wound produced by blunt force trauma or tearing of tissue.

Skin Avulsion

A severe wound in which a piece of skin or soft tissue is forcibly torn completely or partially away from its source.

Puncture

A penetrating skin wound produced by a sharp, pointed object introducing high risk of deep tissue infection.

Contusion

A closed injury caused by a blunt compressive force that damages capillaries and results in bleeding into skin or muscle tissue (intramuscular bruise).

Epimysium

The dense layer of deep connective fascia that surrounds the entirety of an individual muscle belly.

Muscle Strain

An acute stretch, microtear, or full rupture of muscle fibers or tendons caused by excessive tension stress.

Muscle Cramp

An involuntary, painful spasmodic contraction of a muscle that occurs when flexed and fails to relax.

DOMS (Delayed-Onset Muscle Soreness)

Muscular stiffness, tenderness, and pain that typically manifests hours to days following unaccustomed or strenuous physical exertion.

Tendinopathy

A chronic overuse tendon condition that characteristically progresses from pain only after activity, to pain during and after activity, to constant pain before, during, and after activity.

Muscle Atrophy

The reduction in muscle mass, tone, and fiber diameter caused by immobilization, disuse, or nerve degeneration.

Bone Remodeling

The continuous physiological adaptation of bone width and structure determined by the dynamic balance between osteoblasts (bone-forming cells) and osteoclasts (bone-resorbing cells) under physical stress.

Stress Fracture

A chronic bone overuse injury resulting from repetitive micro-stress without adequate adaptation, progressing through muscle fatigue, periostitis, and focal bone reaction to a complete fracture.

Greenstick Fracture

An incomplete bone fracture occurring predominantly in skeletally immature patients where one side of the bone bends and frays while the other remains intact.

Comminuted Fracture

A fracture pattern where the affected bone is shattered or fragmented into three or more pieces at the site of injury.

Synarthrotic Joint

An immovable anatomical joint classification that lacks a joint cavity, exemplified by the sutures of the skull.

Amphiarthrotic Joint

A slightly movable cartilaginous joint classification, exemplified by the intervertebral discs and costovertebral articulations.

Diarthrotic Joint

A freely movable synovial joint containing a joint cavity and capsule, categorized structurally into ball-and-socket, hinge, pivot, saddle, gliding, and ellipsoidal types.

Ligament Sprain

A joint injury caused by tension or twisting forces that stretch or tear non-contractile connective tissue connecting bone to bone.

Subluxation

A partial or incomplete dislocation in which articulating joint surfaces separate transiently and spontaneously reduce back into alignment.

Osteoarthritis

A chronic degenerative condition characterized by the breakdown and wearing away of hyaline articular cartilage across load-bearing joints.

Emergency Action Plan (EAP)

A comprehensive written protocol detailing personnel roles, communication systems, required emergency equipment, transportation, rehearsals, and documentation for athletic crises.

Medical Time Out (MTO)

A pre-event briefing conducted by medical staff and athletic personnel to review emergency action plans, delineate response roles, and verify communication systems.

Primary Survey

The rapid initial on-field assessment performed to detect and manage immediate life threats including unconsciousness, ABCs, spinal motion restriction, severe bleeding, and shock.

Secondary Survey

A methodical, off-field orthopedic and systemic assessment performed once life-threatening conditions have been completely excluded.

Arterial Bleeding

A severe vascular emergency characterized by bright red blood spurting under high, pulsating hydrostatic pressure from a ruptured artery.

Venous Bleeding

Vascular bleeding characterized by a steady, slow flow of dark red deoxygenated blood.

Capillary Bleeding

Superficial microvascular bleeding characterized by a slow, even oozing of blood from minute vessels.

Shock

A progressive life-threatening condition defined by inadequate tissue perfusion resulting in cellular hypoxia due to reduced oxygen delivery, elevated oxygen consumption, or defective cellular utilization.

Hypovolemic Shock

A state of shock caused by internal or external loss of circulatory fluid volume due to severe hemorrhage, dehydration, or vomiting and diarrhea.

Cardiogenic Shock

A state of shock resulting from primary myocardial pump dysfunction, including heart failure, dysrhythmias, myocarditis, or cardiac contusion.

Obstructive Shock

A form of shock where the cardiac pump functions normally but systemic or pulmonary blood flow is physically blocked, as in tension pneumothorax or pulmonary embolism.

Distributive Shock

A form of shock characterized by loss of vascular tone and widespread peripheral vasodilation without primary volume loss, encompassing neurogenic, septic, and anaphylactic shock.

Psychogenic Shock

A transient syncope (fainting) response caused by rapid, sudden emotional or traumatic dilation of blood vessels that momentarily diminishes cranial perfusion.

Pulse

A direct clinical indicator of cardiac function measuring arterial wall expansion, possessing a resting normal baseline of $60\text{--}80\,\text{bpm}$.

Respiration

A vital sign reflecting pulmonary ventilation, with resting normal baselines of $12\,\text{bpm}$ in adults and $20\,\text{bpm}$ in children.

Blood Pressure

The lateral hydrostatic pressure exerted by circulating blood against systemic arterial walls during systole and diastole, with a normal baseline of $120/80\,\text{mmHg}$.

P.O.L.I.C.E. Principle

A modern acute management framework consisting of Protection, Optimal Loading, Ice, Compression, and Elevation.

Distal C.M.S. Check

The clinical assessment of neurovascular integrity checking distal Circulation (pulses), Motor ability, and Sensory perception before and after applying splints or immobilizing an injured limb.

Pathology

The structural and functional alterations in cells, tissues, and organs produced by an injury or disease mechanism.

Symptom

A subjective change in somatic sensation or function reported directly by the patient indicating an underlying illness or injury.

Sign

An objective, observable, and measurable physical finding detected during clinical evaluation of a patient.

Differential Diagnosis

The systematic clinical process of distinguishing between multiple conditions that present with similar signs and symptoms.

Prognosis

A professional forecast predicting the probable course, recovery timeline, and ultimate outcome of an injury or illness.

Coronal Plane

The vertical anatomical plane that bisects the body into anterior and posterior (dorsal and ventral) halves, primarily accommodating abduction and adduction movements.

Sagittal Plane

The longitudinal anatomical plane that divides the body into right and left segments, primarily accommodating flexion and extension movements.

Transverse Plane

The horizontal anatomical plane that divides the body into superior and inferior sections, primarily accommodating rotational movements.

SOAP Notes

A standardized clinical evaluation record formatted into Subjective history, Objective clinical measurements, Assessment diagnosis, and Plan of rehabilitation.

OLD CARTS

A diagnostic mnemonic used to characterize the history of present illness: Onset, Location, Duration, Characteristics, Aggravates/Alleviates, Radiate, Treatments.

Goniometry

The objective measurement of joint angles to determine available active and passive range of motion in degrees.

Manual Muscle Testing (MMT)

A clinical procedure used to grade isometric, concentric, and eccentric muscular contractile strength on a scale from $0$ to $5$ relative to the contralateral limb.

Myotome

A specific skeletal muscle or group of muscles innervated by the somatic motor fibers of a single individual spinal nerve root.

Dermatome

A defined region of skin whose sensory innervation is supplied by a specific single posterior spinal nerve root.