Traveling Emergency Action Plan

One aspect of the athletic trainers’ job is to manage emergency situations on the field. We preach having an emergency action plan and knowing who is going to do what when that unfortunate emergency does happen. But for teams, coaches, and the medical professionals, it is important that we not only consider the EAP for our home games.

Heat Related Illnesses

I encourage all of you involved in football (and soccer and cross country) to take advantage of the time to become better educated in the recognition and treatment of heat illnesses. According to the Korey Stringer Institute, approximately 80% of heat deaths in athletics will occur in July and August. I believe Dr. Casa said that in the five year period ending in 2014, there have been/will be 23 heat-related fatalities in athletics. These are nearly 100% preventable. Let’s not add to these stats this year…

Korey Stringer Institute at the UConn
http://ksi.uconn.edu

Video Produced by KSI and Cabot Public Schools out of Arkansas

IHSA Heat Brochure

Click to access Pol…chure%20MQ.pdf

Cheerleading Injuries

Cheerleading injuries are on the rise. For this reason, it is important that administrators, parents, coaches, and medical personnel recognize that cheerleaders must received appropriate medical attention just like any other athlete.

Shields and Smith noted that from 1990-2003 cheerleading saw an increase in participation from 3.04 million to 3.58 million while also seeing a 110% increase in injuries. Cheerleaders suffer many different injuries including sprains and strains, but can also suffer broken bones and even more serious injuries. Approximately 65% of catastrophic injuries in female high school athletics have been attributed to cheerleading. Why is that?

Cheerleading Sport or Not? My Full Answer

A couple of weeks ago, Dr. David Geier asked me my thoughts after the American Medical Association declared cheerleading a sport. Here is my full answer to his question…

 

Is cheerleading a sport? Ask me that 5 years ago and I probably would have laughed in your face. Today, however, I have a much greater respect for cheerleading. Personally I would agree with the roughly 30 state associations who now consider it a sport however that designation is not clear in all cases nor shall we construe that the designation as a sport provides specific safety requirements as proposed by the American Academy of Pediatrics.