Sports Injuries and First Aid

• The text covers sports injuries and first aid.
• The purpose of these notes is to provide basic guidance on what to do to avoid worsening a person's condition.
• Actions can help save a person's life.
• The first minutes after an accident are vital.

Accidents with multiple victims

• Immediately observe the number of injured to avoid errors in care based on location or pleas for help.
• Evaluate each injured individual to identify those needing immediate care.
• Prioritize whom to assist first by correctly assessing the victims.
• Assessment should be systematic and precise.
• Avoid attending to those with minor injuries first at the expense of those needing urgent help.

Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR)

• Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) or cardiorespiratory resuscitation (RCR) involves maneuvers to ensure oxygenation of vital organs when a person’s blood circulation stops.
• When blood circulation stops, organs like the brain and heart are deprived of oxygen and begin to die.
• Brain damage occurs after three minutes without circulation.
• Chances of survival are almost zero after ten minutes of circulatory arrest.
• Artificially oxygenating the blood and circulating it helps prevent or minimize damage, increasing the chance of survival.
• CPR involves artificial ventilation and chest compressions or external cardiac massage.
• CPR is for individuals experiencing cardiorespiratory arrest.
• Key indicators are unconsciousness, where the person does not move or respond to touch or voice, and not breathing, indicated by lack of chest movement or air felt from the nose or mouth after clearing airways.

Chain of Survival

• Actions allow a person who suffers sudden death to survive.
• Chain of survival consists of 4 key points:
• Early recognition and requesting help - prevent cardiac arrest
• Early CPR - gain time
• Early defibrillation - restart the heart
• Post-resuscitation care - restore quality of life

How to measure pulse

• The most accessible arteries for checking a person's pulse are the carotid (in the neck) and the radial (on the inner wrist at the base of the thumb) arteries.
• Never use the thumb to take a pulse, as your own pulse may cause confusion.
• Assess heart rate, measuring beats per minute.
• Normal pulse rate: 60 to 100 beats per minute.
• Tachycardia: > 100 (heart works too fast).
• Bradycardia: < 60 (heart works too slow).
• Well-trained athletes may have a resting pulse below 60 beats per minute - indicating a failing heart.
• Only a doctor can certify a person's death.

Maintaining airways and checking the pulse

• While keeping the airways open, check the pulse for no more than 10 seconds.
• Use the pads of two fingers (not the thumb) on a carotid artery.
• In infants or obese individuals, conduct this check on the brachial artery.
• Check for hemorrhages simultaneously.

Damage to the spinal cord

• Be aware of possible spinal cord damage.
• Any movement could cause irreversible damage.
• If spinal cord damage is suspected, follow a specific protocol:
• Suspect spinal injury -> perform primary assessment (DOTS/MARTA)
• Victim at a dangerous location -> yes/no?
• Are first aiders presents? -> yes/no?
• Only one first aider present -> yes/no?
• Only one auxiliary: move victim gently, while keeping head and trunk aligned
• Knowledge of first aid exists: practice moving the victim -> immobilize the body
• Wait for emergency teams

Recognising the need for help

• Ensure the area and the victim are safe to approach
• Check the victim is unconscious using the “Hello, Pinch” method.
• Do not put yourself in danger

Summoning Assistance

• Check if the victim is conscious.
• If the victim is not conscious, immediately call emergency services (112).
• Provide assessment of the victim and location.
• Request an Automated External Defibrillator (AED).

Actions to perform for a subject

• Ventilate
• Compress

Performing CPR

• If the victim is not breathing, coughing, or moving, begin chest compressions in the center of the chest, compressing 30 times between the nipples.
• Compressions should be at a rate of 100 per minute, nearly two compressions per second.
• Continue with 2 rescue breaths and 30 chest compressions until help arrives or the victim recovers, transferring all cardiac arrest victims to a hospital.
• For adult victims of cardiorespiratory arrest, the chance of survival decreases by 10% per minute.
• Best results occur if CPR is administered in the first 4 minutes.
• For an adult with sudden loss of consciousness when alone, prioritizing contacting emergency services and alerting rescuers should be the priority to ensure quick defibrillator delivery.
• Always call 112 and confirm the victim through verbal or painful stimuli ("hello, pinch.")
• CPR only improves the chances of survival while awaiting assistance.
• In addition, there are automated defibrillators in strategic places, stadiums, malls or airplanes, allowing those with minimal training to perform resuscitative maneuvers.
• Typical cases of apparent death include sudden death (collapse without reason), drowning, and electrocution.
• Apparent death can be caused by trauma, such as asphyxia, falling, or a traffic accident - stemming the hemorrhage (if appropriate).

