Quick Links www.rodwalters.com
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ATEO Presentation Slides
Due
to requests from you, we have prepared to have available to you the
complete set of slides from the ATEO presentations. This download is
available on the store.
Slides are presented in a PDF format, and include all of the slides from all presentations.
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BLOG Topics
Blogs certainly offer us the chance to express our opinions on a myriad of topics. I am providing a Blog on a variety of topics of interest to Athletic Trainers. The list includes: -
Strategy for Prevention of Heat Illness
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Hydration and Prevention of Heat Illness
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Long-Term Effects of Playing High School Football
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Knee Bracing in Sports
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History of Knee Braces in Sports
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Flexibility
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Coaches and Concussions
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Legal Responsibility to Warn About Dangers of Protective Equipment
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Electronic Medical Records
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Sport Surface and Injury - Looking at Shoes
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Cost Containment in College Athletic
Check it out at http://blog.rodwalters.com. I am interested in hearing from you!
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ATEO Schedule
Details on the ATEO events can be found on our website at
www.rodwalters.com. Seminars are provided at NO COST and include 7 BOC
CEUs!
City Date
Cincinnati, OH April 10, 2010
Athens, GA May 17, 2010
Dallas, TX May 22, 2010
Houston, TX May 25, 2010
Nashville, TN June 8, 2010
Greenville, SC June 19, 2010
Birmingham, AL July 14, 2010
East Lansing, MI July 27, 2010
College Park, MD July 28, 2010
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Sickle Cell Trait - Look for the Warning Signs!
The last few years have certainly been full of reports dealing with athletes who are carriers of the Sickle Cell Trait. While these persons have abnormal red blood cells, they can continue to participate in sports provided ample precautions are made.
There are identifiable events which occur and with proper intervention by the health care team can certainly provide for safe participation. The development steps of progressive complications with the SCT athlete include:
- Exertion is of the length and intensity to drive blood oxygen levels low enough to produce sickling in the SCT patient.
- Further exertion can lead to more ischemia and subsequent rabdomyolosis; dumping myoglobin and potassium into the blood.
- Lactic acidosis may occur and release potassium further impacting heart function.
- Myoglobin may actually plug the kidneys and further the buildup of potassium.
The challenge for the health care team is to know who the athletes are with Sickle Cell Trait - and make sure these athletes are noted and when they present with symptoms; the condition is identified and addressed. It is important to remember the risk factors which further expose the SCT athletes. They include:
- Exercise at altitude
- Presence of heat stress
- Lack of acclimitization or engaging in rapid conditioning
- Asthma
- Recent illness
The National Athletic Trainers Association has presented the Consensus Statement: Sickle Cell Trait and the Athlete. This is an excellent resource to obtain more detailed information on identifying Sickle Cell Trait; and more importantly precautions for SCT athletes. The document addresses precautions and appropriate treatment.
Screening of all student-athletes for SCT is now required. It is imperative that those athletes with the trait be appropriately counseled, and monitored to prevent development of problems.
Know your patients - if a SCT athlete presents with symptoms, initiate proper treatment.
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UPDATE Your Emergency Action Plans
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Management of Prescription Medications in the Athletic Training Room
There have been numerous stories over the past few months specific to Prescription Medications and athletes with prescription medications without a medical reason. This abuse is being aggressively addressed by the state and federal government, and further sanctions are being handed out from professional and amateur sports agencies.
In February 2008, the National Athletic Trainers Association presented an article specifically addressing Prescription Medication in the Athletic Training Room. While this is a task many athletic trainers have dealt with over the years, it certainly warrants further review to make sure what you are practicing is addressed by your state and federal guidelines. It is imperative you make sure your state practice act identifies your role in your scope of work. There are three federal agencies, and each deal with a specific aspect of drug administration:
- FDA (addressing the appropriate labeling of medications including the 7-point label guidelines for over-the-counter medications)
- DEA (deals with license required to receive, score, administer, or dispense a medication; certifies a specific physician identified as responsible for medication in inventory; and establishes facility as the specific location where physician conducts his/her practice.)
- OSHA (establishes standards specifically for contamination). These guidelines prevent the repackaging of bulk medications into specific pill bottles or envelopes.
Be responsible relative to your role with prescription medications. Ignorance is not a good defense!
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