Physiology And Sports
Physiology and sports are about improving performance by knowing how our body works during exercise. By using scientific principles we can train our bodies in a better and effective way.
Our body has a complex function of various body systems. We need proper functioning of various systems, which makes us more efficient.
Physiology deals with the function of the body system and its effects. Through regular exercise, the physiological function of the body system can be improved and thus body efficiency increases a lot.

Physiological Changes Determining Components of Fitness
Physiological Factors Determining Strength
Strength is the ability to overcome resistance.
Physiological Factors Determining Endurance
Endurance is the ability to resist fatigue

Physiological Factors Determining Speed
Speed is the ability to do work at a faster rate
Physiological Factors Determining Flexibility
Flexibility is the ability of joints to move in the maximum range.
Click Below To Learn Other Chapter Notes
- Class 12 Physical Education Syllabus
- Chapter 1: Management of Sporting Events
- Chapter 2: Children and women in sports
- Chapter 3: Yoga and lifestyle
- Chapter 4: Physical Education and sports for CWSN
- Chapter 5: Sports & Nutrition
- Chapter 6: Test and measurement in sports
- Chapter 7: Physiology and Injuries in sports
- Chapter 8: Biomechanics and sports
- Chapter 9: Psychology and sports
- Chapter 10: Training in Sports
Effect of exercises on various systems
Exercises are an integral part of our life. It increases various demands on our body, as a result, our body starts compensating demand by increasing muscle tissues and neural connections.
Exercises Physiology optimises our body’s cardiovascular, respiratory, nervous, muscular, and endocrine systems.
Effect On Cardiovascular System
Effect on Respiratory System
Effect on Muscular System
Physiological Changes Due to Aging
As we age, our bodies undergo several physiological changes that are a natural part of the aging process. These changes affect various systems and functions, leading to differences in how we feel and function as we get older. Here are some common physiological changes due to aging:
Cardiovascular system: The heart may pump less efficiently, and blood vessels can become less flexible, leading to decreased blood flow and potential increases in blood pressure.
Musculoskeletal system: Muscle mass and strength tend to decrease, while joints may become stiffer and less flexible, making movement more challenging.
Respiratory system: Lung capacity might decrease, leading to reduced overall lung function and possible shortness of breath during physical activities.
Nervous system: Nerve cells may decline in number, impacting cognitive functions such as memory and processing speed.
Digestive system: The digestive process might slow down, leading to potential issues with nutrient absorption and digestion.
Sensory systems: Vision and hearing can be affected, leading to changes in eyesight and difficulty hearing high-frequency sounds.
Immune system: The immune response might weaken over time, making older adults more susceptible to infections and illnesses.
Endocrine system: Hormone production and regulation can change, affecting various bodily functions and metabolism.
Skin: The skin becomes thinner and less elastic, leading to wrinkles, dryness, and an increased risk of skin injuries.
Sleep: Sleep patterns can change, with older adults experiencing more frequent awakenings during the night.
It’s important to note that while these changes are normal, maintaining a healthy lifestyle, including regular exercise, a balanced diet, and staying mentally and socially active, can help mitigate some of the effects of aging and promote overall well-being.
Sports Injuries

In sports, injuries are common and they can occur to anyone and at any time. Injury causes damage to any internal and external parts, which affects the health of individuals. It can be classified as:
Soft Tissue Injuries: Skin injuries and muscle injuries
Hard Tissue Injuries: Fracture and dislocation

Soft Tissue Injuries
Contusion
It happens due to direct hit by any solid thing. In contusion blood vessels in the muscle are broken and sometimes bleeding may occur.
Stiffness and swelling are common features at the site of contusion
Abrasion
Abrasion occurs due to friction or fall over the area where the bone is very close to the skin.
When someone falls on the ground, layers of skin rub off due to friction. It generally occurs on a rough surface.
Bruises
Bruises are not seen because the upper skin remains unaffected, but inner tissues are damaged. Beneath the skin blood collects near the surface skin.
