Sports First Aid Exam
11 different team members that can contribute to the athletic health team - ANSAthlete, Parents,
Coach, EMS, Doctor, Athletic trainer, PT, Dentist/Oral surgeon, Optometrist, Strength and
Conditioning coach, and equipment manager
3 steps to attend to an unresponsive athlete - ANS1. Alert EMS and retrieve AED
2. Check for breathing. If facedown, look to see rising and falling ribs or place a hand in front of
their nose and mouth to feel for breaths. Check for at least 5, no more than 10, seconds. Move
the athlete on their back if they are not breathing normally for CPR. If alone and the athlete is
face down, place the closest arm over their head, support their neck, place your other hand on
their hip and roll them towards you until they are on their back.
3. Begin CPR
3 types of Tendonitis - ANSCHRONIC
Tendinosis: microtrears occur in the tendon
Tenosynovitis: inflammation of the syndicalism sheath that surrounds the tendon
Paratendinitis: inflammation or thickening of the tendon sheath
4 Emergency Action Steps - ANSASESS the scene and athlete, ALERT and ATTEND to
breathing for a minute or less
7 steps to attend to a responsive athlete - ANS1. Identify yourself and ask the athlete for
permission to help
2. Ensure they are fully responsive and breathing normally without gasping or noisy sounds.
They should be able to talk and keep their airway open and clear.
3. Move the athlete away from harm or if they are at risk for breathing in fluid, vomit, or blood or
you need to leave to get help. Put them in a recovery position if uninjured or assume a head or
spine injury and use HAINES or 4-5 person rescue.
4. Look for/control bleeding with direct pressure
5. Look for normal tissue color and body temperature. If skin is bluish and feels cool, the athlete
may have reduced circulation.
6. When waiting for assistance, continue monitoring
7. Continue controlling bleeding, monitor color and temperature, and maintain temperature
8 guidelines for splint application - ANS1. Do not move the athlete until all injuries are splinted,
unless they are in danger of further injury or require repositioning for CPR or profuse bleeding or
shock.
2. Contact EMS and let them splint any musculoskeletal injuries
3. If the arrival of EMS takes longer than 20 minutes, splint the injury in the position you found it
but if it is a spine fracture, stabilize the head, prevent movement, and wait for EMS
4. Cover ends of exposed bones with gauze
5. Split with rigid or bulky materials well padded
6. For fractures or severe joint sprains, immobilize the bones above and below the joint
7. Secure the splint with ties or an elastic wrap, place ties above and below the injury but not
over it
, 8. Check the skin color, temperature, and sensation of the hand and fingers or foot and toes of
the splinted limbs for bluish tint that could indicate the splint is too tight and compressing nerves
or arteries
Abrasions - ANSOccur when tissue is injured by friction or scraping, like turf burns or
strawberries, yet the cornea can be abraded by dust or objects
Acute versus chronic injuries and illness - ANSAcute: occurs suddenly as a result of a specific
injury mechanism from falling or coming into contact with someone or something like broken
bones, cuts, bruises, and kidney injuries
Chronic: develops over several weeks and typically caused by repeated injury such as shin
splints, tennis elbow, diabetes, and epilepsy
Another term for "shock" - ANSSystemic tissue damage
Arterial versus Venous Bleeding - ANSArterial bleeding is caused by a very deep incision,
laceration, or puncture of an artery and results in bright red blood with rapid or spurting
bleeding.
Venous bleeding is caused by deep incision, avulsion, or puncture of a vein and results in dark
red blood and rapid bleeding.
At what time is it necessary to stabilize the body part with your hands before medical assistance
arrives? - ANS20 minutes or less
Avulsion - ANSSprained ligaments pull of a piece of bone, often in the ankle or finger. Can be
CHRONIC.
Avulsions - ANSComplete tissue tears, like tearing off the end of an earlobe or getting a ring
caught on something and forcefully pulling the finger
Before working with an athlete who is a minor, what should you do regarding consent? -
ANSObtain parental consent before the season, for injured adult athletes ask if they need help
or else consent is implied but if they refuse, you cannot help or else they can charge for assault
Bones - ANSBody's foundation that serves to shape and support the body and protect important
organs such as the brain, lungs, and heart
Bursa - ANSSmall, fluid-filled sacs between muscles, bones, tendons, and tissues that help
reduce rubbing between tissues
Bursitis - ANSBursa becomes swollen and sore from repeated blows/irritation or caused by
tendons rubbing back and forth across the bursa. CHRONIC
Capillary bleeding - ANSSlow and steady bleeding caused by superficial wounds
Cartilage - ANSTissue at the end of bones, function to absorb shock when bones hit each other,
and reduce friction when bones rub together
Closed versus open fractures - ANSClosed result when a bone breaks but does not protrude
through the skin and are most common while open occur when bone pierces the skin
Compression - ANSImpact injury to a specific body part that causes bleeding superficial or deep
tissue bruising, broken bones, or joint injuries
Contusions - ANSBruises that result from a direct blow causing tissues and capillaries to
become damaged and lose fluid and blood leading to pain, swelling, and discoloration.
Superficial are minor but deep to bone or muscle can cause loss of function. Direct blows to
heart, lungs, brain, or kidneys can cause bleeding and reduce blood flow to the organ which is
life threatening. Accounts for 15% of all high school injuries.
