Heath City Schools

Table of contents

Table Of Contents…..…………………………………...2

Athletic Training Philosophy……………………………3

Head Athletic Trainer………….......................................4

Athletic Training Coverage… .......................................5

Athletic Training Policies (Coaches Responsibilities.…..6

Athletic Training Policies (Athletic Trainers

Responsibilities)………………………………..7-8

Athletic Training Room Daily Operation……………….9

Athletic Training Room Rules…………………………10

Athletic Department Emergency Procedures………11-12

Visiting Teams…………………………………………13

Thunder & Lightning Policy…………………… …...14

On Field Evaluations…………………………………..15

Head/Neck Injuries…………………………………….15

Return To Participation Criteria……………………….16

Heat/Humidity and Heat Stress Guidelines……… ..17-18

Concussion Guidelines………………………………...19

Bloodborne Pathogens…………………………………20

Athletic training philosophy

Injuries are an inevitable part of participation in athletics. The prevention and care of injuries to Heath City Schools’ students/athletes is given top priority. The athletic training staff will seek quality care for each athlete utilizing the best equipment and medical services available.

It is understood that athletes want to participate and coaches want all their athletes available, but my decisions will be based on what is best and safest for the athlete. At no time will and athlete be placed in jeopardy for the “good of the team.” Treatment and rehabilitation will allow the athlete to return in the timeliest and safest manner possible with the least risk of reinjury.

The athletic training staff is here for the student/athlete. I will work as closely as possible with the coaching staff, parents, physicians and other allied health professionals to provide the best medical care for our athletes.

I will abide by all the laws and rules governing the practice of athletic training in the State of Ohio

Head Athletic Trainer

Qualifications:

1. Valid State Athletic Trainer’s License

2. National Certification by BOC

3. Minimum Bachelor’s Degree

Reports to: Athletic Director and High School Principal

Duties and responsibilities include the following:

Maintain an injury prevention, injury treatment and injury rehabilitation program.
Maintain permanent injury and treatment records.
Maintain athletic training facilities for the treatment of student/athletes.
Coordinate daily treatment, evaluations and rehabilitation of student/athletes.
Coordinate practice and event coverage with priority to the sports that present the highest risk of injury. Maintain a flexible schedule.
Maintain a working relationship with community practitioners to allow for the best care of the district’s student/athletes.
In cooperation with the student/athletes physician, advise the head coach on injured athlete’s treatments, prognosis, and restrictions.
Maintain inventory of supplies and equipment.
Order supplies and equipment through the athletic director.
Coordinate a physical examination for the student/athletes of the District.
Maintain on file all physical and emergency medical forms for all high school athletes.

Athletic training Coverage

Office hours-beginning at 2:00 during the school

week

Fall Varsity football-practice, home/away games

JV football-practice, home games

Girl’s volleyball(VAR/JV/FR)-practice, home

games

Boy’s soccer-home games

Girl’s soccer-home games

Cross country-invitational meet

Winter Boy’s basketball (VAR/JV/FR)-practice,

home games

Girl’s basketball (VAR/JV)-practice, home

games

Wrestling-practice, home meets

Spring Baseball (VAR/JV)-practice, home games

Softball (VAR/JV)-practice, home games

Track-practice, home meets

Athletic Training Policies

Coaches Responsibilities:

A. Coaches are responsible for turning in a

complete roster to the athletic trainer

at the beginning of the season.

B. Coaches are responsible to make sure that all athletes have on file an emergency medical authorization form and a physical form before they are permitted to participate in any formal athletic activity.

C. Coaches are responsible for having a copy of the emergency medical authorization present and accessible at all practices and events, both home and away.

Athletic Training Policies

2. Athletic Trainer’s Responsibilities:

A. The athletic trainer will cover varsity football and basketball practices and games. Other events/practices will be covered to the best of the ability of the athletic trainer with consideration to the availability and nature of the event.

B. Student aids are athletic training staff members and

are to be treated as such. They will perform duties as assigned by the athletic trainer.

C. No one is permitted access to treatment/injury records

except the athletic trainer.

D. Records, reports and any other information are not to

be released to the public. Information may be released only when the athlete and their parent/guardian give permission, in writing.

E. Under no circumstances is a coach or athlete allowed

to initiate, continue, or terminate any treatment/rehabilitation. All treatments/rehabilitation sessions in the athletic training room must be conducted under the direct supervision of the athletic trainer.

F. Only the licensed athletic trainer operates all

therapeutic modalities.

G. All injuries should be reported promptly to the athletic

trainer. This is the coaches’ and athletes’ responsibility.

H. In the event of an emergency requiring transportation

to a medical facility, it is the responsibility of the coach (when an athletic trainer is not present) to see that proper transportation is used. The athlete is to be transported by the quickest and safest means possible. The athlete is not to be transported by a person other than the emergency squad or the athlete’s parent/guardian.

I. It is the responsibility of the athlete to come in for

treatment/rehabilitation as instructed; records will be kept so compliance will be documented. All physician referrals should be made through the athletic trainer when available.

J. Parents have the option to choose a physician when a

referral is made.

