Capstone

presentation
By Sheetle Bhandall
How do injuries affect
athletes mental health?

By Sheetle Bhandall
Table of contents

01 Introduction 02 Mental affects

03 Physical affects 04 Reflection

Why did I pick this question?
I chose injuries as the essential question for my capstone
project because I endured a knee injury and am particularly
interested in the causes and treatments of such injuries. Through my
studies, I wish to gain a better understanding of the human body and
the processes that regulate injury and recovery, as well as the
numerous sorts of injuries and treatment choices accessible.

In addition, I am curious about how injuries affect both players and

non-athletes, and how they could have been avoided in the first
place. This might involve knowing the significance of appropriate
form and technique in sports and exercise, as well as the function of
conditioning and warm-up exercises in injury prevention.

 01

Introduction
 What are micro tears?
Small tears or injury in the tissues surrounding the knee joint are referred to as micro tears.
Overuse, repetitive motions, or abrupt strong movements are the most common causes of
these tears. Micro tears can occur in a variety of knee tissues, including the muscles,
tendons, ligaments, and cartilage. Sports activities, running, and other high-impact
exercises are common causes of micro tears in the knee.

Micro tears of the knee can cause discomfort, swelling, and stiffness in the affected area.
Pain could become worse with exercise but decrease during rest. A popping or clicking
feeling in the knee may occur in some circumstances. In more severe cases, surgery may be
necessary to repair or remove damaged tissues. It is important to seek medical attention if
you suspect that you have a micro tear in your knee or if your symptoms persist despite
rest and home remedies.

The term "strained knee muscles" typically

refers to an injury in which the muscles and/or
tendons in the knee are stretched or torn as a
result of excessive force or overuse. The
quadriceps, hamstrings, and calf muscles are
just a few of the muscles and tendons that can
become strained around the knee. Sudden
movements, twisting or bending of the knee, or
repetitive activities that exert strain on the knee
muscles are all common causes of knee muscle
strains.
 My injury
Depending on the severity of the strain, recovery time can vary widely. In some
cases, a mild strain may only require a few days of rest and home remedies,
while more severe strains may take several months to heal. In my case, I
strained all of the muscles in my knee, meaning that the injury was more
severe.

Treatment for a knee muscle strain typically involves rest, ice, compression, and
elevation of the affected area to reduce pain and swelling. In more severe
cases like mine, physical therapy was necessary to help improve strength,
flexibility, and mobility in the affected area. In some cases, surgery may be
necessary to repair torn or damaged tissues.

 Symptoms
1. Pain: Pain is a common symptom of a micro tear in any of these

ligaments. The pain may be mild to severe and may increase

with activity.

2. Swelling: Swelling is another common symptom of a micro tear

in any of these ligaments. The affected area may become

swollen and tender to the touch.

3. Stiffness: Stiffness in the knee joint is a common symptom of a

micro tear. The affected knee may be difficult to move or bend.

 Symptoms
1. Instability: Micro tears in the ACL, MCL, or PCL can cause

instability in the knee joint, making it feel like the knee may give

out or buckle.

2. Decreased Range of Motion: A micro tear in any of these

ligaments can cause a decrease in the range of motion in the

knee joint, making it difficult to straighten or bend the knee.

3. Clicking or Popping: Some people with a micro tear in one of

these ligaments may hear a clicking or popping sound in the

knee joint.

 Treatment
1. Rest: Resting the affected knee is often the first step in treating a micro tear. This

may include limiting physical activity and using crutches to avoid putting weight

on the knee.

2. Ice: Applying ice to the affected area can help reduce swelling and alleviate pain.

3. Compression: Wrapping the affected knee with a compression bandage can help

reduce swelling and provide support to the knee joint.

4. Elevation: Elevating the affected leg can help reduce swelling and improve blood

flow to the affected area.

 Treatment
1. Physical Therapy: Physical therapy may be recommended

to help improve strength, flexibility, and mobility in the

knee joint. Exercises may include range-of-motion

exercises, strengthening exercises, and balance training.

2. Medications: Over-the-counter pain relievers such as

acetaminophen or nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs

(NSAIDs) may be recommended to alleviate pain and

reduce inflammation.

3. Surgery: In some cases, surgery may be necessary to repair

or reconstruct the affected ligament or meniscus.

