Tagged with 'sports medicine'

Do your athletes know the importance of heart health?

October is Sudden Cardiac Arrest (SCA) month. Although athletes are generally healthy, they are not immune to cardiac problems. According to The American Heart Association, The NCAA is moving forward with developing guidelines to detect college athletes at risk for sudden cardiac death, including mandated heart screenings. Due to this, time and early detection are vital when these events occur. This makes it essential for athletes, trainers, coaches, and sports organizations to be proactive when responding to sudden cardiac arrest incidents. Taking preventative measures on and off the field is key to ensuring long term safety, heart health, and peak performance in athletes. 

Triggers of SCA in Athletes:

• Underlying heart conditions: Physical examinations don’t always detect heart abnormalities, leaving athletes to believe that they are fine, when in fact they may have an underlying heart condition. This can make them more susceptible to SCA, especially in vigorous sports that demand more stress on the heart.
• Family history: Many athletes may have a family history of heart conditions that they are unaware of, putting them at higher risk.
• Overtraining syndrome: Sage Journal explains how Athletes who engage in excessive training or exercise without proper rest may develop hormonal imbalances that could disrupt the heart’s function.

Blunt Force Trauma:

Athletes who participate in high-contact sports are at a higher risk of experiencing sudden cardiac arrest due to the physical nature of these activities. Since high school and college sports can be utterly competitive, this is extremely important to acknowledge. When a blow to the chest occurs at just the right time during the cardiac cycle, it has the potential to be fatal. This is something that all athletes and coaches need to consider, since this can happen without any preexisting heart abnormalities.

Remind Your Athletes To:

• Cardiac evaluations:  Undergo specific cardiac evaluations to identify any underlying heart conditions or risk factors before the season, such as EKGs.
• Periodic checkups:  Schedule regular checkups with a healthcare provider to assess blood pressure, blood sugar, and cholesterol levels. 
• Rest if needed: Take a break if needed. Do not ignore symptoms such as chest pain, shortness of breath, or heart palpitations – inform the coach or trainer immediately.

SCA Prevention by Athletic Trainers and Coaches:

• Regular drills and testing: Conduct emergency response drills that involve the use of AEDs and CPR to get coaching staff and all players familiar with using the equipment.
• Maintenance and inspection of AEDS: Evaluate all AED units and accessories, verify that they are strategically placed throughout the facility, and replace batteries when needed.
• Hydration and recovery: Ensure players are hydrated by allowing regular water breaks to prevent dehydration or heat-related illnesses.

Stay Prepared:

SCA does strike without warning among athletes. However, there are tactics that sports facilities, coaches and athletes can focus on to minimize these risks, but they must work as a team. Staying prepared and informed about heart health is an important thing to do – this month, and every month. 

School Heath offers AEDS, AED accessories, CPR training kits, hydration products, and more to support the health and safety of your school athletic program.

Resources:

https://www.utphysicians.com/what-to-know-about-sudden-cardiac-arrest-in-young-athletes/#:~:text=Most%20SCA%20cases%20are%20due,never%20detected%2C%E2%80%9D%20he%20said.

https://www.yalemedicine.org/conditions/pulse-oximetry                      

https://www.sportsmedtoday.com/commotio-cordis-va-88.htm

https://www.drdavidgeier.com/blunt-trauma-and-sudden-death-in-young-athletes/

https://www.merckmanuals.com/home/injuries-and-poisoning/sports-injuries/overview-of-sports-injuries

https://www.healthxchange.sg/fitness-exercise/sports-injuries/prevent-running-hazards-dehydration-sudden-cardiac-event

https://www.momsteam.com/health-safety/cardiac-safety/automatic-external-defibrillators-aeds/onsite-placement-of-an-aed-is-critical#:~:text=This%20means%20the%20AED%20should,to%20access%20and%2For%20see.

USSA MESS Course Prepares Sports Medicine Professions for More Challenging Work

Those in the Sports Medicine profession, especially those that deal with snow-related activities, know that it’s more than ankle tape, cuts, and bruises when caring for athletes. Injuries can get real and intense in a blink. We know that practice makes perfect, and this readiness and preparation is no different. This past May, the Medical Emergencies in Skiing and Snowboarding course (MESS) provided education and skill development for the those in the U.S. Ski and Snowboard Medical Pool. During this course, participants learned about acute injury triage and illness commonly seen when traveling with elite level teams. Even in the summertime, this course, developed for PTs, ATs, MDs, and POs, offered unique insight into how to assist athletes who play winter sports.

