Which of the following best defines an indirect injury?

An indirect injury is best defined by internal forces occurring within the body, which reflect situations where the injury is not caused by external trauma but by the body’s own movements or stresses. This type of injury often arises from overuse, improper technique, or muscle imbalances that lead to strain or other internal injuries without a direct outside force acting on the injured area.

In contrast, the other options focus on injuries resulting from external impacts or forces. Fractures caused by falls and bruises resulting from impact clearly involve a direct external force, while injuries from excessive stretching typically describe a specific mechanism that, while potentially indirect in mechanism, still involves physical stress rather than a failure or overload of internal body systems. Understanding the distinction between direct and indirect injuries is vital for proper diagnosis and treatment in sports medicine.