 The mental affects

Fear of re-injury Self efficacy Visual motor integrations

01 02 03
02 Mental affects
 General overview
People may feel isolated after getting sports-related injuries for several reasons. Firstly, sports
can be a significant source of social interaction and support. When someone is injured and can
no longer participate in their usual sporting activities, they may feel cut off from their social
circle and support network.

Secondly, sports injuries can be physically limiting and cause pain, which can make it
challenging to participate in everyday activities. This can result in a sense of isolation as the
injured person may need to rest or avoid certain activities, which can limit their ability to
socialize and connect with others.

Lastly, sports injuries can also affect a person's mental health, particularly if they were heavily
invested in their sport or if their sport was a significant part of their identity. The loss of their
athletic identity can lead to feelings of loss, depression, and anxiety, which can contribute to a
sense of isolation.

 Fear of
01
re-injury

 Fear of re-injury
Fear of re-injury is frequent following a knee injury,
especially if you've had a previous injury or if your damage
was serious. Fear of re-injury is a typical reaction when
returning to physical activity or sports. Athletes who have
been hurt may become scared of re-injuring themselves,
which can cause anxiety and tension.

 The cycle
The fear of re-injury, which is a psychological
response commonly observed in athletes following
a sports injury, can significantly impede the overall
rehabilitation process and ultimately hinder the
successful return to sports. This phenomenon has
been widely recognized as a major obstacle that
can negatively impact rehabilitation outcomes.
Therefore, addressing this fear of re-injury in a
comprehensive and effective manner is crucial to
ensure optimal rehabilitation outcomes and
facilitate a successful return to sports.
 How can you
overcome this fear?
 1. Follow a rehabilitation plan: Following a rehabilitation plan created by a
physical therapist can help you regain strength and flexibility in your knee joint
while minimizing the risk of re-injury. It's essential to follow your rehabilitation
plan consistently and make any necessary adjustments as recommended by
your physical therapist.
2. Gradually increase activity: Gradually increasing activity levels can help you
regain confidence in your knee joint while reducing the risk of re-injury. It's
important to start with low-impact activities and gradually increase the intensity
and duration of the activity over time.

02 Self efficacy
 Self efficacy
• Self-efficacy is a person's belief in their ability to
succeed in a particular situation. It's the main part of
the self-system comprised of a person's attitude
abilities and cognitive skills.
• Has been shown to influence how athletes feel, think
and motivate themselves through personal judgements
and perceptions made about their abilities

 The affects
1) Cognitive appraisal: What we think about the
injury and its relationship to our lives and goals.

2) Emotional response: How we feel about the

injury, our future, and how mood and energy are
affected.

3) Behavioural response: What we do in response

to injury and functional loss, ie, planning and
execution.

 Cognitive appraisal
Being sidelined can have a significant impact on an athlete's
capacity to cope with the stress of injury and recuperation,
leading to catastrophic thinking. Catastrophic thinking is
characterised as anticipating the worst-case situation, which
frequently leads to feelings of powerlessness, rumination,
and amplification of symptoms.
Emotional response
1. Anxiety is an anticipation of a future concern and is more associated with muscle
tension and avoidance behaviour. Athletes start to think far ahead and worry
themselves about future concerns which causes them to stress about situations in
the moment.
2. Frustration arises from the perceived resistance to the fulfillment of an individual's
will or goal and is likely to increase when a will or goal is denied or blocked.
3. Athletes become frustrated when they can't do an exercise, are behind schedule
on recovery, and see others playing the sport they aren't able to play because of
their injury.

Behavioural response
1. Anxiety is connected to muscle tension and avoiding activity since it is the
anticipation of a future issue. Athletes begin to think far ahead and worry
about future worries, which drives them to be worried about current
situations.
2. Frustration stems from supposed opposition to the fulfilment of an
individual's desire or objective, and it is likely to increase when a will or aim
is denied or obstructed.
3. Athletes grow upset when they are unable to engage in a workout, are
behind schedule in their recovery, and observe others participating in sports
that they are unable to participate in due to injury.

 Visual motor
03
integrations
 •

• Visual Motor Integration is comprised of the ability

to correctly perceive visual information, process it
and move your hands or body accordingly

• This works by the eyes sending a message to the

brain telling it how to move and then the brain
reacts and signals the movement of the body

 The affect - brain plasticity

• Visual Motor Integrations results in brain plasticity is the reorganization
of the brain from time to time to accommodate changes.
• When you tear an ACL, the knee remains disused, the brain no longer
receives somatosensory signals from that area because the nerves in
the area cause a breakdown in communication between the new ACL
and the central nervous system.
• The brain then stops catering to that area of knee causing the patient
recovering to no longer fully trust their knee to move as before.