Recovery Position

• Recovery Position (PLS) is used for unconscious people who are breathing spontaneously.
• The goal is to keep the airway open, preventing the tongue from obstructing the glottis, and avoid aspiration of stomach contents into the lungs due to vomiting.
• It is for someone with little strength to place the victim in the proper position effortlessly.
• Do not attempt this if a spinal injury is suspected:
• Kneel next to the victim, removing glasses and bulky objects from pockets.
• Ensure both legs are straight.
• Position the arm closest to the first aider at a right angle to the body, with the elbow bent and the palm facing upwards.
• Bring the other arm across the victim's chest, placing the back of the hand against the cheek, and hold it there.
• Grab the thigh of the leg farthest from the first aider and lift, keeping the foot flat on the ground.
• Pull on the raised leg to roll the victim towards you.
• Bend the hip and knee of the upper leg at right angles to stabilize the position.
• Tilt the head back to keep the airways open, adjusting the hand under the cheek if necessary.
• If the person shows suspicion of a spinal cord injury, try to retain correct support, enlisting a number of rescuers to ensure little or no rotation or flexion of the spinal column.
• If the victim has been in a position for longer than 30 minutes then turn them to avoid restricting injuries.

Injuries in Sports

• The following points highlight the main causes of injuries occuring during sporting activities
• Lack of skill or knowledge of basic sports techniques
• Physical and/or technical disparity among participants
• Overconfidence, recklessness, or excessive fear
• Lack of training
• Disregard for the rules of the game, or leniency on the part of judges
• Climate: exposure to cold, heat, wind, snow, etc.
• Improvisation: lacking adequate equipment or organizational planning, which result the lack of adequate preparation
• Returning to sports prematurely after an injury.
• To prevent:
• Learn the specific techniques for the activity undertaken
• Avoid competition between physical and skill mismatches
• Retain a good level of physical fitness
• Be careful and aware
• Obey the rules of play
• Practice in a clean, safe, and well-maintained surrounding.
• Always warm up before excercise
• Wear safety protection at all times
• Don't do too much too soon

Common Exercise Injuries

• Here are the most common injuries and how to treat:
• Contusions (Bruises) are closed injuries that don't break the skin resulting in symptoms include pain and hematoma in the damaged area. As the injury continues to be exposed to the elements, the trauma gets worse (hurts more when it cools).
• Priority treatment is to rest and ice and elevate the member if needed to help with swelling reduction
• Next are open and more serious wounds causing separation in borders of the skin:
• Before treatment, wash hands to ensure no infection
• Free of charge, leave to flow the blood without intervention
• Be sure to only use sterile equipment to clean the injury

Post Wound Care

• Start by cleaning round the injury without touching the wound
• Clean with materials that you don't plan to touch the area with
• Any dead skin - remove
• Dry to help scab over (with sterile equipment)
• Depending on severity and type leave to the air or cover with sterile equipment

More serious injuries

• The text states the following should always seek medical attention to ensure quick and full recovery.
• HAZE PRESSION DIRECTA SOBRE LA HERIDA. If you have nothing, with your hands, although you should assess the possibility of contagions if your skin is not intact. As soon as you have gauze or fabric dressings, place them on the wound and continue to compress. If the dressings become soaked in blood, do not remove them and place clean dressings on top of the previous ones. Combine this measure with elevation of the extremity (by placing the arm or leg at a level higher than the heart, by action of gravity, blood pressure is reduced on the affected area). Do not take this measure if you suspect a fracture in the extremity.
• APPLY A COMPRESSIVE DRESSING over the dressings you have placed. With this you will continue to maintain the pressure and will allow you to attend to other traumas presented by the victim or attend to other victims.

Preventing Blood Loss

• To prevent blood loss you can take the following actions:
• After performing all previous measure and no loss prevention, put pressure on the arteries surrounding the injury to prevent blood flowing to the wound.
• Press on the brachial artery (approximately) in the middle from biceps to armpit.
• The method of using Torniquets should only be used as a last resort to prevent excess loss of blood. Gangrene, paralysis and organ failure are side effects.
• Using the torniquet requires application of a material of 5-8cm in with which should remain in place
• No clothing of sharp materials should be present as it can damage the skin
• A note with "time,date and location" should be clearly visible.
• Never re adjust the position/grip should it need to be re applied

Heat Stroke

• It's an injury that arrives from failure of the thermoregulator system, over exposure to heat and lack of hydration.
• Most common indications are headache, stomach aches, sickness and dizziness. Follow the below guidance in treatment.
• Use wet, cool towels to reduce body temperature
• Remove and clothing material to make sure the body is ventilated as much as possible
• If the subject is conscious, hydrate if isotonic and cool drinks. AVOID ALCOHOL AT ALL COSTS.
• Avoid sunlight or direct heat exposure
• Place subject on a seated position
• If the subject has a heart attack, apply heat massage and/or artificial ventilation

