Safety

Skin Infections in Athletics: Preventing, Recognizing & Treating

Skin infections in athletes, including community-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (CA-MRSA), are extremely common.  The nature of athletics, which expose the skin to a wide variety of stresses, trauma, environmental factors, and infectious agents, all combine to continually attack the integrity of the skin and lead to considerable disruption to individual and team activities.  A new position statement by the National Athletic Trainers' Association, says that recognition of skin diseases is absolutely essential, particularly by certified athletic trainers, who "represent the first line of defense against spread of infections to other team members."

New Rules for High School Basketball Promoting Good Sportsmanship Approved for 2010-2011

Among the high school basketball rule changes recently approved for the 2010-11 season by the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS)  are those promoting good sportsmanship.

PEP Warm-Up Exercises Reduce Female ACL Injury Risk

Following a specially-designed warm-up regimen before sports measurably improves muscle strength and flexibility and corrects biomechanical imbalances blamed for the epidemic of anterior cruciate injuries among female athletes.                                                        

High School Football, Girls Basketball Have Most Severe Injuries: Study

Which high school sports pose the highest risk of severe injury?  Football leads the list, slightly more than wrestling and more than twice the rate in girls' basketball and girls' soccer.  The safest of the nine studied? Girls volleyball.

Second Impact Syndrome, Though Rare, Poses Catastrophic Risk To Concussed High School Athletes

Second-impact syndrome occurs when a high school athlete who sustains a head injury - often a concussion or worse injury, such as a cerebral contusion (bruised brain) - sustains a second head injury before symptoms associated with the first injury have cleared. The condition, while rare, causes a sharp increase in intracranial pressure that is almost always fatal, says Dr. Robert Cantu.

Advice for Parents When Child's Concussion Symptoms Persist Or Get Worse

Dr. Robert Cantu recommends parents seek additional testing and evaluation if their child's post-concussion signs and symptoms do not clear within a week to 10 days or increase in number or severity.

"Stepwise" Return to Play Recommended For Athletes Sidelined By Concussion For Several Weeks Or Longer

If an athlete has been sidelined by a concussion for several weeks or longer, Dr. Robert Cantu recommends that he follow a "stepwise" approach to return to play.

No Return To Play In Same Game After Suffering Concussion For Youth Athletes, Says Dr. Robert Cantu

Because of the risk to youth and high school athletes of suffering a second potentially fatal brain injury before the brain has healed from the initial injury - a condition called second impact syndrome - Dr. Cantu advises against allowing such athletes to return to play in the same game or practice after experiencing post-concussion signs or symptoms.

Every Concussion Is Different, Says Dr. Robert Cantu

While concussions share certain characteristics, every concussion is unique to that particular individual, says Dr. Robert Cantu, and requires individualized management.

Concussion Defined

A concussion Is defined as trauma (e.g. usually but not always a blow to the head, face or neck) which causes the brain  to collide with the skull. A "concussion" is derived from the Latin concutere, meaning to shake violently. It is also often referred to as an MTBI (mild traumatic brain injury).
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