 The solution

Sports Vision Training is a customized program

that improves the communication between in
your eyes, brain, and body while playing
sports.
This helps the athletes to process information
and be able to react faster and more accurately
to what they see on the court, field etc..

How does sports vision training work?

It works by causing distractions in visual
training by using blindfolds or closed eyes .
This enables the patient to stop
concentrating on what they see but instead
learn to use their other senses again when
moving. This leads to the brain plasticity in
the athletes body to relearn how to send/
receive somatosensory signals to the nerves
connected to the new ACL.
Plyometric training
Plyometric Training is exercises in which the muscles exert
maximum force in a short interval time.

Exercises include
• Box jumps
• Lateral jumps
• Ladder training
• Various jumps

 Resistance training
Resistance Training involves doing exercises that cause muscles to contract
against an external force or resistance. Different forms of resistance training are
using free weights, weight machines, resistance bands, and your own body
weight.

Exercises include
• Squats with bands and weights
• Lunges with bands and weights
• Banded box jumps and lands
• Pivoting

 Skills you learn

1.Visual reaction time: The speed at which the
brain processes visual input from the eyes
2. Visual tracking: accurately tracking a fast-
moving object or person
3.Depth perception: identifying the exact location
and distance of an object or person
4.Hand-eye and body-eye coordination:
coordinating visual information with other motor
skills
5.Visual Processing: the ability to make sense of
information gathered through our eyes

03 Physical affects
 01

Muscle mass
Muscle mass
• Muscle mass is the amount of muscle in
your body, including skeletal muscles,
smooth muscles and cardiac muscles.

• Compared to the nonsurgical leg, muscle

mass in the quadriceps (the larger muscles
in the front of your thigh) has been reported
to be 20-30% smaller 3-months after surgery
and 10% smaller after 1 year.

 Why does this happen?

• When you engage in any sort of physical activity,
your muscles tell your body that you need those
muscles to function.
• Athletes tend to have a higher muscle mass
because their bodies have to respond to the
increased activity they engage in, so when activity is
decreased muscle mass is lost.
• In the first couple of weeks, the overall reduced land
on your muscles leads to disuse muscle atrophy.

 Muscle atrophy
• Muscle Atrophy is the loss of strength and muscle mass.
There are 2 types:

• Disuse muscle atrophy occurs with bed rest, not moving a

joint or leg and physical inactivity.

• Neurogenic atrophy is caused by an injury affecting nerves

that connect to your muscles.

 Disuse muscle atrophy

Disuse muscle atrophy is caused by not using your muscles enough. If you
stop using your muscles, your body won't waste the energy it needs to take
care of them. Instead, your body will start to break your muscles down,
which causes them to decrease in size and strength. After surgery athletes
are usually on bed rest for the first week and don't fully use their muscles
until month 2 of rehab. The loss of skeletal muscle can be reversed upon the
return of normal bearing and reloading
of the limb.

 02

arthritis
 Arthritis
•Children and teens who go through
ACL surgery are up to 10 times
more likely to develop early arthritis
- typically about 15 years after the
surgery.
•When it occurs the knee joint, the
normally smooth , cushioning
surface if the joint is worn away,
leaving rough, exposed bone.

 Symptoms of Osteoarthritis

Pain Bone
Stiffness
spurs

Affected joints might Articular cartilage, patella, Knee swelling causes

hurt during or after synovial membrane joints to become stiff
movement

Tenderness
Noises

Joints will feel tender when

applying light pressure Creaking, clicking, grinding or
snapping noises (crepitus)

More about the topic

Mercury is the closest planet to the Speaking of craters, many of them

Sun and the smallest one in the entire were named after artists or authors
Solar System. This planet's name has who made significant contributions to
nothing to do with the liquid metal, their respective fields. Mercury takes
since Mercury was named after the a little more than 58 days to complete
Roman messenger god. Despite being its rotation, so try to imagine how long
closer to the Sun than Venus, the days must be there! The temperatures
temperatures of this planet is actually are so extreme, Mercury has been
aren't as terribly hot as the latter’s deemed to be non-habitable
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