As much as we all would like to live in a perfect world where every team, school, and club carried or hired an Athletic Therapist, we haven't reached that point and unfortunately never will. After participating in the #sportssafety chat this past week, it came to my attention that no matter how hard we try to have ATs at all levels of sport it seems that there are obstacles that will never be removed. So what do we do? We need to work on educating the coaches on injury prevention, recognition and basic management.
When working with a team or not one of the roles an AT takes on is educating coaches on the above topics. Injury prevention must be something that all participants buy into. The coaching staff are the ones that run practices, make tactical plans for competitions and are the overall guardian of what goes on with the athletes. Coaches need to learn about topics such as proper warm up, nutrition, hydration, rest and equipment as they can be a major influence if not the key influence as to athlete safety.
When it comes to injury recognition and management, by no means do I think coaches should know the difference between the laxity of a grade 1 sprain vs a grade 2 nor should they learn how to place players on spine boards. What coaches do need to know though are basic first aid, CPR and have an understanding of basic injuries. ATs need to share some of their knowledge with coaches. Coaches do need to understand the difference between sprains and strains and understand the severity of each. This knowledge will help them become a better coach, as they will understand why their athletes are out of sport while injured. Everyone involved in sport should have first aid and CPR, so they can deal with emergent situations and have basic splinting skills. Where ATs come into the education role is to help coaches take that first aid knowledge and apply it to sport.
We know that at some point in their coaching career a coach will have to deal with an injured athlete, by educating them as to how to prevent injuries, we can help them decrease the number they will see. By expanding their skill set when it comes to injury recognition and management, they will feel more comfortable when an injury does occur. Athletic Therapists have a wide knowledge base, and by no means should coaches be expected to have the same one. What we as ATs need to do is help the coaches expand their knowledge base, take the fear and uncertainty away when it comes to injuries. Give coaches the ability to handle an injury until the athlete can receive more advanced care and ensure that the injury is not made worse. If we as ATs work to empower coaches then coaches will learn that we are an integral part of the sporting community.
Please follow us on Twitter @EliteInjuryMgmt and check out our website at www.eliteinjury.com
Showing posts with label sport coaches. Show all posts
Showing posts with label sport coaches. Show all posts
Monday, 24 March 2014
Thursday, 30 January 2014
Working with High Performance Minor Athletes - Part 2
Please check out part one of Working with High Performance Minor Athletes
It does not matter if the athletes are male or females, hormones are going to effect your interactions with them each and every day. They effect their moods, their body, how they recover from injuries both physically and emotionally, how they react to their teammates, training partners and coaches. I will break the myth right now, it is not only girls who cry and not only boys who want to hit things. If you are dealing with young elementary aged children, they are still learning how to deal with disappointment, loss and success. As the athletes grow older they are starting to discover who they are, and are having more expectations put on them. Their role in sport can start to define them, if this role is suddenly changed, they may find it hard to cope. You typically become their ally or enemy. If this role change occurs due to an injury, they see you as an enemy because you are what is holding them back. If it is a coaching choice that changes their role you become the ally, they see you as someone to turn to who understands what is going on. Typically at this age their relationships with their parents are changing and they may not feel they can go to them, you become their constant who they can trust. It is this trust that will help you get through the enemy stage. If you have built the trust when the time comes for you to remove them from play you remain their ally. When removing an athlete from activity be prepared for anything. As I said earlier girls hit and boys cry, you are messing with their identity in their minds, and they each have their own way of showing it.
At times you feel like a glorified babysitter. You are the first one there, the last to leave, you pick up after the athletes, find out who's parents are always late, and do the room checks because the coaches are having strategy sessions. Due to all this you become the gate keeper, you learn which athletes like to toe the line, which ones like to step over the edge a little and the ones who will ask you later "what line?" Many coaches like to think they have their finger on the pulse of their athletes, but truly it is the Athletic Therapist. We see all, here all and usually end up cleaning up the mess. With minor aged athletes you try to help them keep the messes to a minimum, you become the teacher again in guiding them as to right and wrong. You would be amazed at what these young minds can come up with to do on road trips.
For everyone involved in minor sports at a high level, we all must remember that these athletes are still kids. Even as an Athletic Therapist it is hard. We are trying to give them the structure and guidance they need to succeed. Nutrition plans, treatment schedules, and expectations of how to act in the clinic or treatment room. Let the kids be kids. They will try to eat poutine before a game, use your athletic tape for their sticks and you will go through about ten sets of nail clippers each season. It all becomes worth it though when they do something to show they have been listening, or when the truly show they care by carrying the treatment table and medical kit. No matter the age of your athletes it is important to treat them all with respect and have their long term health and wellness in mind, because at times you will be the only one worrying about that.
