As an injured student-athlete myself, I can assure you that sustaining a serious injury which was caused by a previous, unnoticed injury is some of the worst news that you can recieve in your career According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (2016) more than 200,000 collegiate athletes sustain an injury in either practice or competition each year. Student-athletes diagnosed with serious injuries worldwide are being told by medical professionals that their injury could have been prevented if recognized sooner by school athletic training staff.
Student-athletes expect the highest level of care from their athletic training staff when faced with an injury. In order to better protect student-athletes from preventable injuries we must first identify the reason injuries are going unnoticed, the effects that unnoticed injuries have on the injured athlete, and solutions to this issue.
The causes of unnoticed injuries in student-athletes. Negligence by staff (ESPN, 2017) Athletic trainers not present at practices Missouri athlete sustains multiple injuries from coach who participated in (NFHS,2018) disregard to concussion protocol Montana high school football player hospitalized after trainer cleared him for play without completing concussion protocol (Athletic Business, 2018) North Carolina high school football player dies after sustaining concussion 5 days prior to being cleared to play in game without completing concussion protocol (News & Observer 2017) Misdiagnosed injuries Indiana University rower misdiagnosed multiple times for back pain (ESPN 2017) Athletes being forced to play through injuries Transition: Injuries that go unnoticed to athletic training staff can often have devastating effects on the student-athlete.
The effects that unnoticed injuries have on student-athletes.
Inability to participate in sports due to minor injury Serious injury requiring prolonged rehab or surgery death Transition: Now that we have discussed the effects that unnoticed injuries have on student-athletes, we can now focus our attention on how to solve this serious issue.
How we can prevent serious injuries in student-athletes that are caused by previous unnoticed injuries. Pass Bill #A02783 Which relates to the licensure of athletic trainers and Provides certain exemptions and requires continued education of athletic trainers Requiring all student athletic trainers to be supervised when assessing injuries and creating treatment plans Requiring athletic trainers to be present during all school-sanctioned practices and games Paying closer attention to what athletes say regarding their health
Today we discussed the causes and effects of unnoticed injuries in student athletes, as well as the solution to preventing serious injuries that are caused by previous unnoticed injuries. Athletic trainers are supposed to have the well-being of athletes in mind at all times. Next time you sustain an injury during a school practice or game, make sure you receive the proper medical care needed to ensure that you are on the best road to recovery!