Bruises appear reddish at the beginning and turn blue after a few hours
Strain
Strain is a muscle injury which can be mild as well as severe. It is a tearing of a muscle or a tissue connecting muscle to bone (tendon).
It occurs usually due to fatigue, overuse, or improper use of a muscle. Strains can happen in any muscle, sometimes complete muscle gets raptured.
Chronic strains are usually caused by moving the muscles and tendons in repetitions.
Sprain
It is a ligament injury. It occurs due to overstretched or tearing of the ligament. Falling on ground, twisting or getting hit can force a point out of its normal position.
In this injury swelling, inflammation and severe pain are common symptoms.Generally sprain occurs at write and ankle joints.
First Aid and Management of Soft Tissue Injuries
The treatment referred to as PRICER
P = Protection, R = Rest, I = Ice, C= Compression,
E = Elevation, R= Rehabilitation
Rest: Completely restrict the movement
Compression: Bandage should be applied to reduce swelling
Elevation: Elevate the affected part above the level of the heart
Rehabilitation: Perform some exercise to regain strength
Hard Tissue Injuries
( Bones and joint injuries)
Dislocation
It is a joint injury. In this injury the ends of bones are forced out from the normal position. This type of injury is very painful, it temporarily deforms and immobilizes your joints. Dislocation is most common in the shoulders and fingers.
A dislocation occurs in contact sports or sports which involves falls like gymnastics, wrestling, football, etc.
Fracture
A fracture is a complete, partial break or cracks in a bone. There are many types of fractures occurs
First Aid
First aid is the first help that is given to the wounded or accidental victim before taking him to the hospital. It is temporary and immediate care given to a victim of an accident or sudden illness.
Objectives of First Aid
To preserve life: Every possible effort is done to save the life of a wounded person with the help of First Aid.
To Alleviate pain: Major objective is to reduce unbear pain
To prevent the condition from worsening: It provides to prevent the condition from worsening before he gets the help of doctor
To promote recovery: It is given to start the process recovery as early as possible
Click Below To Learn Other Chapter Notes
- Class 12 Physical Education Syllabus
- Chapter 1: Management of Sporting Events
- Chapter 2: Children and women in sports
- Chapter 3: Yoga and lifestyle
- Chapter 4: Physical Education and sports for CWSN
- Chapter 5: Sports & Nutrition
- Chapter 6: Test and measurement in sports
- Chapter 7: Physiology and Injuries in sports
- Chapter 8: Biomechanics and sports
- Chapter 9: Psychology and sports
- Chapter 10: Training in Sports
Frequently Asked Questions
Multiple Choice Questions
1.Sprain is a
a. Joint injury
b. Muscle injury
c. Bone injury
d. Ligament injury
2. Injury occur due to friction is
a. Abrasion
b. Contusion
c. Bruises
3. Most common fracture in children is
a. Red stick Fracture
b. Green stick Fracture
c. Blue sick Fracture
d. Yellow stick Fracture
4. Which is not an effect of exercise on respiratory system
a. Strong willpower
b. Increase tidal volume
c. Increase residual volume
d. Increase stroke volume
5. Physiological factor determine Strength is
a. Explosive strength
b. Aerobic capacity
c. Anaerobic capacity
d. Body weight
Short Answer (SA) Type Questions
1. Define Physiology. Why Physiology is important in sports
Ans. Physiology is defined as the branch of science that deals with the functioning of the organs and their relationships with other organ systems to maintain functioning of the human body.
Physiology is essential to understand how to attain physical fitness in order to enhance the performance in sports by improving the functions of the body.
It facilitates the profiling and monitoring of specific parameters relevant to optimize sports performance. Physiology is also important to understand sports activities alter the structure and functioning of our body.
2. Discuss the different factors that determine strength as a component of physical fitness
Ans. The factors determining strength as a component of physical fitness are as follows.