Please follow us on Twitter @EliteInjuryMgmt and our webpage at www.eliteinjury.com
It does not matter if the athletes are male or females, hormones are going to effect your interactions with them each and every day. They effect their moods, their body, how they recover from injuries both physically and emotionally, how they react to their teammates, training partners and coaches. I will break the myth right now, it is not only girls who cry and not only boys who want to hit things. If you are dealing with young elementary aged children, they are still learning how to deal with disappointment, loss and success. As the athletes grow older they are starting to discover who they are, and are having more expectations put on them. Their role in sport can start to define them, if this role is suddenly changed, they may find it hard to cope. You typically become their ally or enemy. If this role change occurs due to an injury, they see you as an enemy because you are what is holding them back. If it is a coaching choice that changes their role you become the ally, they see you as someone to turn to who understands what is going on. Typically at this age their relationships with their parents are changing and they may not feel they can go to them, you become their constant who they can trust. It is this trust that will help you get through the enemy stage. If you have built the trust when the time comes for you to remove them from play you remain their ally. When removing an athlete from activity be prepared for anything. As I said earlier girls hit and boys cry, you are messing with their identity in their minds, and they each have their own way of showing it.
At times you feel like a glorified babysitter. You are the first one there, the last to leave, you pick up after the athletes, find out who's parents are always late, and do the room checks because the coaches are having strategy sessions. Due to all this you become the gate keeper, you learn which athletes like to toe the line, which ones like to step over the edge a little and the ones who will ask you later "what line?" Many coaches like to think they have their finger on the pulse of their athletes, but truly it is the Athletic Therapist. We see all, here all and usually end up cleaning up the mess. With minor aged athletes you try to help them keep the messes to a minimum, you become the teacher again in guiding them as to right and wrong. You would be amazed at what these young minds can come up with to do on road trips.
For everyone involved in minor sports at a high level, we all must remember that these athletes are still kids. Even as an Athletic Therapist it is hard. We are trying to give them the structure and guidance they need to succeed. Nutrition plans, treatment schedules, and expectations of how to act in the clinic or treatment room. Let the kids be kids. They will try to eat poutine before a game, use your athletic tape for their sticks and you will go through about ten sets of nail clippers each season. It all becomes worth it though when they do something to show they have been listening, or when the truly show they care by carrying the treatment table and medical kit. No matter the age of your athletes it is important to treat them all with respect and have their long term health and wellness in mind, because at times you will be the only one worrying about that.
Please follow us on Twitter @EliteInjuryMgmt and our webpage at www.eliteinjury.com
Monday, 27 January 2014
Working with High Performance Minor Athletes Part 1
Continuing with our what is an Athletic Therapist series we will discuss the different settings that we can work in. This week will be focusing on dealing with high performance minor athletes. Not all Athletic Therapists work with professional teams, in clinics or in high schools. Some of us have choose to or worked our way up by working amateur sport with young athletes. Depending on the sport we have worked with kids as young as five all the way up to those at eighteen. It may seem simple and cut and dry as you are not dealing with high expectations of the professional spot light, however the pressure and demands that occur in minor sports is high.
Sometimes I wished I was dealing with adults, it would make life so much easier. When dealing with players under the age of eighteen so many legal issues come into play. You become their guardian while on road trips, they can not make their own medical decisions, you at times are their mother, best friend, prison guard and teacher. You are dealing with hormone changes and mood swings, school schedules, and the pressure of playing high level sports.
One of the major things I found when dealing with minor athletes who were competing at high levels was the amount of time expected of them to participate in sport or sport related activities. Depending on the sport your athletes are going anywhere from five to seven days a week, with training, practice, film sessions, mental training, oh yeah and school. At times we treat these athletes who are as young as eight like professionals. I find it funny that they keep talking about the student athletes in post secondary, every athlete under the age of eighteen is a student athlete, and I will tell you not many junior high schools and high schools are as accommodating as post secondary ones for their athletes. The number of times I have supervised homework sessions, relearned chemistry and math is beyond me. I do know I do not want to go back to high school.
You help the athletes with their homework but also educate them on aspects of being an athlete, such as proper nutrition, physical training and injury management. You become not only a teacher to the athletes but to the parents, coaches, officials and administrators. Many of these people may be new to the high performance levels and needs that these young bodies require to perform at their best. You learn how to explain things in about four to five different ways. Athletes and coaches want to know how to achieve success, but need it explained a bit differently. Parents generally want what is best for their child, and if they have more than one child you soon become knowledgeable about all of them. Officials be quite young and just starting out or veterans to the sport who may not be up to date on the newest information on health and injury management. I have found the best way to educate administrators is to put it in dollars and cents, and liability. They need to worry about the sum of the whole not just the individual parts, you need to be the one who bridges that gap for them.
