INTRINSIC AND EXTRINSIC FACTORS Sports Injuries INTRINSIC AND EXTRINSIC FACTORS

INTRODUCTION When participating in any sport, injury is a common occurrence. All types of injuries can be categorized as either: INTRINSIC -- the physical aspect of the athletes body that can cause injury EXTRINSIC – all other risk factors external to the body that can cause injury

EXTRINSIC FACTORS Extrinsic factors are broken down into the following sub groups: Coaching Incorrect Technique Environmental Factors Safety Hazards

INTRINCIC FACTORS Intrinsic factors are more common, as they are factors that are IN your control. They can include: Training preparation Individual variables (age, height, weight, fitness level) Postural (overuse)

Risk Factors Breakdown (Extrinsic) Coaching: Poor coaching/leadership Communication Ensuring adherence to rules Qualified and appropriate activities Incorrect Technique: Lifting and handling of equipment (un supervised, no spotters) Failure to stretch and loosen muscles (warm up) Environment: Weather effect on surfaces Clothing and footwear appropriate (protective gear for specified sport)

Continued Safety Hazards: The importance of safety checks Environment safety checks Equipment safety checks Misuse of equipment Risk assessment

RISK FACTORS BREAKDOWN (INTRINSIC) Training Factors: Muscle imbalance, poor preparation, level of fitness, overuse of certain muscle Individual Variables: Age, fitness level, growth development (maturity), previous injury history, flexibility, nutrition, sleep

ROLE OF COACH It is the coach’s (instructors) responsibility to have a high degree of knowledge in the sport that he/she is involved in. The coach (instructor) should be aware of common types of injury and prevention methods that the athlete must adhere to. There are some cases that the intrinsic factors relating to sport do not fall entirely on the coach (instructor) but rather on the athlete themselves. Simply stating that you have warmed up, is not sufficient when prepping for a sport, as injury can happen much easier as the body does not have enough blood flowing to each muscle. However, it is the coach’s responsibility to guide you with the extrinsic factors relating to sports as they have a hand in making the final decision about participating in said sport.