Dr. Jaron Santelli, the Sports Medicine Director at the United States Ski and Snowboarding Association (USSA), was one of the leaders of this course.

“Standing on the side of the hill and working in cold environments is different than responding to an injury on a basketball court or a football field,” Santelli said. “Since we have a variety of specialties, there are different skill sets, so this is a way to upscale the providers with the skill we need them to know.”

The MESS course is specifically designed for professional volunteer staff and provides a Continuing Medical Education (CME) for physicians and medical providers, which is a requirement to join this medical pool.

Santelli shares a passion for sports, athletes, and their safety. Her experience and education as an emergency medicine doctor provides important insight for properly responding to emergencies on the slopes.

“I went to medical school with the intention to be in sports medicine. I have been around sports and snowboarding my whole life from Division I to the professional level. When the USSA job was available, I saw an opportunity to give back to a community that has always been there for me.”

Skiing and Snowboarding are individual sports, so USSA athletes are always working towards accomplishing challenging individual goals, which makes the day-to-day and culture a bit different than if they were playing a team sport.

“We have numerous sports within USSA, so we are always dealing with different cultures, athlete population, and ages,” Santelli said. “These athletes are true craftsmen and professionals in their field and there is something special about watching them work towards something like the Olympics.”

School Health was a sponsor of the MESS course and has a growing relationship with USSA as they work together to make sure the athletes are receiving quality treatment with the best equipment possible.

“School health has provided not only support in coverage, but also, they provide a lot of our medical equipment. They are always generous in terms of donations and improvements in our products. We look forward to this continued partnership and increasing that partnership in the future.”

School Health provides these items to keep USSA well equipped:

·        Pocket BVM with Black Case

·        Aer Cervical Collar

·        Fasplint Vacuum Extremity Splints

·        Fasplint Fullbody Mattress Set

·        5.11 Tactical Emergency Ready Pouch and Bag

The USSA hosts the MESS course in January of next year. Check back here for updates.

In the previous blog, we discussed the unnecessary hardships that athletes face while on their sports teams. This is created through a negative culture and poor communication between athletes and staff. Now it is time to focus on what can be done to build a successful sports program that makes safety and positivity a priority. This can be achieved by all members of the staff and the athletes collaborating, listening, and understanding each other’s perspectives.

First and foremost, listen to the athletes. They are the glue. When athletes are not happy and healthy, there is no team. Believe them if they say they are hurt, pay attention when they seem down, understand what type of coaching they respond to. Being on the same page with athletes goes beyond just the game. Knowing athletes as people is arguably more important and will improve their experience in their programs.

The staff can learn just as much from the athletes through the course of the season. Having positive and frequent communication with all personnel, such as athletic trainers and sports psychologists is essential for a team. Everyone’s bodies and minds work differently, so it is important to find what’s best and the team’s medical staff can find those solutions. Trust them as much as you trust your athletes in a game; odds are, they were all athletes at one point as well. Coaches can benefit from using the resources around them to assist athletes in finding their individual paths to achieve a common goal.

Individual needs are important, but practice is where teams grow collectively. Create an atmosphere with strong work ethic and positivity. A difficult task does not need to be so serious. The workouts and drills that I have done in a positive atmosphere have been some of the most productive. Being serious all the time takes a toll on everyone and can result in burnout, and the dog days of the season can become grueling. Friendly competition and positive reinforcement help make a comfortable atmosphere. Hard is more achievable when you want to be there and play for a team that you want to succeed. Athletes won’t think twice about running that extra lap or doing an extra rep when they are bought into the common goal of a program.

Coaches should also walk the walk of the program they establish. They should be who they want their athletes to be. A coach who the players trust and look up to is the final piece to a successful program. Enabling what has been discussed so far is a great start to building a team athletes want to be a part of. Athletes may be representing a school or some other organization, and while that does matter, at the end of the day they play for each other and the coach.

If more athletic programs molded their philosophies around these practices, we would not be hearing about athletes falling out of love with their sport. Being safe and enjoying what you do is just as important as winning. Athletic programs with a positive, safe environment where everyone feels they have a voice can help steer towards a path of success and provide athletes and staff experiences that they will never forget, for all the right reasons.