When dealing with injuries and medical issues the most important thing that I always had to remember is that you are making the decision not about how does the injury effect their sport life, but their overall life. This should be how we treat all athletes but unfortunately it is not. A fourteen year old has so much life ahead of him and even the smallest decision you make can effect how that life will be. Consultation with parents is always a must, and their decision is the one that counts on what treatment occurs. You can recommend what you want, but they can say yes or no to it. When travelling or if the parents are not present you get to make these decisions but you must do so in the best interest of the athlete.
When starting this topic I knew there was lots to explain, but did not realize how much. Please check back on Thursday for Part 2 of Working with High Performance Minor Athletes.
Also please check out our website at www.eliteinjury.com and follow us on Twitter @EliteInjuryMgmt
Sometimes I wished I was dealing with adults, it would make life so much easier. When dealing with players under the age of eighteen so many legal issues come into play. You become their guardian while on road trips, they can not make their own medical decisions, you at times are their mother, best friend, prison guard and teacher. You are dealing with hormone changes and mood swings, school schedules, and the pressure of playing high level sports.
One of the major things I found when dealing with minor athletes who were competing at high levels was the amount of time expected of them to participate in sport or sport related activities. Depending on the sport your athletes are going anywhere from five to seven days a week, with training, practice, film sessions, mental training, oh yeah and school. At times we treat these athletes who are as young as eight like professionals. I find it funny that they keep talking about the student athletes in post secondary, every athlete under the age of eighteen is a student athlete, and I will tell you not many junior high schools and high schools are as accommodating as post secondary ones for their athletes. The number of times I have supervised homework sessions, relearned chemistry and math is beyond me. I do know I do not want to go back to high school.
You help the athletes with their homework but also educate them on aspects of being an athlete, such as proper nutrition, physical training and injury management. You become not only a teacher to the athletes but to the parents, coaches, officials and administrators. Many of these people may be new to the high performance levels and needs that these young bodies require to perform at their best. You learn how to explain things in about four to five different ways. Athletes and coaches want to know how to achieve success, but need it explained a bit differently. Parents generally want what is best for their child, and if they have more than one child you soon become knowledgeable about all of them. Officials be quite young and just starting out or veterans to the sport who may not be up to date on the newest information on health and injury management. I have found the best way to educate administrators is to put it in dollars and cents, and liability. They need to worry about the sum of the whole not just the individual parts, you need to be the one who bridges that gap for them.
When dealing with injuries and medical issues the most important thing that I always had to remember is that you are making the decision not about how does the injury effect their sport life, but their overall life. This should be how we treat all athletes but unfortunately it is not. A fourteen year old has so much life ahead of him and even the smallest decision you make can effect how that life will be. Consultation with parents is always a must, and their decision is the one that counts on what treatment occurs. You can recommend what you want, but they can say yes or no to it. When travelling or if the parents are not present you get to make these decisions but you must do so in the best interest of the athlete.
When starting this topic I knew there was lots to explain, but did not realize how much. Please check back on Thursday for Part 2 of Working with High Performance Minor Athletes.
Also please check out our website at www.eliteinjury.com and follow us on Twitter @EliteInjuryMgmt
Thursday, 12 December 2013
Intro to the Female Athlete
The female is a complex being turn that female into an athlete and you have made her even more complex. The female athlete provides many challenges to the coach, parent and athletic therapist. To fully understand the female athlete will take more than this one post. Today will be an overview of future topics and if you feel I am missing one or want me to talk about something specifically let me know as not all athletes are the same.
Female Athlete Triad, simply it is the combination of disordered eating, amenorrhea, and osteoporosis. It is a vicious cycle that starts with disordered eating and progresses. No sport is exempt from this as it is typically seen as an aesthetic or performance sport issue.
Anterior Cruciate Ligament Sprains, this ligament helps prevent anterior translation of the tibia relative to the femur. In more simplified terms it stops the lower leg from moving forward compared to the upper leg.
Disordered Eating, detrimental effects on energy levels do not require an athlete to have a diagnosed eating disorder such as Anorexia Nervosa or Bulimia Nervosa, the slightest change in energy intake for the athletes energy output will place unnecessary strain on their body.
Physical characteristics, the differences between males and females can predispose females to injuries that their male counterparts may not experience. These characteristics may also predispose the athlete as to what sport or position they may participate in.
Why the participate? The reason for female participate in sport varies depending on the individual however there are some constants. Friend participation both effects the reason to start sport participation as well as when females decide to no longer be involved.
One of the new areas of study on the female athlete is in the area of concussions. Still in its infancy we are learning a great deal about how females react to a concussive injury and if there is differences from their male counterparts.
As a parent or coach it is important to understand how to deal with the female athlete. Learning how to deal with them will give both you and them an advantage on their path to success.
Female Athlete Triad, simply it is the combination of disordered eating, amenorrhea, and osteoporosis. It is a vicious cycle that starts with disordered eating and progresses. No sport is exempt from this as it is typically seen as an aesthetic or performance sport issue.