(i) Size of the Muscle. The size of the muscle determines the strength possessed by an individual. Males have bigger and larger muscles due to which they have more strength than females.
(ii) Muscle Composition. Muscles consist of two types of fibers i.e. fast twitch fibers (white fibers) and slow twitch fibers (red fibers). The fast twitch fibers are capable of contracting faster and therefore they can produce more force.
On the contrary, the slow twitch fibers are not capable of contracting faster but they are capable of controlling for a longer duration.
Muscles containing more percentage of fast twitch fibers produce more strength. The percentage of fast and slow twitch fibres is genetically determined and cannot be changed through training.
(iii) Intensity of the Nerve Impulse. A muscle consists of many motor units. The number of contracting motor units determines the total force. If muscles contract with greater intensity then more strength will be produced.
3. Discuss the physiological factors determining flexibility.
Ans. The physiological factors determining flexibility are as follows
(i) Joint Structure. The joint structure of a person determines the range of and hence level the flexibility of an individual.
Fov example, the ball and socket joint of the shoulder has the greater range of motion in comparison to the knee joint.
(ii) Age and Gender. The age of a person as well as the gender determines the level of flexibility. It can be enhanced with the help of training as strength and endurance are enhanced, flexibility decreases with advancement of age and females are more flexible than males.
(iii) Stretchability of Muscles. If the muscles are regularly stretched, then they remain flexible. The stretchability of muscles depends on the amount of exercises and physical activities.
4. Explain the difference between oxygen intake and oxygen uptake.
Ans. The difference between oxygen intake and oxygen uptake is given below
Oxygen Intake | Oxygen Uptake |
It is the amount of oxygen which can be drawn into the lungs from the atmosphere | It is the amount of oxygen which can be absorbed or consumed by the working muscle from the blood |
It depends upon size of the chest strength of respiratory muscles, long size number of active album releases etc. | It depends on the rate of diffusion of oxygen into the blood which is for the determined by the speed of blood flow, blood temperature and the partial pressure of oxygen in blood |
5. Discuss three effects of exercise on the muscular system of our body.
Ans. The effects of exercise on the muscular system are as follows:
I. Increase in lactate threshold. Exercise increases the ability of the muscles to tolerate lactic acid this increases endurance as the working capacity of the muscle Rises and muscles work for longer duration without fatigue
II. Increase in muscle mass. Regular exercise and physical activities increase the muscle mass of a person does making him stronger filter and healthy hair
III. Muscle coordination. Frequent exercise and special use of specific muscles for the same or similar skill task like dribbling a ball in a game of football leads to improved coordination. The coordination of nerves to skeletal muscles also improves.
6. Explain the redistribution of blood flow in our body during exercise and rest.
Ans. During exercise the requirement of oxygen by the active muscle goes up by 10 to 12 times. From 1200 ml/minute at rest, it can go up to 12500 ML / minute at maximum exercise. Similarly the requirement of the skin causes from 500ml per minute to 1900 ml/ minute during maximal exercise.
This increase can be accomplished through increased cardiac output and distribution of blood from areas of the body like the Kidneys, abdomen and other areas.
For instance, at rest the blood flow through the Kidneys is 1100 ml/minute, which can be reduced to 600 ml/minute during exercise. Similarly the blood flow at rest through the abdomen is 1400 ml per minute, which can be reduced to 600 ml/minute during exercise.
7. What are sports injuries? What are the two kinds of injuries ?
Ans. A sports injury may be defined as damage to the tissues of the body that occurs as a result of sport or exercise.
They are commonly caused by overuse, direct impact, or the application of force that is greater than the force that a body part can structurally withstand.
There are two kinds of sports injuries i.e. acute and chronic. Acute injury is an injury that occurs suddenly, such as sprained ankle caused by an awkward landing while chronic injury is caused by repeated overuse of muscle groups or joints.
Poor technique and structural abnormalities can also contribute to the development of chronic injuries.
