Where Knowledge Rules

Home:

Health & Fitness

Get a Widget for this title

How to prepare for sports first aid

So your six-year-old has joined the local soccer team and you, faithful parent, have volunteered as an assistant coach. That's great. You child will feel good that you're so supportive, and this will give you and your child something fun to do together. Now the coach asks you if you'll be in charge of the first aid box and administering first aid to the team members. You'd like to help out, but what do you do?

First of all, it would be a good idea to get some first aid training. Most sports injuries involve bumps, bruises, or scrapes, but occasionally there may be broken bones, head injuries, heat exhaustion, or allergic reactions to bee stings. At least one adult in charge of the team should be trained and ready. Next, you'll need to check the first aid box, check the team's medical records, and review basic first aid for common sports injuries.

GET TRAINING
Your local chapter of the Red Cross offers good First Aid and CPR training that will involve just one weekend of your time. Also check your local hospital, fire stations, and community college for basic First Aid and CPR classes. Make sure you get trained in both adult and child CPR, just in case you need to administer CPR to either the young players or their parents on the sidelines.

While there are good online First Aid classes, nothing beats actual practice in a workshop. Hands-on experience is essential to help you remember what to do in an actual emergency. If you must take online training, do it with a partner so that you can practice First Aid. CPR should be practiced on a CPR dummy, not on a live person (or you can send the person into cardiac arrest), so do try to attend an actual CPR class.

When you attend a class, wear loose, comfortable clothing, since you'll spend some time on the floor practicing CPR and other First Aid techniques. Take a notebook and pen or pencil so you can take notes for the quiz at the end. When the class is over, be sure to review the manual from time to time.

CHECK THE FIRST AID BOX
Take the team First Aid box home and take inventory. At a minimum, the box should contain the following:

- Sun block, for players who forget theirs.

- Adhesive bandages in several sizes.

- Antiseptic wipes or alcohol wipes, for cleaning cuts.

- Antibiotic ointment for treating cuts and scrapes.

- Non-stick gauze pads and first aid tape for dressing scrapes.

- Instant cold packs for bumps, bruises, and sprains.

- Several elastic (Ace) bandages for wrapping sprains.

- Several triangle bandages, which can


Below are the top articles rated and ranked by Helium members on:

How to prepare for sports first aid

  • 1 of 5

    by Karen Bledsoe

    So your six-year-old has joined the local soccer team and you, faithful parent, have volunteered as an assistant coach.

    read more

  • 2 of 5

    by Harriet Squier

    While sports activities can be great fun, providing healthy exercise, invigorating competition, and relaxation, they can

    read more

  • 3 of 5

    by Eve Redstone

    First aid can be required in any situation but sporting events often provide more scope for injury. If you are being asked

    read more

  • 4 of 5

    by Jess Hippo

    Have you ever been playing basketball when all of a sudden the ball jams your finger? Painful, at the least. Or how about

    read more

  • 5 of 5

    by Just Me Here

    When you or a loved one plays sports it is vital to have a first aid kit packed with the essentials on hand. While playing

    read more

Add your voice

Know something about How to prepare for sports first aid?
We want to hear your view. Write_penWrite now!

Helium Debate

Cast your vote!

Are children overdiagnosed with attention deficit disorder?

Click for your side.

125283

Featured Partner

ICED

Breakthrough has partnered with Helium, giving you the chance to write for a cause. Browse Breakthrough's featur...more

What is Helium? | Buy Web Content | Contact Us | Privacy | User agreement | DMCA | User Tools | Help | Community | Helium’s Official Blog | Link to Helium

Helium, Inc.
200 Brickstone Square Andover, MA 01810 USA