Anterior Cruciate Ligament Sprains, this ligament helps prevent anterior translation of the tibia relative to the femur. In more simplified terms it stops the lower leg from moving forward compared to the upper leg.
Disordered Eating, detrimental effects on energy levels do not require an athlete to have a diagnosed eating disorder such as Anorexia Nervosa or Bulimia Nervosa, the slightest change in energy intake for the athletes energy output will place unnecessary strain on their body.
Physical characteristics, the differences between males and females can predispose females to injuries that their male counterparts may not experience. These characteristics may also predispose the athlete as to what sport or position they may participate in.
Why the participate? The reason for female participate in sport varies depending on the individual however there are some constants. Friend participation both effects the reason to start sport participation as well as when females decide to no longer be involved.
One of the new areas of study on the female athlete is in the area of concussions. Still in its infancy we are learning a great deal about how females react to a concussive injury and if there is differences from their male counterparts.
As a parent or coach it is important to understand how to deal with the female athlete. Learning how to deal with them will give both you and them an advantage on their path to success.
Thursday, 3 October 2013
Proper Concussion Management
Gone are the days of returning to the game the same day you suffered a concussion. Well it is supposed to be. Even with all the media attention and front line education on concussions; coaches, parents, officials, athletes and trainers are still missing the message. After a concussion has been diagnosed it is extremely important to have the athlete rest. Not only physical rest but cognitive as well. No matter the age of the athlete it is important to offer them this rest.
I has amazed me over the years that parents, athletes and coaches have tried to circumvent the return to play protocols because the concussion occurred in another sport. It is the parents role to inform teachers and other coaches of their child's concussion. Concussed athletes may need to take time off work or school, to give the brain the rest it needs. Student athletes need to be given the chance to fully recover before returning to full mental and physical activities. Having athletes refrain from attending school while still suffering symptoms will aid in their recovery. It may be required for the student athlete to remain home from school until symptom free as the level of concentration at school is too much. Gradually introduce them back into school and homework. Consultation with their teachers is important, ask for extra time to complete assignments and tests. The other major part of cognitive rest is to take away screen time. Put down the phones, turn off the computer, TV and video games. That scream you just heard was every young athlete having a minor heart attack due to this. The bright lights, sound and concentration needed for these activities do not help the brain heal.
Right after injury it is imperative that you do not give the athlete any pain medication. Advil, Tylenol, Aspirin and Ibuprofen will only mask the signs and symptoms of the concussion.
Your qualified health care provider will complete a concussion test and compare it to the athletes baseline evaluation. Only when an athlete is sign and symptom free do they progress onto step two of the return to play process. A minimum of 24 hours is required between each step where the athlete must remain symptom free.
Step 1 - Rest until 24 hour symptom free.
Step 2 - Light aerobic exercise such as biking or jogging for 20-30 minutes.
Step 3 - Sport specific exercises such as skating in hockey, running drills in soccer or football.
Step 4 - Non-contact training drills such as passing drills.
Step 5 - Full contact training drills upon medical clearance
Step 6 - Return to normal game play.
An athlete should remain at step 5 until both the athlete, parent and coach feels that the athlete is able to keep up with the play both physically and mentally.
Key points to remember are:
I has amazed me over the years that parents, athletes and coaches have tried to circumvent the return to play protocols because the concussion occurred in another sport. It is the parents role to inform teachers and other coaches of their child's concussion. Concussed athletes may need to take time off work or school, to give the brain the rest it needs. Student athletes need to be given the chance to fully recover before returning to full mental and physical activities. Having athletes refrain from attending school while still suffering symptoms will aid in their recovery. It may be required for the student athlete to remain home from school until symptom free as the level of concentration at school is too much. Gradually introduce them back into school and homework. Consultation with their teachers is important, ask for extra time to complete assignments and tests. The other major part of cognitive rest is to take away screen time. Put down the phones, turn off the computer, TV and video games. That scream you just heard was every young athlete having a minor heart attack due to this. The bright lights, sound and concentration needed for these activities do not help the brain heal.
Right after injury it is imperative that you do not give the athlete any pain medication. Advil, Tylenol, Aspirin and Ibuprofen will only mask the signs and symptoms of the concussion.
Your qualified health care provider will complete a concussion test and compare it to the athletes baseline evaluation. Only when an athlete is sign and symptom free do they progress onto step two of the return to play process. A minimum of 24 hours is required between each step where the athlete must remain symptom free.
Step 1 - Rest until 24 hour symptom free.
Step 2 - Light aerobic exercise such as biking or jogging for 20-30 minutes.
Step 3 - Sport specific exercises such as skating in hockey, running drills in soccer or football.
Step 4 - Non-contact training drills such as passing drills.
