Cabrillo Athletic Training/ Sports Medicine
You can contact me at the following:
Cabrillo Sports Medicine
Certified Athletic Trainer: Michael Tillery, ATC
Telephone:
E-mail: tillery.michael@lusd.org
Cabrillo ROP Sports Medicine Student Trainers:
Sports Medicine Links :
Sprains
Your ligaments are tough, elastic-like bands that attach to your bones and hold your joints in place. A sprain is an injury to a ligament caused by excessive stretching. The ligament can have tears in it, or it can be completely torn apart.
Of all sprains, ankle and knee sprains occur most often. Sprained ligaments swell rapidly and are painful. Generally the greater the pain, the more severe the injury. For most minor sprains, you can probably treat the injury yourself.
Follow the instructions for P.R.I.C.E.
1. Protect the injured limb from further injury by not using the joint. You can do this using anything from splints to crutches.
2. Rest the injured limb. But don't avoid all activity. Even with an ankle sprain, you can usually still exercise other muscles to prevent deconditioning. For example, you can use an exercise bicycle, working both your arms and the uninjured leg while resting the injured ankle on another part of the bike. That way you still get three-limb exercise to keep up your cardiovascular conditioning.
3. Ice the area. Use a cold pack, a slush bath or a compression sleeve filled with cold water to help limit swelling after an injury. Try to apply ice as soon as possible after the injury. If you use ice, be careful not to use it for too long, as this could cause tissue damage.
4. Compress the area with an elastic wrap or bandage. Compressive wraps or sleeves made from elastic or neoprene are best.
5. Elevate the injured limb whenever possible to help prevent or limit swelling.
After the first two days, gently begin using the injured area. You should feel a gradual, progressive improvement. Over-the-counter pain relievers, such as ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin, others) and acetaminophen (Tylenol, others) may be helpful to manage pain during the healing process.
1. All young athletes should have pre-participation exams to ensure they’re fit for play.
2. To avoid seasonal overuse, players should not participate in more than one sports team at a time.
3. Always warm up before beginning any activity.
4. During practice and play, take rest breaks when necessary.
5. Replenish fluids regularly.
6. Cool down and stretch after play.
7. Parents, athletic trainers and coaches should always be alert to injuries, hold practices and games with adequate rest days built into the schedule and have an emergency plan in place.
Remember the term RICE- if an injury happens ( it doesn’t cure it though!)
Rest
Ice- 20 minutes on / off 1-2 hours
Compression
Elevation
A concussion is a brain injury and is not to be taking lightly. The injury occurs after a sudden force hits the head causing it to suddenly stop and the brain slams against the inside to the skull.
Signs and Symptoms-
Mental confusion Dizziness, poor balance, unsteadiness
Lack of cognitive ability Memory lapse
Change in behavior Nausea or vomiting
Headaches Muscular weakness
Abnormal drowsiness or sleepiness Unequal pupils
Ringing in the ears Slurring of speech
Loss of consciousness
* If you experience one or more of the following symptoms following a head injury, seek medical help immediately - inform athletic trainer, coach, or parent
Concussion Grade Classification
Concussions can be broken down in to different grades generally depending on the symptoms
1st degree- Mild,
2nd degree- Moderate, More intense headaches, amnesia, vomiting, temporary loss of consciousness
3rd degree- Severe, Complete loss of consciousness, knock out. Extreme signs and symptoms
* There are several differing grading systems on the status on return to play and athlete response differently
Preventive Tips for a Concussion:
Wear properly fitted headgear- If a sport requires head protection make sure it is properly fitted to each individual athlete (football).
Heat Related Illness- Heat Stroke / Heat Exhaustion
There are two heat relate illnesses that are of a major concern while physically active.
Heat exhaustion- Loss of fluid through excessive sweating without fluid being replenished. Can become an medical emergency if left unchecked.
Heat Stroke- A life-threatening condition which the body is unable to dissipate heat and begins to shut bodily functions .
Heat Exhaustion
*Sudden extreme fatigue
*Headaches, confusion
*Thirst, dizziness
*Profuse sweating
*Rapid breathing with a weak pulse
*Elevated core body temperature
Heat Stroke
*Core Temperature of 104+
*Skin generally hot and red
*Absence of sweating
*Pupils fixed and dilated
*Rigid extension posture
*High blood pressure
*Strange behavior
*Loss of unconscious
