Recognition, Evaluation Recognition, Evaluation & Management of & Management of Athletic InjuriesAthletic Injuries

Sports Medicine ISports Medicine I

Recognition of InjuriesRecognition of Injuries

Primary function of Primary function of an athletic trainer is an athletic trainer is to recognize when to recognize when an injury has an injury has occurredoccurred

Major ConsiderationsMajor Considerations– Control life Control life

threatening threatening conditionsconditions

– Manage non-life Manage non-life threatening injuriesthreatening injuries

ReferralsReferrals

Immediate referral forImmediate referral for– Not breathingNot breathing– Severe bleedingSevere bleeding– UnconsciousnessUnconsciousness– ParalysisParalysis– Circulation or Circulation or

neruological impairmentneruological impairment– ShockShock– Obvious deformityObvious deformity– Vertebral injuryVertebral injury– Doubt about severity of Doubt about severity of

injuryinjury

First Aid Emergency CareFirst Aid Emergency Care

American Red Cross American Red Cross and American Heart and American Heart Association have Association have established protocols established protocols

ATC should maintainATC should maintain– CPR (Cardio Pulmonary CPR (Cardio Pulmonary

Resuscitation)Resuscitation)– AED (Automated AED (Automated

External Defibrillator)External Defibrillator)

Emergency TransportationEmergency Transportation

Never transport an Never transport an injured athlete in injured athlete in personal vehicle b/c personal vehicle b/c of liability issuesof liability issues

EMTs are skilled EMTs are skilled professionals who professionals who provide advanced provide advanced medical care and medical care and transport injured transport injured patientspatients

Emergency Transportation Emergency Transportation Cont.Cont.

EMS should be EMS should be present or on call present or on call for athletic eventsfor athletic events

EMS is at ALL EMS is at ALL football games!!football games!!

Once EMS Once EMS responds to responds to emergency, ATC is emergency, ATC is no longer in chargeno longer in charge

Transportation Options for Transportation Options for ATCATC

Ambulatory AidAmbulatory Aid Manual Manual

ConveyanceConveyance

Evaluating Life Threatening Evaluating Life Threatening InjuriesInjuries

Survey the SceneSurvey the Scene Primary SurveyPrimary Survey

– AirwayAirway– Breathing Breathing – CirculationCirculation

Evaluating Life Threatening Evaluating Life Threatening InjuriesInjuries

Primary SurveyPrimary Survey– Be calm and Be calm and

reassuringreassuring– Be prepared to Be prepared to

clear and maintain clear and maintain airwayairway

– Be prepared to Be prepared to provide artificial provide artificial ventilation or CPTventilation or CPT

– Be prepared to Be prepared to activate EMSactivate EMS

Evaluating Life Threatening Evaluating Life Threatening InjuriesInjuries

Determine the Determine the athlete's condition athlete's condition is non-life is non-life threatening, threatening, perform secondary perform secondary surveysurvey

Consists ofConsists of– HistoryHistory– Physical Physical

ExaminationExamination

HistoryHistory QuestionsQuestions

– MOI (Mechanism of injury)MOI (Mechanism of injury)– Onset of symptomsOnset of symptoms– Location of injuryLocation of injury– Quantity and quality of Quantity and quality of

painpain– Type and location of Type and location of

abnormal sensationsabnormal sensations– Progression of signs and Progression of signs and

symptomssymptoms– Activities that make Activities that make

symptoms better or worsesymptoms better or worse– NauseaNausea– WeaknessWeakness– Dyspnea (Shortness of Dyspnea (Shortness of

breath)breath)

Physical ExaminationPhysical Examination May vary from athlete May vary from athlete

to athleteto athlete Physical activity and Physical activity and

exercise may cause exercise may cause this variancethis variance

Must evaluate VitalsMust evaluate Vitals– Nerve responseNerve response– BPBP– MovementMovement– PulsePulse– RespirationRespiration– Skin colorSkin color– State of consciousnessState of consciousness– temperaturetemperature