Step 5 - Full contact training drills upon medical clearance
Step 6 - Return to normal game play.
An athlete should remain at step 5 until both the athlete, parent and coach feels that the athlete is able to keep up with the play both physically and mentally.
Key points to remember are:
- Return to learn before return to sport
- No difference in management between elite and non-elite athletes.
- Younger athletes may require longer to recover.
Rushing any athlete back to sport to quickly can cause serious damage both to the brain and other areas of the body. Following proper concussion management may help to decrease the long term effects of concussions.
Thursday, 26 September 2013
Concussion - Recognizing the Symptoms
"Coach, I have a headache", those five words make every coach grimace, dreading the worse, hoping the athlete does not have a concussion. A headache is the most common symptom of concussed athletes, but by no means the only one. No one concussion sign or symptom is more important than the others and all must be taken seriously. To start we will define the difference between signs and symptoms. A sign is something that you as the coach, parent, trainer or fellow athlete will notice. They include poor balance, slow or slurred speech, poor concentration, vacant stare, delayed response to questions and a change in the level of performance. Symptoms, how the athlete tells you they feel, fall under four categories. Somatic (physical), emotional, sleep disturbances and cognitive. Somatic symptoms include headaches, nausea, vomiting, balance problems, visual disturbances, dizzy spells, sensitivity to light and sensitivity to noise. Emotionally an athlete may be sad, depressed, nervous and more irritable. They may sleep more or less and may have trouble falling asleep. Cognitively, they may have difficulties concentrating, trouble with remembering, feel mentally slowed down or that they are in a fog.
If an athlete presents with any of these signs or symptoms they need to be removed from activity immediately and evaluated further. As a coach, parent or trainer, use the Sport Concussion Recognition Tool to determine what further care is needed and refer them to a trained health professional in the area of concussions. It is very important to rule out a cervical spine injury as well with any athlete that is displaying concussion symptoms. Typically concussion symptoms are quick in there onset and involve short lived impairment for the athlete. It should be noted though that in some cases signs and symptoms are delayed in their onset.
Next to knowing what signs and symptoms to look for the greatest tool you need comes from knowing your athletes. Being able to recognize the difference in your athletes is key. An athlete may tell you that they do not feel right and if you ask many parents and coaches who have dealt with concussions will say the athlete was not themselves. Even though they are symptoms take notice of them. Coaches one of your biggest indicators to watch will be how well the athlete is performing. If a skill typically always done well can is being done poorly, something is causing it. Remove the athlete and evaluate, it may not be a concussion but no matter what it is always better to error on the side of caution. Parents, pay attention to how your child is acting. They may not tell you they are suffering but you will notice changes in their behavior. Everything from how they are sleeping, eating and interacting with the family and friends will be an indicator of how they are feeling.
Many of the former athletes when asked about concussions will say they never knew that they had one and definitely did not know what to do when did occur. Recognize that a concussion has occurred and remove the athlete from activity, do not let them return until evaluated by a trained health care professional. Next is proper management, following the proper return to play can be the difference from a quick return to activity or the unnecessary lengthening of symptoms.
If an athlete presents with any of these signs or symptoms they need to be removed from activity immediately and evaluated further. As a coach, parent or trainer, use the Sport Concussion Recognition Tool to determine what further care is needed and refer them to a trained health professional in the area of concussions. It is very important to rule out a cervical spine injury as well with any athlete that is displaying concussion symptoms. Typically concussion symptoms are quick in there onset and involve short lived impairment for the athlete. It should be noted though that in some cases signs and symptoms are delayed in their onset.
Next to knowing what signs and symptoms to look for the greatest tool you need comes from knowing your athletes. Being able to recognize the difference in your athletes is key. An athlete may tell you that they do not feel right and if you ask many parents and coaches who have dealt with concussions will say the athlete was not themselves. Even though they are symptoms take notice of them. Coaches one of your biggest indicators to watch will be how well the athlete is performing. If a skill typically always done well can is being done poorly, something is causing it. Remove the athlete and evaluate, it may not be a concussion but no matter what it is always better to error on the side of caution. Parents, pay attention to how your child is acting. They may not tell you they are suffering but you will notice changes in their behavior. Everything from how they are sleeping, eating and interacting with the family and friends will be an indicator of how they are feeling.
Many of the former athletes when asked about concussions will say they never knew that they had one and definitely did not know what to do when did occur. Recognize that a concussion has occurred and remove the athlete from activity, do not let them return until evaluated by a trained health care professional. Next is proper management, following the proper return to play can be the difference from a quick return to activity or the unnecessary lengthening of symptoms.