11 different team members that can contribute to the athletic health team - ANSAthlete, Parents,
Coach, EMS, Doctor, Athletic trainer, PT, Dentist/Oral surgeon, Optometrist, Strength and
Conditioning coach, and equipment manager
3 steps to attend to an unresponsive athlete - ANS1. Alert EMS and retrieve AED
2. Check for breathing. If facedown, look to see rising and falling ribs or place a hand in front of
their nose and mouth to feel for breaths. Check for at least 5, no more than 10, seconds. Move
the athlete on their back if they are not breathing normally for CPR. If alone and the athlete is
face down, place the closest arm over their head, support their neck, place your other hand on
their hip and roll them towards you until they are on their back.
3. Begin CPR
3 types of Tendonitis - ANSCHRONIC
Tendinosis: microtrears occur in the tendon
Tenosynovitis: inflammation of the syndicalism sheath that surrounds the tendon
Paratendinitis: inflammation or thickening of the tendon sheath
4 Emergency Action Steps - ANSASESS the scene and athlete, ALERT and ATTEND to
breathing for a minute or less
7 steps to attend to a responsive athlete - ANS1. Identify yourself and ask the athlete for
permission to help
2. Ensure they are fully responsive and breathing normally without gasping or noisy sounds.
They should be able to talk and keep their airway open and clear.
3. Move the athlete away from harm or if they are at risk for breathing in fluid, vomit, or blood or
you need to leave to get help. Put them in a recovery position if uninjured or assume a head or
spine injury and use HAINES or 4-5 person rescue.
4. Look for/control bleeding with direct pressure
5. Look for normal tissue color and body temperature. If skin is bluish and feels cool, the athlete
may have reduced circulation.
6. When waiting for assistance, continue monitoring
7. Continue controlling bleeding, monitor color and temperature, and maintain temperature
8 guidelines for splint application - ANS1. Do not move the athlete until all injuries are splinted,
unless they are in danger of further injury or require repositioning for CPR or profuse bleeding or
shock.
2. Contact EMS and let them splint any musculoskeletal injuries
3. If the arrival of EMS takes longer than 20 minutes, splint the injury in the position you found it
but if it is a spine fracture, stabilize the head, prevent movement, and wait for EMS
4. Cover ends of exposed bones with gauze
5. Split with rigid or bulky materials well padded
6. For fractures or severe joint sprains, immobilize the bones above and below the joint
7. Secure the splint with ties or an elastic wrap, place ties above and below the injury but not
over it
, 8. Check the skin color, temperature, and sensation of the hand and fingers or foot and toes of
the splinted limbs for bluish tint that could indicate the splint is too tight and compressing nerves
or arteries
Abrasions - ANSOccur when tissue is injured by friction or scraping, like turf burns or
strawberries, yet the cornea can be abraded by dust or objects
Acute versus chronic injuries and illness - ANSAcute: occurs suddenly as a result of a specific
injury mechanism from falling or coming into contact with someone or something like broken
bones, cuts, bruises, and kidney injuries
Chronic: develops over several weeks and typically caused by repeated injury such as shin
splints, tennis elbow, diabetes, and epilepsy
Another term for "shock" - ANSSystemic tissue damage
Arterial versus Venous Bleeding - ANSArterial bleeding is caused by a very deep incision,
laceration, or puncture of an artery and results in bright red blood with rapid or spurting
bleeding.
Venous bleeding is caused by deep incision, avulsion, or puncture of a vein and results in dark
red blood and rapid bleeding.
At what time is it necessary to stabilize the body part with your hands before medical assistance
arrives? - ANS20 minutes or less
Avulsion - ANSSprained ligaments pull of a piece of bone, often in the ankle or finger. Can be
CHRONIC.
Avulsions - ANSComplete tissue tears, like tearing off the end of an earlobe or getting a ring
caught on something and forcefully pulling the finger
Before working with an athlete who is a minor, what should you do regarding consent? -
ANSObtain parental consent before the season, for injured adult athletes ask if they need help
or else consent is implied but if they refuse, you cannot help or else they can charge for assault
Bones - ANSBody's foundation that serves to shape and support the body and protect important
organs such as the brain, lungs, and heart
Bursa - ANSSmall, fluid-filled sacs between muscles, bones, tendons, and tissues that help
reduce rubbing between tissues
Bursitis - ANSBursa becomes swollen and sore from repeated blows/irritation or caused by
tendons rubbing back and forth across the bursa. CHRONIC
Capillary bleeding - ANSSlow and steady bleeding caused by superficial wounds
Cartilage - ANSTissue at the end of bones, function to absorb shock when bones hit each other,
and reduce friction when bones rub together
Closed versus open fractures - ANSClosed result when a bone breaks but does not protrude
through the skin and are most common while open occur when bone pierces the skin
Compression - ANSImpact injury to a specific body part that causes bleeding superficial or deep
tissue bruising, broken bones, or joint injuries
Contusions - ANSBruises that result from a direct blow causing tissues and capillaries to
become damaged and lose fluid and blood leading to pain, swelling, and discoloration.
Superficial are minor but deep to bone or muscle can cause loss of function. Direct blows to
heart, lungs, brain, or kidneys can cause bleeding and reduce blood flow to the organ which is
life threatening. Accounts for 15% of all high school injuries.
