Injury Tips

When injured, remember ICE
When an athlete becomes injured the body's initial response is to tighten or tense up, which leads to pain. The body also begins swelling in the affected area. Swelling is a natural response, but needs to be controlled. Swelling occurs for two reasons:

• to naturally splint the injured body part; and
• to bring the body's defense cells to the injury to aid in recovery.

Swelling can be controlled successfully by remembering the acronym ICE.
I is for ice, which slows down the metabolism of the cells so they don't require as much oxygen.
C is for compression. Wrapping the ice in a snug Ace wrap helps squeeze the swelling out of the injured area.
E is for elevation. Keeping the injured area above the level of the heart helps pump blood back into the heart.

Concussion Signs and Symptoms

• Loss of consciousness
• Headache
• Dizziness
• Vomiting
• Nausea
• Amnesia
• Loss of concentration/confusion
• Loss of balance
• Vision difficulties
• Weakness of extremities
• Personality changes (becoming irritable or restless)
• Respiratory difficulties
• Ringing in ears
• Drowsiness
• Speech difficulties

Following a blow to the head:

Lucid Interval: Athlete may initially show signs/symptoms of a mild concussion. These symptoms subside quickly and the athlete progresses through a very lucid period which may eliminate suspicion of a serious concussion. The athlete's condition then abruptly begins to deteriorate rapidly in the following manner -- the athlete becomes disoriented, confused, drowsy, complains of a headache that increases in intensity with time and falls into a coma. If untreated, death or permanent brain damage occurs.

Second Impact Syndrome: Athletes who are allowed to return to competition prior to the complete resolution of all post-traumatic symptoms are at risk of a relatively minor yet fatal second blow. The minor blow can result in rapid cerebral swelling, which leads to catastrophic consequences in 50% of the cases. Once the swelling begins, it is virtually impossible to control.

Return-to-Play Criteria: If an athlete displays any of the concussion signs and symptoms following a blow to the head, he/she must sit out for at least 15 minutes. Once the 15 minutes expires and the athlete is symptom-free, the athlete must perform some form of physical exertion (sprinting, sit-ups, push-ups, hopping). If the athlete is symptom-free after exertion, then he/she may return to play, but a head injury warning sheet should be issued to the family. Symptoms that persist beyond 15 minutes or return following physical exertion require the attention of a medical professional and a removal from activity until a medical evaluation is performed.