Saturday, 21 September 2013
Concussion - Where to Start
Concussions, after staring at my computer screen for about an hour trying to come up with a new and inventive way to talk about concussions and why everyone in sport needs to be educated about them, I realized that their is nothing new to say. The message is still the same, hopefully you will gain some new knowledge or understanding after spending some time reading this. That is my hope, that by a coach, parent or athlete reading this, they will learn something about concussions. We can't necessarily prevent concussions unfortunately it is one of the risks of sport, but we do need to increase the awareness of signs and symptoms and proper management when they do occur.
This may seem like a redundant thing to say but a concussion is a brain injury. I state this because I have had a coach in the past say a kid could play because the emergency physician said he had a mild brain injury. He must have been listening to me, he knew that he could not play a kid with a concussion, and obviously I had not educated him enough. As defined from the 4th Concussion Consensus Statement from Zurich November 2012, concussion is a brain injury caused by a direct blow to the head, face, neck or an impulsive force being transmitted to the head from a direct blow to somewhere else in the body that causes a set of physical, cognitive or somatic symptoms. It is important to say that everyone person will respond differently to a concussion both in the symptoms they show and how they recover.
Every day it seems there is something new coming out about concussions. For a coach or parent trying to keep up at times seems impossible. I have found Twitter to be an excellent resource. Follow health professionals who are known for concussion research to stay up to date and informed. It is unfortunate that most general practitioners are not up able to stay up to date on the latest concussion research and proper return to play. When dealing with any health professional ask them questions, if they have never heard of the consensus statements or are still following the earlier versions find someone new. A great resource is a certified Athletic Therapist in Canada or Athletic Trainer in the States. Proper concussion management is in their scope of practice and they deal with sport concussions on a regular if not daily basis.
So as a parent or coach what do you need to know. We are going to break it down into three posts. First we will focus on the importance of baseline testing, secondly recognizing a concussion, thirdly proper management.
Baseline concussion testing can involve a couple of different aspects. Depending on your health practitioner they may choose to do a different test. The most popular and common are the Sport Concussion Assessment Tool 3 (SCAT3), ImPACT and King-Devick. The SCAT3 has a version designed specifically for athletes aged 5-13 as well as the standard for those 13 and over. ImPACT should be used along with the SCAT3 or King-Devick.
The importance of having baseline testing done is not to compare to other athletes but to understand the athletes normal state as well as to determine their past concussion history. Finding out if an athlete has suffered a concussion before and if they have any medical conditions that may effect their recovery from a concussion if one should occur. Athletes, coaches and parents always ask if the baseline test was passed. This is where the naming can be deceiving, baseline testing is not a pass or fail, it is to determine how the athlete normally feels to a set of symptoms and to evaluate their memory recall, balance and thinking skills. It is an evaluation. How many of us have a headache on a regular basis? Since headache is the number one symptom of concussion, it is good to know if the athlete regularly has a headache when trying to determine if a concussion has occurred. When doing baseline evaluations athletes typically tell me they have a hard time with numbers or remembering months. If we had not done the baseline evaluation I would not have known that and it could effect my evaluation of them post injury.
Education about concussions is always important but that includes the health practitioners education about each individual athlete. Doing baseline evaluations allows us to get to know the athletes better, which in turn gives us an advantage when an injury does occur. Have your athletes do baseline evaluations prior to each season as their physical and mental growth and development will change their outcome. Think of a baseline concussion evaluation as an insurance policy. We never want to have to use our insurance but are sure glad we have it when it is needed.
This may seem like a redundant thing to say but a concussion is a brain injury. I state this because I have had a coach in the past say a kid could play because the emergency physician said he had a mild brain injury. He must have been listening to me, he knew that he could not play a kid with a concussion, and obviously I had not educated him enough. As defined from the 4th Concussion Consensus Statement from Zurich November 2012, concussion is a brain injury caused by a direct blow to the head, face, neck or an impulsive force being transmitted to the head from a direct blow to somewhere else in the body that causes a set of physical, cognitive or somatic symptoms. It is important to say that everyone person will respond differently to a concussion both in the symptoms they show and how they recover.
Every day it seems there is something new coming out about concussions. For a coach or parent trying to keep up at times seems impossible. I have found Twitter to be an excellent resource. Follow health professionals who are known for concussion research to stay up to date and informed. It is unfortunate that most general practitioners are not up able to stay up to date on the latest concussion research and proper return to play. When dealing with any health professional ask them questions, if they have never heard of the consensus statements or are still following the earlier versions find someone new. A great resource is a certified Athletic Therapist in Canada or Athletic Trainer in the States. Proper concussion management is in their scope of practice and they deal with sport concussions on a regular if not daily basis.
So as a parent or coach what do you need to know. We are going to break it down into three posts. First we will focus on the importance of baseline testing, secondly recognizing a concussion, thirdly proper management.
