FREQUENCY OF PERIPHERAL NERVE INJURIES IN ATHLETES OF CERTAIN SPORTS CLUBS IN THE CITY OF ZADAR

Peripheral nerves in athletes are susceptible to injury due to an increase in physiological requirements in the training process to neurological structures and to the soft tissues that protect them. The training process is conditioned by the rank and level of competition and its implementation largely depends on the education of professional staff. Common mechanisms of injury are pressure, sprain, strain, ischemia, and sports injury. Seddon's original system of dividing nerve injuries based on neurophysiological changes is most widely used in medicine. The initial stage of nerve injury is neuropraxia, the second stage is axonal degeneration, and the third stage is nerve cutting. Peripheral nerve injuries are more common in the upper extremities than in the lower extremities. They have specifics related to a particular sport, in this case, football and basketball, and often have a biomechanical component in the making. Early detection allows an appropriate rehabilitation program to be initiated and biomechanics changed before the nerve injury becomes permanent. Recognizing nerve injury requires an understanding of peripheral neuroanatomy, knowledge of common nerve injury sites, and awareness of the types of peripheral nerve injuries that are common and specific to a particular sport. Rehabilitation programs in the field of kinesiology can be read through FMS protocols. Electrodiagnostic tests (electromyography), somatosensory evoked potentials, magnetic resonance imaging, and ultrasound are used to diagnose peripheral nerve injuries. Proximal peripheral nerve injuries have a slightly poorer prognosis in terms of neurological recovery in athletes. The survey determined the frequency of injuries in the subjects and that there is a misunderstanding among the athletes themselves, which is a peripheral nerve injury. The survey also found that peripheral nerve injuries occur due to acute injuries, while chronic injuries are excessive, resulting in damage to muscles and joints, and rarely as a result of inappropriate sports equipment. Athletes' knowledge of what constitutes a peripheral nerve injury itself and how this type of injury should be given more importance in further general prevention has also been established.