Playing college basketball became my goal when I was about 10 years old. I was scrawny, scared of contact, and honestly just not a good player, so I knew I had an uphill battle. I have been told thousands of times to push yourself to the limit to see progress, so that’s what I did from then, until the last time I left the floor. I achieved my goal, which really set the tone for my work ethic the rest of my life, but I beat my body to the ground. I played through injuries and didn’t tell anybody, and I overworked myself. I always told myself that it was the right thing to do because I’m supposed to “embrace the suck”-turns out I was just stubborn and didn’t want anything to halt my progress. But whether I knew it or not, it did. I don’t regret anything about my achievement, but I regret not taking care of myself and not listening to my athletic trainers throughout the duration of my career.

Fast forward to now and I find myself as a high school basketball coach. When I first arrived, I began to see a few players with my old habits, which is good and bad. The moment I noticed, I knew that one of my main priorities would be to keep them fresh, make sure they utilize our athletic trainers, and create an atmosphere where they can speak up if they are hurting. In my short time as a coach, I have learned that good communication between coaches, players, and athletic trainers is so essential, and I truly wish it was more present when I was a player. Since I am only about three years removed from being an athlete, that communication is still something that lacks in many athletic programs, and there is still major room for improvement. Good communication makes a player feel safe, respected, and most importantly, healthy.

Some of this poor communication stems from lack of trust, mostly between the coach and the athletic trainer. This is the something that bothered me a lot when I was a player, especially when I was at the college level. Concussion protocols are a great example. I have witnessed a coach get angry at an athletic trainer because they concluded that my teammate had suffered a concussion. It was not a hard fall, but concussion protocol is strict, as it should be. These actions enable a culture of fear for athletes because it does not allow the athletic trainer to do their job with confidence and makes the player think they should play through almost anything. A player’s health should always be prioritized over winning.

Communicating with your athletic trainers about what they need is also important. The high school level is often guilty of having underequipped athletic training rooms. While most high schools may not have the budget to have every piece of equipment imaginable, quality equipment for basic treatments should be a priority. Just because the athletes are young, doesn’t mean they don’t need any extensive treatment or rehab. Many young athletes can have their sport lead them to a free education, and even a career for the lucky few. The way an athlete is taken care of early on, effects the duration at which they can perform at an elite level.

Coaches, athletic trainers, and their departments should be doing everything they can to take care of their athletes and be a steppingstone to whatever their goal may be. Trust, good communication, and using your budget to ensure safe environments can reassure an athlete that they are in good hands. Working together to create a culture where safety is a priority can bring success to athletes, confidence for an athletic trainer, and better collaboration within the coaching staff.

The Benefits and Needs of an Athletic Trainer

Every athlete knows that a sports season takes a major toll on your body. No matter how much an athlete tries to power through, their body can hit a wall in the dog days of a season. That wall is tough to push through, but with athletic trainers, it can seem like paper rather than steel.

Injuries are an inevitable part of a sports season. At Your Own Risk reports that 90% of student athletes sustain a sports related injury and 54% of student athletes play while injured. Getting banged up may be part of the thrill of the sport, but it is essential that every athlete is treated in the best way possible so they can continue to put their bodies on the line for their team.

Having an athletic trainer provide consistent aid for your athletes is especially beneficial when they are full-time. The University of Idaho discusses how a full-time athletic trainer can build a strong relationship with the athletes as patients. A full-time athletic trainer will be able to understand their bodies’ tendencies, which helps them understand how to treat them in the best way possible. The article also hits on more benefits of having an athletic trainer, such as being the only form of health care an underprivileged athlete may have, as well as providing risk management for a team’s everyday schedule. It is sometimes forgotten that an athletic trainer is a healthcare professional, meaning their opinions and knowledge are valid.

A properly equipped athletic trainer is also imperative to making sure athletes feel secure. School Health provides athletic trainers with all the equipment needed to keep your athletes safe and healthy all season long.

The Mueller Protégé Athletic Training Kit and Medical Bag  allows athletic trainers to be game ready on the field or court. This medical bag can be purchased stocked with 3”x 3” gauze pads, cold packs, ointments and other items that provide trainers with all the equipment they need to prepare for any mid-game injury.