8. What is contusion? What are its causes and preventive measures?
Ans. A contusion is a bruise caused by a direct blow or repeated blows, crushing underlying muscle fibers and connective tissue without breaking the skin. It is conunon in boxing.
Contusion is caused due to repeated blows which causes accumulation of blood around the injury and it discolors the skin, Preventive measures are that players should wear protective equipment. They should perform warming ups. They should learn correct techniques and be cautious and alert
9. What is the difference between laceration and Incision? What first-aid should be used to treat them ?
Ans. Laceration and incision are both a cut on the epidermis layer of skin due to a severe impact by a sharp object. The difference is that, in laceration there is irregular break in the skin but in incision there is sharp, straight or diagonal cut on the skin.
The first-aid used for treating laceration/incision is
- Clean the surface of the cut with water.
- Apply antiseptic cream and bandage.
- If there is bleeding, then cover it with cotton or bandage and press to stop bleeding.
10. Explain briefly strain and sprain.
Ans. Strain and sprain are two common soft tissue injuries. Strain is caused due to twist, pull or tear of the muscles or tendons with symptoms of pain, swelling and loss of muscle strength.
On the other hand, sprain is a partial or complete tear of a ligament with symptoms of pain, swelling, bruising, loss of function. Both are caused due to weak muscular systems or insufficient warming up.
Strains often take place in the lower back region and back of the thigh area. Sprain usually takes place in the knee and ankle regions.
11. Mention briefly about the common sports injuries and their prevention. (CBSE 2018)
Ans. Some of the common sports injuries are abrasion, contusion, strain, sprain, fractures, dislocations, etc.
The two common injuries are as follows
(i) Strain. It is defined as an injury to a tendon (tissues that connect your muscles and bones) or muscle. It often occurs in the lower back and in the muscle in the back of the thigh.
Prevention
Develop a balanced fitness program that incorporates cardiovascular exercises, strength, training and flexibility.
(ii) Stress Fracture. It is an overuse injury. It occurs when muscles become fatigued and are unable to absorb added shock.
Prevention
Conditioning exercises during practice strengthens muscles.
12. What do you understand by fracture? Explain three first aid techniques for fractures.
Ans. Fracture is a bone injury that breaks the continuity of a bone or separates it into two or more parts.
The first aid techniques for fractures are as follows
- Immediately immobilized the injured area do not try to realign the bone or push back in a bone that may be sticking out
- Apply ice packs to limit swelling and help relieve pain until medical help arrives.
- Attempt to make the area as safe as possible by removing the patient from the danger and calling a specialist for help.
13. What do you understand by first-aid? Discuss briefly about the aims and objectives of first-aid. (CBSE 2018)
Ans. First-aid is the assistance given to any person suffering from a sudden illness or injury, with care provided to preserve life, prevent the condition from worsening and promote recovery.
Aim and objectives of first-aid are as follows
- Preserving life by carrying out emergency first aid procedures. It also includes the life of a first aider’s life.
- Preventing the casualty’s condition from deteriorating any further.
- Promoting recovery by arranging prompt emergency medical help.
- Providing relief to the wounded person from pain and suffering is another important objective of first aid.
14. Explain the first-aid procedure for minor wounds and cuts.
Ans. First-aid procedure for minor wounds and cuts are as follows:
- Wash hands or wear sterile disposable gloves.
- Clean the surface of the cut or the wound with water.
- If there is a minor cut, then apply antiseptic cream or lotion to the affected part.
- If there is bleeding, then cover the wound with cotton or bandage and press to stop bleeding or raise the affected area above the heart level.
- If the cut is deep then take it to the doctor immediately for stitches.
Long Answer (LA) Type Questions
1. What are the various factors affecting physiological fitness? Explain. (All India 2015) Or
Discuss the physiological factors determining components of physical fitness. (Delhi 2015)
Ans. Physiological factors determining components of physical fitness are as follows
(i) Muscular Strength. This is the maximum force or tension a muscle or a muscle group can exert against a resistance. Physiologically, the muscle will increase in strength only if it has to increase its workload beyond what is ordinarily required of it,
(ii) Speed. This is the rapidity with which one can repeat successive movements of the same pattern. Individuals with greater speed have superior reaction time.