Baseline concussion testing can involve a couple of different aspects. Depending on your health practitioner they may choose to do a different test. The most popular and common are the Sport Concussion Assessment Tool 3 (SCAT3), ImPACT and King-Devick. The SCAT3 has a version designed specifically for athletes aged 5-13 as well as the standard for those 13 and over. ImPACT should be used along with the SCAT3 or King-Devick.
The importance of having baseline testing done is not to compare to other athletes but to understand the athletes normal state as well as to determine their past concussion history. Finding out if an athlete has suffered a concussion before and if they have any medical conditions that may effect their recovery from a concussion if one should occur. Athletes, coaches and parents always ask if the baseline test was passed. This is where the naming can be deceiving, baseline testing is not a pass or fail, it is to determine how the athlete normally feels to a set of symptoms and to evaluate their memory recall, balance and thinking skills. It is an evaluation. How many of us have a headache on a regular basis? Since headache is the number one symptom of concussion, it is good to know if the athlete regularly has a headache when trying to determine if a concussion has occurred. When doing baseline evaluations athletes typically tell me they have a hard time with numbers or remembering months. If we had not done the baseline evaluation I would not have known that and it could effect my evaluation of them post injury.
Education about concussions is always important but that includes the health practitioners education about each individual athlete. Doing baseline evaluations allows us to get to know the athletes better, which in turn gives us an advantage when an injury does occur. Have your athletes do baseline evaluations prior to each season as their physical and mental growth and development will change their outcome. Think of a baseline concussion evaluation as an insurance policy. We never want to have to use our insurance but are sure glad we have it when it is needed.
Thursday, 12 September 2013
Balancing the Scales: Sport, School and Life
Being a student athlete is hard work. The amount of time and dedication it takes to compete at any level can at times leave little room for anything else. Finding time to schedule in school work, friends and family soon leaves many athletes overwhelmed and unsure of how to deal with all that is on their plate. The majority of young athletes that excel in their sporting venue also excel in school because of their internal drive to succeed. It is also what makes them say yes to student council, yearbook and many other school activities. Creating an environment for the athletes to succeed is job held by many and each of them have specific roles.
As the parent you are the master conductor and scheduler. You shuttle the kids from school to practices and games and back home again, watching them do homework in the back seat or in the stands while waiting for their siblings to be done. You see them texting their friends or talking to them after school. Part of your job as master scheduler is to put time in each day for your children to complete their school work. Try to give them uninterrupted time and space to complete their homework for the day. When planning for weekends away, have the children speak to their teachers in advance to get their assignments and reading for that period. Schedule time each week for them to have friend time, family time and down time. It is very easy for everyone to get caught up in the rat race of classes and sport, even young athletes need time to spend with their friends. It may be they end up playing street hockey, a pick up game of basketball or doing cartwheels in the basement but it needs to unstructured socialization time with their friends. Family is important, as you will be who they fall back on when things get tough in life. Spend at least one night a week together as a family to reconnect, turn off the phones and find out how everyone's week has been. Each person needs some me time, so let them have it. This time will be useful as your athletes will discover how they are feeling both physically and mentally when the world slows down around them.
Coaches need to remember that sport is not their athletes full time occupation, school is. Schedule enough time for your athletes to rest, do school work and have fun. Athletes who are both mentally and physically fatigued will not be able to focus on the skills expected of them. You should encourage your athletes to excel at school, as the problem solving and critical thinking skills they gain there will help improve their on field performance.
As an athlete you may feel the pressure to say yes to every request you get. Learn to say NO and to find a way to schedule time for yourself. Using a day timer or calendar to organize and write down when assignments, tests and games are will allow you to manage your time wisely. You don't want to have to worry about doing the ten page essay after family supper on Sunday night. Talk to your friends, find time to hang out with them away from school or gym. Your friends and family will help you out when you start feeling like everything is too much, keep them close so they are their for you when it happens.
Usually as a teacher you are probably doubling as teacher during the day and coach at night. Be understanding of your student athletes when they let you know they will be away, let them know what work they will miss so they don't fall behind. Students who exercise typically do better in class, help them excel at both school and sport.
Everyone involved in student athletes lives needs to pay attention to how much pressure they are putting them under to complete everything asked up them. We all need to be realistic in our expectations of them and to pay attention to the signs of burn out. If they are getting burnt out, be there for them and help them adjust as need to so they can live that balanced lifestyle where they gain the full benefits of school, sport, family and friends.
Symptoms of Burn Out
low motivation, decreased energy, concentration problems, loss of desire to play, lack of caring, sleep disturbances, physical and mental exhaustion, lowered self-esteem, negative affect, mood changes, substance abuse, change in values and beliefs, increased anxiety, highs and lows.