In case of a more serious medical emergency, emergency response equipment is essential for an athletic trainer to save an athlete’s life. The Zoll AED Pro provides immediate care for an unresponsive athlete by providing shocks and a CPR feedback pad For more options on supplies and more, take a glance at the Sports Medicine Supply List from School Health, to make sure your athletic trainer has what they need to perform.

Along with being medically equipped, keeping athletes hydrated is another main duty for athletic trainers, especially with spring sports right around the corner. The Gatorade G Series Performance Package provides powders, bars and coolers to make sure your high school athletes are always replenished after a break from the action.

Having athletic trainers fully equipped with the proper equipment raise their confidence in providing exceptional care, build trust from their athletes, and put athletes’ parents knowing their child is in good hands, thus making them an essential part of every team and school.

During periods of training and conditioning, such as the fall pre-season, instances of heat-related illnesses and emergencies in student-athletes increase. Over the summer, periods of intense heat cause concern not only for sports teams, but also for those who do not use proper protection from the heat and the sun. According to Cleveland Clinic, statistics about student-athletes say that around 9,000 cases of heat-related illnesses occur per year. In football, these cases are 11.4 times higher than all other sports combined. It is important to be aware of the causes and symptoms of heat-related illness and stay prepared in case of an emergency.

According to the National Athletic Trainers’ Association (NATA), the most common definition of heat illness includes three categories: heat cramps, heat exhaustion, and heat stroke. However, there are also other classifications of heat illness, such as heat syncope.

Depending on the type of heat illness, symptoms may vary, but some indicators include:

•  High body temperature (above 105 degrees Fahrenheit)
•  Dizziness
• Nausea
• Heavy sweating
• Cold, pale, and clammy skin
• Fainting

What to do in an Emergency

Emergencies can and do happen, so having the proper plan in place is essential to prevent further harm or injury to an athlete. The first step is to recognize that the athlete is suffering from exertional heat illness. NATA states that a rectal thermometer is the only way to get a fast and accurate measurement of an athlete’s core body temperature. A temperature of 105 degrees Fahrenheit or above is an indicator of an emergency.

NATA also recommends the “cool first, transport second” method, meaning that if an athlete’s core body temperature is 105 degrees or more, sports staff must get the player’s temperature down to 102.5 degrees before they can be taken to a hospital. NATA says that the best way to quickly cool down the athlete is through a full-body cold water emersion. Cooling tubs or other water immersion devices are essential for this process. 

After a heat-related emergency occurs, athletes should work with their physicians to create a plan that will allow them to safely return to their sport.

Preventing a Heat-Related Emergency

Luckily, heat-related emergencies are highly preventable if the proper training and procedures are followed.

One of the best ways to reduce the risk of illness is through heat acclimation. In other words, allow your athletes to get used to the heat by slowly increasing the amount of outdoor exercise. It’s also important to monitor the temperature and humidity outside, pay attention to how long athletes are playing and practicing, and allow them to take a break or rest.

Athletic Trainers, Athletic Directors, and sports staff should always make sure that there are plenty of hydration options for their athletes as well. Ensuring that athletes are staying hydrated before, during, and after practices and events is key. Athletes can also enhance their performance and reduce the risk of illness by getting the proper amount of sleep and eating a balanced diet.

If you are looking for the right heat illness prevention equipment for your sports medicine program, School Health can help you find everything you need to keep your athletes safe. Contact us today!

Resources:

https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/16425-heat-illness

https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/wellness-and-prevention/heat-related-illness-and-young-athletes-3-important-things-parents-and-coaches-need-to-know

https://www.nata.org/sites/default/files/externalheatillnesses.pdf

https://www.cdc.gov/disasters/extremeheat/warning.html

https://www.nata.org/press-release/092115/nata-publishes-new-exertional-heat-illnesses-position-statement

https://schoolhealth.my.salesforce.com/sfc/p/#U0000000K0lZ/a/6f000000kIhW/JM.X5iuIb0ZfXlqOyZTX8PGRe0M9W_6pxt7vaAEgXdE

https://www.news9.com/story/5e35a40283eff40362be4ee1/oklahoma-teen-survives-heat-stroke-warns-others

https://www.nbcnews.com/health/health-news/extreme-heat-becomes-more-common-ers-turn-body-bags-save-n1274675