K. Any medication taken by an athlete must be reported

to the athletic trainer prior to participation.

L. When an athlete sustains an injury at an away event,

that the Heath High School athletic trainer is not in attendance, and is evaluated by the home team’s athletic trainer, the host athletic trainer’s recommendation is to be followed until the athlete is seen by the Heath High School athletic trainer or by a physician.

Athletic Training Room Daily Operation

Initial evaluation, first aid care and appropriate referrals of injuries, assessment, treatment, rehabilitation and disposition of minor injuries, as well as injury prevention and education shall be conducted by the licensed athletic trainer for Heath City Schools’ student/athletes as part of the daily operation of the athletic training facilities. Records to be kept shall include: injury reports, daily treatment/rehabilitation logs and referrals.

Athletic Training Room Rules

1. The training room is a medical facility and should always be operated and used in a mature and professional manner.

2. No medications will be dispensed to students from the training room.

3. All supplies, modalities and special equipment will be administered by the athletic training staff only. Self-application of ice bags will be permitted.

4. No horseplay, loitering, swearing, or shouting will be permitted in the training room.

5. Athletes must be appropriately dresses when in the training room. No cleats, spikes, or bare feet.

Athletic Department Emergency Procedures

The safety of the student/athlete is the primary

concern.

Emergency medical authorization forms should be available for every student/athlete or any other student traveling with the team at all times.
If an injury occurs at practice or a home event, the athletic trainer should be notified immediately. The athletic trainer will assess the situation and be assisted by the coach if necessary.
If emergency transportation is necessary, the parents are to be notified immediately. If the parents are unavailable, a coach will accompany the student/athlete to the hospital.
When at an away athletic facility, transportation of a student/athlete to the hospital should only be done by an ambulance or the student/athletes parent(s)/guardian(s).
In the event of an injury at an away event, the athletic trainer should be notified as soon as possible upon return.
All coaches need to be aware of the closest phone and emergency access routes.

In the event that 911 is called, it is important that the coach remain calm and be reassuring to the athlete. At no point should the coach leave the athlete. Someone else should be designated to call 911.

For Gym: Designate someone to call 911using the

closest phone. Instruct the operator to have the

ambulance come to the main entrance of the school

or the back doors of the gym, depending on the situation.

For Swank Field/track: Designate someone to call

911 using the closest phone. Instruct the operator

to have the ambulance come to the Licking View

Drive Emergency Access Gate. Designate

someone to unlock any gates needed to give access

to the field before the ambulance arrives. Also

designate someone to meet the ambulance and

direct it to where it is needed.

For Dave Klontz Field: Designate someone to call

911 using the closest phone. Instruct the operator

to have the ambulance enter the main parking lot

off of Licking View Drive, and continue straight to

the field, behind the home dugout. If necessary,

designate someone to unlock any gate which may

be needed to give access to the field before the

ambulance arrives. Also designate someone to

meet the ambulance and direct it to where it is

needed.

For softball field: Designate someone to call 911 using

the closest phone. Instruct the operator

to have the ambulance enter the main parking lot

off of Licking View Drive, and continue around behind the school and to the field. Designate someone to meet the ambulance and direct it to where it is needed.

For soccer field: Designate someone to call 911using the

closest phone. Designate someone to meet the ambulance and direct it to where it is needed.

Visiting teams

The Heath High School athletic trainer is employed by the Heath School District and is responsible for our student/athletes. The athletic trainer is bound by the state laws that govern the practice of athletic training in Ohio.

The athletic training staff will provide visiting teams, traveling without a licensed athletic trainer/team physician, with first aid and emergency coverage. We cannot make return to participation decisions for visiting student/athletes nor do we expect other athletic training staffs to make these decisions for our student/athletes. Without a referral, by law we cannot provide taping or special equipment, which may be required for return to participation.

Any visiting athlete needing to be taped and/or requiring any special attention prior to a contest will be done so at our convenience; based on our availability and the nature of the request. The visiting team’s athletic trainer should contact our staff, in advance to facilitate any special arrangements. The visiting team should provide any supplies, which are needed.

Thunder and Lightning Policy

These guidelines are to be used for any athletic activity conducted outdoors:

1. If thunder and/or lightning can be heard and/or seen, stop activity and seek protective shelter immediately. Safe shelter includes any large building or, when traveling and no buildings are readily available, a school bus.

2. In situations where thunder and/or lightning may or may not be present yet you feel your hair stand on end and skin tingle, immediately assume the following crouched position: drop to your knees, place your hands/arms on your legs, and lower your head. Do not lie flat.

3. In the event that either situation should occur, allow thirty minutes to pass after the last sound of thunder and/or lightning strike prior to resuming activity.

On field evaluations

On field the team/site physician and/or the licensed athletic trainer will perform evaluations. The EMS provider will go on the field only if called by the physician or the licensed athletic trainer.

Head/neck injuries

Football Helmet policy

In the event of a head/neck injury the cervical spine must be immobilized and the athlete should be transported supine on a full backboard with a rigid cervical collar in place. The helmet is to be left on and securely taped to the backboard. Either unscrewing or cutting the clips that secure the mask to the helmet should remove the facemask.

