Assessment & Evaluation of Athletic Injuries
What are the limits placed on a Certified Athletic Trainer when evaluating an injury?
Only permitted to conduct an assessment, not a diagnosis
What are the five factors influencing athletic injuries?
1. Anthropomorphic status
2. Mechanism of force
3. Speed
4. Protective equipment used
5. Skill level
Define the term ligamentous laxity.
The degree of looseness in the ligaments of a joint
What is the purpose of the Athlete Medical Referral Form?
Medium for athlete’s training staff to communicate with the physicians office —> athlete brings to doctor
What are the limits placed on a licensed healthcare professional when evaluating an injury?
Their specialization
Provide a real-world example showing how improvements in protective equipment aided in reducing injury levels.
Identify the primary difference between a Primary Injury Survey and a Secondary Injury Survey.
Primary determines only if serious or life threatening injuries are present, whereas Secondary is a thorough, methodical evaluation of an athlete’s entire health.
What are the two primary reasons why the Documentation of Injuries is necessary?
1. Detailed records of all injuries can create a database for sports medicine; create a profile of injuries by sport to recognize trends through forming a profile —> aid with supplying training staff w resources to customize and personalize training and recovery
2. Used as a resource in case of lawsuits filed claiming negligence or mis-practice; offers concrete evidence proving or disproving case; protects patients and medical professionals
What is the determining factor that allows healthcare professionals to diagnose, while trainers cannot?
Medical School Education
What characteristic’s of an athlete are taken into account when referring to their Anthropomorphic data?
Size, Weight, Body Structure, Gender, Strength, Maturity Level
What do the ABCs stand for?
Airway, Breathing, Circulation
What does the Ø, L and R stand for on a Daily Red Cross List?
What two items of information form the basis of an assessment of an injury?
1. Professional Knowledge ; presenting symptoms
2. Knowledge of the events occurred
Why shouldn’t a senior, college football player line up against a freshman, high school football player?
Skill Level Difference + Physical Development Difference
What is the difference between Active and Passive motion when checking for injuries?
Active Motion: Athlete moves limb themselves
Passive Motion: Athlete relaxes limbs and physician/trainer moves
List all 4 forms of documentation for injuries.
Daily Red Cross List
Athlete Medical Referral Form
Training Room Treatment Log
Daily Sideline Injury Report
Differentiate between an Assessment and a Diagnosis.
Assessment: collection of objective and subjective data on an athlete’s health status
Diagnosis: evaluation of assessment and physical findings to establish cause and nature of an injury
What are the five aspects of a collision that must be taken into account when considering a mechanism of force?
Direction, Intensity, Duration, Activity, Position of Body / Body Part
What are the five steps required when evaluating an athlete’s muscle and STRENGTH following an injury?
1. Isometrically move injured limb with and without resistance
2. Ask athlete to contract injured muscle, or muscle around injured joint
3. Compare injured and uninjured sides for size and firmness of muscle mass
4. Note visible defects in injured muscle
5. Palpate (search for through feeling) for knots or lumps in injured muscle
Identify and briefly summarize each letter in the acronym; SOAP.
S = Subjective, subjective statements made by the injured athlete
O = Objective, objective findings made by the certified athletic trainer(s)
A = Assessment, professional judgement and overall impression related to the nature and extent of the injury as made by the CAT
P = Plan, first aid treatment rendered + further plans for athletic recovery