(iii) Endurance. This is the ability of a muscle or muscle group to perform repeated contractions against a resistance / load or to sustain contraction for an extended period of time with less discomfort and more rapid recovery.
(iv) Flexibility. This is a quality of the muscles, ligaments and tendons that enables joint of the body to move easily through a complete range of movement.
2. Discuss the factors determining speed
Ans. The factors determining are
(i) Bio-chemical Reserves and Metabolic power. For maximum speed performance the muscle requires more energy at a very high rate of consumption.
For this work the first Adenosine Triphosphate (ATP) and creatine phosphate (CP) stores in the muscles should be enough.
If ATP and CP stored is less in contracting muscles in the muscle, contraction due to insufficient energy supply becomes slow after a short time.
The metabolic power depends upon the energy supplied through certain enzymes. Proper working of enzymes names high rate of metabolism which increases speed of doing work
(ii) Muscle Composition. Muscles consist of two types of fibers i.e. fast twitch fibers (white fibers) and slow twitch fibers (red fibers). A person containing more of fast twitch fibers will have greater speed.
(iii) Mobility of the Nervous System. The rapid contraction and relaxation of the muscles takes place due to rapid excitation of the nervous system. The rapid movements give greater speed.
The nervous system can maintain this rapid excitation and inhibition only for a few seconds after which the excitation spreads to the neighboring centers causing tension in the entire body. This results in a decrease in speed.
3. What are the effects of exercising on the cardiorespiratory system? Explain. (CBSE 2020)
Or
A trainer can improve the cardiorespiratory system with the help of exercise. Justify this statement.
Ans. The cardiorespiratory system consists of organs responsible for taking in oxygen for respiration and releasing carbon dioxide and water vapor, which are the waste products formed during respiration.
The passages in the nose, windpipe (trachea), bronchi, lungs and air sacs are the main organs of the respiratory system,
A trainer can improve the cardiorespiratory system with the help of exercise by
(i) Decrease in Rate of Respiration. When a beginner starts exercise, then his rate of respiration increases• But when the same individual performs exercise daily, then his rate of respiration decreases in comparison to the beginning stage at rest.
(ii) Lung Volume. For normal breathing at rest, lungs expand and there is a change in air pressure. During exercise, due to rapid movement of diaphragm and intercostal muscles, total area of lung expands to accommodate more exchange of gases.
(iii) Lung Diffusion Capacity. During exercise, the lung diffusion capacity increases in both trained and untrained persons. However, trained athletes may increase their diffusion capacity 30% more than that of an untrained person because the athlete’s lung surface area and red blood cell count is higher than that of non-athletes.
(iv) Pulmonary Ventilation. The amount of air passing through lungs each minute is called Pulmonary Ventilation.
The Pulmonary Ventilation (PV) is a produced of Tidal Volume (TV) and Respiratory Rate (RR) and therefore at rest it is around 8 1/min.
During exercise time both TV and RR increase, due to which PV will also increase depending on the intensity of exercise. For an ordinary person, the value of PV may be 40-50 1/min and for a well trained athlete, it may be around 100 1/min.
(v) Residual Air Volume. It is the volume of air in the lungs which is left after exhalation. With exercises, the residual air capacity increases which enhances efficiency of lungs.
4. What do you understand by fracture? How can fractures be classified? Explain.
Ans. Fracture is defined as a loss of continuity in the substance of a bone. It is simply a break in the bone. It commonly happens because of accidents, falls, or sports injuries. It is classified into different types, which are discussed as follows
(i) Stress Fracture. A stress fracture is an overuse injury. It occurs when muscles become fatigued and are unable to absorb added shock. Eventually, the fatigued muscle transfers the overload of stress to the bone causing a tiny crack, called a stress fracture.
