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Player Safety in Youth Sports: Sportsmanship and Respect as an Injury-Prevention Strategy

 
The night was November 3, 1999, and the final seconds were ticking down in a junior varsity hockey game between bitter local rivals, New Trier High School and Glenbrook North High School, at the Rinkside Sports Ice Arena in the  Chicago suburb of  Gurnee. New Trier was  comfortably ahead, 7-4, in the teams' first encounter since Glenbrook North had edged them, 3-2, for the Illinois state junior varsity title a season earlier.[1] Junior varsity contests do not  normally  provide lasting memories in any sport, but this early-November game would be different.
 

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Concussion Safety in Youth Sports: Roles for State Legislation and the Local Power of the Permit

Since 2009, all fifty states and the District of Columbia have enacted statutes to improve prevention and treatment of concussions in youth sports.

The passage of time will determine the efficacy of this new legislation and the desirability of further amendments, but, as I argue in a forthcoming law review article to be published by the Journal of Business & Technology Law (a copy of which is attached as a pdf), one major shortcoming of many of the new state concussions statutes is that regulate only interscholastic sports, and do not extend to private leagues, clubs and associations which do not own and operate their own facilities but instead use fields, gymnasiums, and other public property managed by local governmental bodies, usually the city council, the parks and recreation department, or the public school district. 

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P.R.I.C.E. Is Right First Aid For Muscle and Joint Sports Injuries

The five-step process for treating an injury to a muscle or joint is called  "P.R.I.C.E.", which is short for Protection, Rest, Ice, Compression, and Elevation).

It can be used even by someone without first-aid training, and should be used immediately when an injury occurs – the earlier, the better – while further medical attention is being sought.  

If the athlete experiences too much pain during the process, stop immediately.

"P"  is for Protection

Protect the injured person and the area being treated but also protect yourself.  If the injury occurs on the sports field, stop the game.  

Protect the area being treated with a splint if possible.

If the athlete can move, carefully move them to a safer area using a stretcher or a crutch, but if there is any doubt, do not move the injured athlete.

Emergency Action Plan Needed For Every Youth Sports Program

While not mandated by law, best health and safety practices require that school, independent and community-based youth sports organizations develop, implement, and practice an emergency action plan (EAP) to protect the safety of athletes, spectators, coaches, and officials in case of a medical emergency.

A comprehensive EAP should:

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Rest Is Critical To Concussion Recovery

Experts recommend that student-athletes avoid strenuous physical activity and activities that require mental exertion during the first few days after concussion.

While strict bed rest is NOT recommended, strenuous physical activity may make concussion symptoms worse and has the potential to delay recovery.

As a result, experts recommend broad restrictions on physical activity in the first few days after a concussion, including:

  • no sports
  • no weight training
  • no cardiovascular training
  • no PE classes
  • no exercise
  • no chores that result in perspiration/exertion;
  • no leisure activities, such as bike riding, street hockey, and skateboarding, that risk additional head injury or make symptoms worse.

Just as an athlete recovering from a concussion needs to get physical rest, he needs cognitive (mental) rest as well to allow the brain time to heal.

Impact Sensors: Frequently Asked Questions About Use In Contact and Collision Sports

Until very recently, impact sensors - accelerometers measuring the forces which, when transmitted to the brain, cause sports-related concussions - were only used by scientists in conducting research. The last several years, however, have seen a growing number of companies introduce to the consumer market the first generation of impact sensors intended for real time monitoring of impacts to the heads of athletes in actual games and practices. 

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Concussion Checklist For Sports Parents

Parents, along with teachers, coaches, school nurses, psychologists, and athletic trainers play a crucial role in a child's treatment and recovery from a suspected concussion, especially the all-important decisions about when to return to school ("return to learn") and everyday social and home activity, and, in most cases, to sports.

But what, exactly, is the parent's role? Here's a 10-point checklist.

1. Regularly and closely monitor your child for first 24 to 48 hours.

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Prevention and Treatment of Exertional Heat Stroke

 
Exertional heat stroke (EHS) is one of the three leading causes of death in sport (and the leading cause in the summer).  But death from exertional heat stroke is 100 percent preventable when proper recognition and treatment protocols are implemented. Putting the right programs into place is essential to prevent and treat exertional heat illnesses and ensure appropriate care is in place.

Prevention

• A heat acclimatization policy should be implemented to allow athletes to be acclimatized to the heat gradually over a period of 7 to 14 days. This is optimal for full heat acclimatization.
• Plan rest breaks and modify the work-to-rest ratio to match environmental conditions and the intensity of the activity.

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Signs and Symptoms of Concussion

 
Parents, coaches, and athletes need to remember that a concussion is an injury to be taken seriously because it is a form of mild traumatic brain injury.
 
Some people think that a concussion can result only from a direct blow to the head, but the fact is that it can result from a strong blow to the body, too. (For more about concussion myths and misconceptions, click here)
 
Identifying an athlete with concussion as early as possible is very important, so parents, coaches, and athletes need to be on the lookout for the following signs and symptoms of concussion:
 

Symptom Checklists For Athletes Ages 5 to 13 and Their Parents

 
Because athletes below age 13 report symptoms different from adults, an exam by a health care professional should include input not only from the athlete but from their parents, and possibly teachers and school personnel.
 
Experts recommend that, in assessing concussion for children aged 5-12 years, children and their parents should be asked to complete the following symptom checklists 

Child - Symptom Evaluation

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