Bums

• Usually can be limited to sun or friction depending on sports. If severe seek medical attention.
• Symptoms occur based on how bad it is:
• 1st Degree: Epidermis exposure to heat and irritation. Minor, redness and irritation that may also impact the skin (small blistering). It can be caused by over exposure which is not severe
• 2nd Degree: Partial damage, presence of blisters.
• 3rd - Penetration of entire tissue, nerve ending, loss of blood etc. No sign of sensitivity/feeling
• To help:
• If active burning, prevent running. stop drop and roll or put out by water etc.
• Value what has happened immediately
• Put it under an immediate source of cold water
• Remove anything that can apply additional heat by retaining heat.
• Never try to pop any blisters or apply creams.
• Don't leave any surface in contact to heal - sterile material or fabric.

Injury prevention

• Prevent injury by assessing for risks
• If the person is hyperthermic, manage by the below:
• Keep away from the cold at all times
• Keep the person covered with blankets.
• Keep the person hydrated to prevent the muscles seizing.

Common Injury: Fainting

• Serious spells where loss of consciousness can occur from uneven balance of distribution/supply.
• If subject if collapsing, place on their back with head held low.
• Remove anything restricting blood flow like tight clothing, buttons etc.
• Splash water on exposed skin - face.
• Monitor breathing and other vital signs.

Physical Injuries to the Limbs

• Fractures, caused by trauma to the normal stability/composition bones (complete or incomplete).
• Pain arises and moves quickly. In most cases a sound of "impact" is felt. Deformation of body position is often made.
• Treatment:
• Prevent movement to that area
• Immobilise the area
• Go to the nearest doctor or local medical support immediately

Distortions and Deformities

• Happens when a total or partial rupture occurs (ligaments.) that form the joining. Indications are: pain, inflammation, temporary disability depending on severity
• Treatment:
• Apply something cold
• Release pressure
• No rubbing
• Keep still and stabilise
• Keep above height
• Move to medical support for testing
• Dislocation
• Bones partly/completely separated
• Same as distrotions
• NO TRY AND FIX
• Keep still in location
• Move to hospital ASAP

Tear, elongation, stretch and muscle rupture

• Damage to the muscle mass, described as elongation, distension, tear and muscle rupture
• Symptoms: sharp, intense, and sudden pinching that often feels bad during the movement.
• Treatment:
• Support to the local muscle
• Compression gas and support using bandages.
• Apply cold - to help prevent swelling
• No excercise until full tests and professional check up.

Atragantamientos - Atragantamientos - Heimlich

• The heimlich is primarily used to unblock airways to the lungs.
• Action:
• When the airways a constricting, the Heimlich prevents oxygen and compresses with pressure to expand a constriciton to open up the airway and breath.
• This can also be performed on yourself. -If victim is blue, this is a sign of lack of oxygen (advance hypoxia)
• The victim grabs their throat
• Victim only coughs but is breathing.
• If a victim has no noise/movement place the hands and put pressured force just above the upper stomach for roughly 5 seconds. If the chest is constricted tilt the head and use palm/hand to thrust up so more lungs expand. It's important to thrust to aid the compression and push.

If the victim can't breath and fall.

• If a victim falls then support 30 compressions (30x2).
• To preform thrust to the chest while on the floor, there should be 20 thrusts to the chest.

Stings and insect bites

• Insect venom can be mild to toxic depending on the person being allergic or sensitive.
• Allergic' persons can react badly and develop long lasting symptoms.
• You will not always know (with all circumstances)

Reptile Bite

• When reptile bites they can leave openings of 6mm, the power depends on how high the risk is and amount of poison.
• These are the most common/obvious signs relating to reptile bites:
• High pain intense to move around
• Local swelling with blue colouring
• Digestive related issues such as vomiting, upset stomatch etc.
• In treatment, stay relaxed and move little/as little as you can with comfort

Spider Bites

• When spiders bite small pain is felt but the injection can cause reactions to inflammation with lots of red. This can last some time and feel rough.

Bites and Treatment

• Usually can be treated without medical help.
• The process is to disinfect and clean the area
• Pull the sting carefully so no damage is caused
• Apply and remove cold with clean water
• If the airways constrict seek medical assistance as soon as.
• Never use home remdies like saliva as this causes risk of infection.
• Follow the guidance to get tested should there should an increase in sensation.

Marine Bites and injuries

• With water based treatment symptoms are that little pain and swelling is most prominent. In the event of high pain or discomfort or anything unusual seek medical attention by the relevant authories.
• Symptoms get increased more pain is evident.
• The use of water/seawater on injuries can assist
• Stay still and minimise movement
• If anything sharp stays in the skin pull that out
• Seek medical advice if pain carries/feels bad.