(ii) Greenstick Fracture. A greenstick fracture occurs when a bone bends and cracks, instead of breaking completely into separate pieces. Most greenstick fractures occur in children younger than 10 years of age. This type of broken bone most commonly occur in children because their bones are softer and more flexible than are the bones of adults.
(iii) Comminuted Fracture. It is a break or splinter of the bone into more than two fragments. Since considerable force and energy is required to fragment bone, fractures of this kind occur after high-impact trauma such as vehicular accidents.
This type of fracture is usually challenging to treat because the break is so complex,
(iv) Transverse Fracture. It is a fracture where the bone breaks at a right angle to the long axis of the bone. Transverse fractures most often occur as the result of strong force applied perpendicular to the long axis of a bone.
(v) Oblique Fracture. An oblique fracture is characterized by a break that is curved or at an angle to the bone. A sharp blow that comes from an angle (i.e., above or below) may cause oblique fractures.
(vi) Impacted Fracture An impacted fracture is one whose ends are driven into each other. This commonly occurs with arm fractures in children and is sometimes as a buckle fracture.
5. Write in detail about the dislocation and fractures among the bones and joint injuries.
Ans. The dislocation and fractures among the bones and joints happen when excessive force is applied directly or indirectly These are musculoskeletal injuries and can be grouped under hard tissue injury.
A dislocation refers to displacement or separation of bones from the joint. It is caused by a sudden impact, a trauma or a fall.
A dislocated joint may be accornpaniecl by numbness or tingling at the joint or beyond it. It is intensely painful, especially if you try to use joints or put weight on it. Some of the common joint injuries are shoulder dislocation, knee cap dislocation, finger dislocation etc.
A fracture is a break in the continuity of a bone or a separation of a bone in two or more parts. It is caused when greater force is exerted against a bone than it can actually sustain. The different types of fractures are stress fracture, green stick, comminuted, transverse, oblique and impacted. The first aid is very essential in managing bone and joint injuries.
Case Based Questions
1. On seeing a sharp cut on his friend’s finger, Arun rushed bandages and v.ipes. Imagining the scene in your mind, answer the following questions.
(i) Explain why you have chosen the answer in question 1
Ans. Incision is the selected answer as it is a sharp cut on the skin that cuts into tissues, blood vessels, muscles or tendons. It can cause bleeding so Arun rushing with bandages and ‘Wipes show that it is an incision.
(ii) What kind of injury is Laceration?
Ans. Laceration is the tearing of the skin that results in an irregular wound. It is a soft tissue injury.
2. The Godavari School attended a CBSE Cluster Basketball Tournament. During the semi-final match arun, one of the players fell down and was injured on the shoulder. He was immediately given first aid by the coach Mr. Rahul, who had the knowledge of first aid. Warm-up session is essential for players to avoid any serious injuries during the match.
(i) What do you mean by first-aid?
Ans. First-aid is the assistance given to any person suffering from a sudden illness or injury, with care provided to preserve life, prevent the condition from worsening and/or promote recovery.
(ii) Which type of sports injury is known as ‘strain’? (CBSE 2019)
Ans. A strain is defined as an injury to a tendon or muscle. It often occurs in the lower back and in the thighs.
3. Mr. Raghav, aged 45 years was advised by his doctor to exercise regularly and take care of his dietary habits. This advice was given keeping in view his advancing age and sedentary working profile. Considering his lifestyle answer the following questions
(i) What is stroke volume? (All India 2016)
Ans. The volume of blood pumped into the heart with every heartbeat is known as the stroke volume. In an untrained male, it is 50 to 70 ml/beat.
(ii) Explain the meaning of cardiac output. (CBSE 2018)
Ans. Cardiac output is the term that describes the amount of blood your heart pumps each minute.
Physiology and sports chapter 7 CBSE, class 12 Physical Education notes. This cbse Physical Education class 12 notes has a brief explanation of every topic that NCERT syllabus has.
Final Words
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