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Sports Safety

How to Prevent a Pitching Sports Injuries

"The debate over youth pitching has shifted in recent years from what types of pitches youth pitchers should avoid to how many pitches are too many for a young throwing arm. The mechanics of throwing a curve ball won’t necessarily damage a young pitcher’s arm, but the repetitive throwing as a pitcher learns to throw a curve can be the source of minor and sometimes serious damage to the arm; causing elbow injury or shoulder injury."
Continue reading the article...  Kerlan Job Clinic:  How to Prevent a Pitching Sports Injury

Boom in Athletic Trainers — 'Guardian Angels' — Reflects Sports Safety Emphasis

Excellent article by Michael Kelly of the World-Herald

"When a college basketball player suffered a horrifying compound fracture Sunday on national TV, millions winced.

Denise Fandel of Omaha was among those watching. But she wasn't focused on Kevin Ware, the Louisville Cardinal whose fracture left 6 inches of bone sticking through his skin.

“I was watching to see what the medical staff was doing,” she said, “and they did everything they were supposed to do.”

To read the full article, click here...

 

 

Concussion Experts: Athletic Trainers and Concussions

An NATA video describing the important role athletic trainers play in concussion management of athletes.

Concussion Experts: Athletic Trainers and Concussion from National Athletic Trainers' Assn on Vimeo.

March 31- Athletic Training Month Resource of the Day

Today brings a close to athletic training month and the athletic training month tips of the day.  At the ATSNJ, we are committed to sports safety so be sure to continue to visit our website as your main resource for sport safety tips and athletic training news.

If you read a tip that you found useful you can always come back to read it.  All tips for March 2013 athletic training month at http://atsnj.org/tags/tip-day

Remember to continue to promote sports safety everyday and that

"Every Body Needs an Athletic Trainer"

 

March 30 - Athletic Training Month Resource of the Day

Sports, Exercise, and the Benefits of Physical Activity for Individuals with Autism

With the disgnosis of autism on the rise at an alarming rate, more and more students diagnosed with this affliction are beginning to particpate in organized sports.  Its interesting to note that according to Autism Speaks, "research and anecdotal evidence suggest that some alternative therapeutic choices that include sports, exercise, and other physical activities can be a useful adjunct to traditional behavioral interventions, leading to improvement in symptoms, behaviors, and quality of life for individuals with autism."

The Autism Speaks website provides a plethora of excellent information for helping these brave children.

March 29 - Athletic Training Month Resource of the Day

With the Lacrosse regular season fast approaching, its always a good idea to review a few tips regarding helmets in lacrosse.

US Lacrosse has an article on the proper ways to remove a lacrosse helmet facemask, since they can differ from the typical football helmet that many emergency personnel are more familiar with.

Lacrosse Helmet Facemask/Chinguard Removal Hints

US LAcrosse also provides these recommendations for helmet fitting.

March 27 - Athletic Training Month Resource of the Day

Preventing Little League Elbow

"Little League Elbow" -- is an inflammation of the inner elbow that affects an alarming number of youth baseball players across America. Pitchers are most affected by this injury, which is the result of the excessive stress on the growth plate in a child’s forearm caused by excessive throwing. Children who experience little league elbow often complain of pain on the inside of their elbows and an inability to fully extend their arms.

Here are a few steps you can take to prevent little league elbow before it starts. 

1. Monitor pitch counts. 

  •  9-10  year olds should throw no more than 50 pitches per game, or 75 in a week.
  • 11-12 year olds should be kept to 75 pitches per game and 100 per week.
  • 13-15 year olds should keep their counts under 75 per game and 125 per week.​

​2. Monitor the frequency of  pitching.

The number of times you pitch during the week is also important. Even in the major leagues, starting pitchers throw only once every four days. Rest time should depend on the number of pitches thrown in the last game. For pitchers ages 7-16, pitch counts can be easily broken up into units of 20. For example, 20 pitches or fewer require one day of rest; 20-40 require two days off; 40-60 require three days of rest; and anything above 60 pitches requires a break of at least four days.​

March 28 - Athletic Training Month Resource of the Day

 

Ice or Heat for Sports Injury

Do you know when to use ice and when to use heat on a sports injury?

Acute and Chronic Injuries

Acute injuries are sudden, sharp, traumatic injuries that occur immediately (or within hours) and cause pain (possibly severe pain). Most often acute injuries result from some sort of impact or trauma such as a fall, sprain, or collision and it's pretty obvious what caused the injury.

Acute injuries also cause common signs and symptoms of injury such as pain, tenderness, redness, skin that is warm to the touch, swelling and inflammation. If you have swelling, you have an acute injury.

Chronic Injuries, on the other hand, can be subtle and slow to develop. They sometimes come and go, and may cause dull pain or soreness. They are often the result of overuse, but sometimes develop when an acute injury is not properly treated and doesn't heal.

Ice

Icing an injured body part is an important part of treatment. Icing injuries can be effective for sprains, strains, overuse injuries and bruises.

March 26 - Athletic Training Month Resource of the Day

Youth Sports Injury Prevention Suggestion

Here good document on sports safety recommendations.  While  mainly focused on Japan, there are some good pieces of information that are pertinent to sports safety in the United States. Particularly suggestions for reducing injuries and head injuries. There are also some good statistics as well.

Topics covered include:

  • Youth Sports Injury Prevention
  • The scope of the youth sports injury problem in the United States
  • Recommendation to prevent youth sports injuries

To read the entire https://coa.stanford.edu/sites/default/files/AaronLMillerUSAReportforMRIForCOA.pdf

March 24 - Athletic Training Month Resource of the Day

As a follow up to yesterday tip of the day.  Here are some tips that may work for you as you try to avoid shin pain.

  • Increase stride rate to around 180 steps per minute. You can measure your stride rate by counting the number of times a single foot hits the ground in a minute, then multiplying by two.  180 is the rate that most top endurance runners have.  
  • Minimize the number of hard workouts. Running hard puts more strain on your shins.  Build up a slow mileage base until you beat shin pain.  At the very least, don’t run hard two days in a row.  Mix in very slow runs and off days to let your shins recover.
  • Run almost exclusively on soft trails, tracks, or treadmills. 
  • Wear the proper shoe for your feet.
  • Stretch before and after every run.

If shin pains does occur seek the appropriate medical attention fro evaluation and the proper treatment strategies.

 

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