How quickly a situation can change!!

I can't believe how high profile the problem of head injury has become over the past year. An area that was accepted as just part of the sport, has now become recognized as a devastating injury. It's not just hockey, but all sports or activities in which repetitive jarring of the head occurs. Now comes the time for action and positive changes that can protect the long term mental health of anyone who participates in organized sports. The NHL playoffs have been great but unfortunately also showcase the fragility of preventing more concussive injuries. Hopefully the physical toll from the head shots that have sidelined some elite players will have time to heal and resolve without major consequence, but that may be too optimistic a view. The game of hockey is faster than ever, the players are better conditioned and more physically dominant and physical contact is a prominent aspect of the game. There is no question that increasing the size of the ice surface would be beneficial and dramatically reduce the incidence and severity of concussive events, but is an expensive and non-immediate change. Increasing player respect and awareness costs nothing and can start now. It's time to end the gladiator mentality of maiming the opponent. Coaches cannot encourage their players to go out and purposefully injure another player. As we have recently seen in professional football, some teams place bounties and rewards on sidelining an opponent. Players have to understand that sport is a business and there is a good chance the player that you are asked to injure may be your team-mate in the future.
A little knowledge can be a powerful thing. Head injury is now out of the shadows and being discussed openly. Positive changes are surely to follow.
Keep safe. Have fun.

Where did time go?

As there wasn't much feedback or comment to my original post, I sort of let this blog simmer. Can't believe that it is coming up on 7 years since I last posted. A lot has happened on the head injury front and some high profile NHL concussions and deaths have catapulted the issue to the front pages. One can only hope that those in charge of organized sports, particularly those involving our kids, will take heed and spearhead a change in the mindset that has kept minor closed head injury a minor concern. There is nothing minor about closed head injury !! I don't want to get into the debate associated with fighting in sports, cheap shots and unsportsmanlike behaviours. We also have to recognize that active kids are going to hurt themselves. The challenge is to provide the necessary support to minimize consequences associated with these activities. Trainers, coaches and most importantly parents have to err on the side of caution and put the well being of the player first. No one would put a player with a broken bone or bleeding wound back in the game. Even though you cannot see a concussion, the mere suspicion of a player suffering a concussion should be enough to rest them until an injury can be ruled out. The greatest danger is not the initial concussion, it is the susceptibility to much more profound consequences if other concussive events occur before the brain has had a chance to heal and recover from the traumatic event. It took a Sidney Crosby to stand up and say that he was not returning until he was 100% sure that he had recovered. One can only hope that even he did not rush his return and that the more recent complaints of headache are not a precursor to a career ending decision.

I recognize that the pressures to perform are a significant factor for many competitive players, their parents and coaches. I just hope that we all can keep perspective on the bigger picture. As parents it is our duty to keep our children's welfare as our top priority. Over this Holiday Season take the opportunity to appreciate all that you have. Enjoy your family time and lets hope that 2012 will be an improvement over 2011.  Happy New Year !

Sport Trainer's Interaction Blog

Are you interested in sharing information or having questions answered on how to best manage sports related injuries and training?
While professional trainer's are well equipped and knowledgeable in their chosen profession, there are many more volunteers armed only with Basic First Aid Training and whatever additional training they can get to keep our children safe while they participate in recreational sports. This is intended to be a forum where information and/or questions can be shared ranging from favorite products; how to use these products; how to recognize and attend to common injuries; "string & chewing gum" emergency solutions; how, what and when to get our young athletes to eat nutritionally appropriate foods/drinks; provide links to other resources ... and the list continues.

While the nuts & bolts of First Aid are extremely important, one other aspect of sport injury is rarely discussed - the mental aspect of preventing and mitigating injury. There are many motivational slogans that coaches and parents will use. One very popular one is that There is no "I" in TEAM !! While this is a very important concept for co-operation and shared responsibility, it can be a dangerous concept when extended to an injured or ill player. Just remember that there IS an "I" in INJURY. Injury is an individual concern and NOT a team decision. Taking one for the team can be a very bad credo for an injured player. One area of prime concern is in the event of possible CONCUSSION or more generally what is referred to as minor closed head injury. Please note that there is nothing minor about any closed head injury. A huge change in attitude is required by players, coaches, trainers and parents regarding the perceived degree of injury involving trauma to the head and neck. The insidious thing about closed head injury is that it is cumulative. An individual incident may not produce any noticeable effect but a subsequent minor involvement of the head may prove devastating. The cavalier attitude regarding blows to the head must be replaced with an awareness that injury to the brain may not be visible like a broken arm, but unlike a broken bone, brain injury may never actually heal. Symptoms may be masked by the brain's extraordinary capability to re-learn and adopt alternate strategies. It is interesting that for some instances like open bleeding, organizations will have rules for return to play. Unfortunately this list is relatively restricted and efforts should be made to make it more inclusive. Head and spinal injury are just two examples of injury that can have dire consequences if ignored or considered less important than winning the game. It is important to have an open discussion about issues that affect the safety and health of our children. No child should be put in the position where letting down the team is more important than their personal health. Ask any player whose career has been ended by injury whether they would have done anything differently and I am sure that avoiding the injury would be high on their list. "PLAY SMART" and "RESPECT the other player" are two other slogans that speak to the mental aspects of managing injury. I am sure that you can think of others. Playing sport should be fun and help develop positive relationships, attitudes and skills. Have a great season and please feel free to express yourself.