In the news: to rest or not to rest

When doing nothing is the best medicine

October 20, 2011

By: Danielle Ofri, M.D.

"Don't just stand there, do something!"

I feel this is something hard to do for an athletic trainer and even more hard for an athlete to accept. When an athlete comes in with a pain that has been going on for awhile, depending on the type of pain there isn't much we can do. I always want to help people right away and give them that instant fix but sometimes rest is the only answer. Yes there are some injuries that can have answers right away but just because some injuries have immediate answers doesn't mean that we have to try to find one for everything. Even though this article doesn't relate exactly to athletics, its message can be applied to the field. There will always be those athletic trainers that come up with an answer right away where as others may wait a little while before acting.

In the news: Number of visits to the ER rise

ER Visits For Kids With Concussions Up, Says CDC

Doctor: Early Detection, Treatment Are Key To Preventing Serious Complications

October 7, 2011

By Matt Sloane, CNN

ER visit numbers with concussions increase

Concussions have been a hot topic and they still are.  This article shows that coaches and parents are becoming more educated in the area of concussions.  When I first read the title of this article I was a little concerned.  After I read a little into the article, it was a nice surprise to see that the numbers have increased because of the knowledge people are gaining on concussions.  All of the hard work with the stress on education is starting to pay off and it is nice to read something about concussions that isn't connected to the injury.  Including the signs and symptoms is a nice way to continue the education to people reading the article that might not know otherwise.  To read the full article, click on the link above.

As an athletic trainer this makes me feel good about the coaches and parents taking action on the prevention of concussions.  By sending these kids to the ER they are ruling out a very serious injury that could have lasting effects.  With the progress of concussion education, what other topics could use more education to coaches and parents and the athletes?

Here is some food for thought

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