As the parent you are the master conductor and scheduler. You shuttle the kids from school to practices and games and back home again, watching them do homework in the back seat or in the stands while waiting for their siblings to be done. You see them texting their friends or talking to them after school. Part of your job as master scheduler is to put time in each day for your children to complete their school work. Try to give them uninterrupted time and space to complete their homework for the day. When planning for weekends away, have the children speak to their teachers in advance to get their assignments and reading for that period. Schedule time each week for them to have friend time, family time and down time. It is very easy for everyone to get caught up in the rat race of classes and sport, even young athletes need time to spend with their friends. It may be they end up playing street hockey, a pick up game of basketball or doing cartwheels in the basement but it needs to unstructured socialization time with their friends. Family is important, as you will be who they fall back on when things get tough in life. Spend at least one night a week together as a family to reconnect, turn off the phones and find out how everyone's week has been. Each person needs some me time, so let them have it. This time will be useful as your athletes will discover how they are feeling both physically and mentally when the world slows down around them.
Coaches need to remember that sport is not their athletes full time occupation, school is. Schedule enough time for your athletes to rest, do school work and have fun. Athletes who are both mentally and physically fatigued will not be able to focus on the skills expected of them. You should encourage your athletes to excel at school, as the problem solving and critical thinking skills they gain there will help improve their on field performance.
As an athlete you may feel the pressure to say yes to every request you get. Learn to say NO and to find a way to schedule time for yourself. Using a day timer or calendar to organize and write down when assignments, tests and games are will allow you to manage your time wisely. You don't want to have to worry about doing the ten page essay after family supper on Sunday night. Talk to your friends, find time to hang out with them away from school or gym. Your friends and family will help you out when you start feeling like everything is too much, keep them close so they are their for you when it happens.
Usually as a teacher you are probably doubling as teacher during the day and coach at night. Be understanding of your student athletes when they let you know they will be away, let them know what work they will miss so they don't fall behind. Students who exercise typically do better in class, help them excel at both school and sport.
Everyone involved in student athletes lives needs to pay attention to how much pressure they are putting them under to complete everything asked up them. We all need to be realistic in our expectations of them and to pay attention to the signs of burn out. If they are getting burnt out, be there for them and help them adjust as need to so they can live that balanced lifestyle where they gain the full benefits of school, sport, family and friends.
Symptoms of Burn Out
low motivation, decreased energy, concentration problems, loss of desire to play, lack of caring, sleep disturbances, physical and mental exhaustion, lowered self-esteem, negative affect, mood changes, substance abuse, change in values and beliefs, increased anxiety, highs and lows.
Thursday, 22 August 2013
Teach an Athlete to Drink
It amazes me that no matter the experience or level of competition that an athlete competes at you still must remind them to hydrate. Proper hydration is one of the key components in athletic performance. Dehydration not only effects the body physically but those physical side effects will effect you mentally as well. Hydration does not start when you step into the dressing room or at the first water break, it is a continual ongoing process. Think of your body as dam. You need a water source coming in, a place for it to rest and somewhere for it to go. The water you consume is like the river flowing into the dam, your body is the the reservoir, and the river flowing out is the water you lose through sweat and urination. How well do the muscles work if they are not lubricated? How will they receive the nutrients they need to perform? Water is used throughout our bodies, we need make sure it has an ample supply.
If you are able carry a water bottle with you so that you can hydrate throughout the day. A 120 pound person should consume 8 - 8oz glasses of water each day if they have not exercised. For every hour of exercise you should consume 16 oz or 2 cups of water. It is important to hydrate before, during and after activity. A good rule of thumb for during activity is to drink 1 to 1.5 tablespoons every 15-20 minutes. Continue to replenish after activity, for athletes who are losing excessive amounts of water replenish with the amount of weight lost during activity. Yes, chocolate milk is a great post activity drink to help replenish liquid, protein and carbohydrates, I still recommend drinking water on top of that.
For coaches, parents, and trainers be on the lookout for the following as they are signs and symptoms of mild dehydration:
If you are able carry a water bottle with you so that you can hydrate throughout the day. A 120 pound person should consume 8 - 8oz glasses of water each day if they have not exercised. For every hour of exercise you should consume 16 oz or 2 cups of water. It is important to hydrate before, during and after activity. A good rule of thumb for during activity is to drink 1 to 1.5 tablespoons every 15-20 minutes. Continue to replenish after activity, for athletes who are losing excessive amounts of water replenish with the amount of weight lost during activity. Yes, chocolate milk is a great post activity drink to help replenish liquid, protein and carbohydrates, I still recommend drinking water on top of that.
For coaches, parents, and trainers be on the lookout for the following as they are signs and symptoms of mild dehydration:
- Dry, sticky mouth
- Sleepiness or tiredness — children are likely to be less active than usual
- Thirst - dulled with activity
- Urine that is yellow or gold in colour
- Decreased urine output — eight hours or more without urination for older children and teens
- Few or no tears when crying
- Dry skin
- Headache
- Constipation
- Dizziness or lightheadedness
- Decreased mental awareness
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