If CPR is necessary, then the helmet may be removed using the two-person technique maintaining cervical spine control. If the helmet is removed then the shoulder pads must also be removed to maintain proper cervical alignment. The decision to remove the helmet and shoulder pads will be made by the physician and/or the licensed athletic trainer.

Return to participation criteria

Lower Extremity

1. Weight bearing

2. Jog straight

3. Jog with curves

4. Sprint straights

5. Figure 8’s-progressively smaller

6. Carioca

7. Sprint with 90 degree cut

8. Sport specific drills

Upper Extremity

1. Full, pain free range of motion

2. Strength greater than 90% of prior level

3. Sport specific drills

To move on the next phase of progression, the athlete must be able to perform activity without limping or increasing symptoms. In addition to successfully completing the entire progression, the strength of the affected area must be at 90% or better and range of motion must be equal to or near normal as compared to the unaffected side prior to full return to participation. The physician and/or athletic trainer will make the final decision on return to participation.

Heat/humidity and heat stress guidelines

The following guidelines pertain to activities conducted in

the hot/humid weather primarily of mid to late summer.

All athletes should weigh out and in on appropriate

weight charts. The chart is to be monitored after each practice for weight loss. Most athletes will gain back a majority of this weight between practices. The following weight loss guidelines must be followed:

Loss of 3% of body weight: monitor closely

Loss of 5% of body weight: lighter routine

Loss of 7% of body weight: out of practice

Guidelines for practice:

TEMP (F) HUMIDITY PROCEDURE

80-90 Under 70% monitor heavy athletes,

or wet-bulb athletes with 3% wt. loss

under 66 other athletes susceptible

to heat

80-90 Over 70% 10 minute rest period

90-100 Under 70% every hour, t-shirts

Or wet-bulb changed when wet, all

67-77 athletes carefully

monitored

90-100 Over 70% suspend practice or

Over 100 conduct practice in

Or wet-bulb shorts and t-shirt

Over 78

Water should be available at all times and athletes should

be encouraged to drink unlimited amounts during activity

These signs and symptoms should be watched for when observing athletes for heat stress:

Heat Cramps

-profuse sweating, cramps involving abdominal muscles and/or extremities

-treat by moving athlete to cool/shaded area, passively stretch the involved muscle, and give plenty of fluids

Heat Exhaustion

-profuse sweating, cold clammy skin, pale, weakness, light-headed, dizziness, nausea, headache, loss of appetite

-treat by moving athlete to cool/shaded area, discontinue activity, administer fluids, cool body with ice bags, cool wet towels, etc.

Heat Stroke-This is a medical emergency!!

-skin is hot, dry and red, sweating has stopped, irritability, aggressiveness, emotional instability, hysteria, apathy, disorientation, unsteady gait, glassy stare, drop in blood pressure, unconsciousness

-CALL 911, treat by immersing patient in cool water or with ice bags, wet towels and fanning, treat for shock, administer fluids if patient is conscious, COOLING IS TOP PRIORITY

Concussion Guidelines

GRADE 1: NO LOSS OF CONSCIOUSNESS

Confusion with/without mild, brief amnesia

Other possible symptoms: Headache, dizziness, impaired concentration or orientation, ringing in ears, nausea, blurred/double vision

Remove from participation based on evaluation

Return to participation:

Athlete must be asymptomatic at rest and with exertion for three days before returning

2^nd concussion (grade 1) in one season

-must see physician prior to return

3^rd concussion (grade 1) in one season

-end of season

GRADE 2: MAY OR MAY NOT HAVE BRIEF

LOSS OF CONCIOUSNESS

Confusion with amnesia

Removed from participation based on evaluation

Return to participation:

Out one full week (7 days), athlete must be asymptomatic at rest and with exertion before returning

Must be cleared by a physician

GRADE 3: PROLONGED LOSS OF CONSCIOUSNESS

Transportation to medical facility for evaluation

Return to participation:

Determined by physician

Prolonged unconsciousness, persistent mental status alterations, worsening post-concussion symptoms, or abnormalities on neurological exam require immediate medical attention.

Blood borne pathogens

With the rise in the incidence of diseases caused by blood borne pathogens, especially hepatitis-B and HIV, it is necessary to take precautions to prevent the spread of these pathogens. It needs to be stressed that even though there is a theoretical risk of contracting HIV through casual contact or collision in the athletic setting, no case of HIV transmission has been documented to occur in this manner.

RISK REDUCTION:

All blood/body fluids should be treated as potentially infected.
Disposable gloves should be used when treating someone who is bleeding or has breaks in the skin or when dealing with any body fluids.
Hands should be thoroughly washed before and after touching a student/athlete.
During procedures where blood/body fluids are likely to splash, protective devices (i.e. eye protection, gowns, etc.) should be used.
Resuscitation masks/barriers should be used when performing CPR or basic life support.
All contaminated waste must be disposed of in approved containers.

Anything that comes in contact with blood/body fluid spills should be cleaned with a fresh 1:10 bleach solution or other OSHA approved cleaner.