“The bone is broken.”
A common phrase heard in ER’s everywhere – particularly during this time of year. Clustered within pre-operative units, people of all ages are “prepped” and taken into the OR to have their latest fracture or torn ligament repaired. Unfortunately, the need to perform surgery on major joints has increased with young people, some as young as pre-school age. Almost all of these are sports related and many require surgical intervention.
I figuratively shook my head as I listened in silence to a mother proudly describe the prowess of her daughter on the soccer field. This was her third surgery for the same injured knee in three years – and she wasn’t yet 18. Prognosis for full recovery decreased with each injury and I questioned the logic behind this mom’s acceptance of repeated injury and subsequent surgery.
Basic First Aid and Sports Injuries and Safety
I don’t mean to sound judgmental – in fact, that’s not my attitude in the least. I am athletic and choose to snow ski as my preferred sport (a recreation inherent with injury and broken bones). My concern is for safety and the thought that common sense must accompany any activity requiring increased physical demand. How to do that lies within the guidelines presented by professionals in that field – how to treat the unavoidable injuries that can occur lies within the expert training in basic first aid and sports injuries provided by SureFire CPR.
Yesterday, my daughter spent the day “working out” at the gym, specifically focused on weight lifting. She returned with her muscles strained and painful. I questioned her rationale to push her body to that limit but the 21 year old logic within her refused to view anything but the results of a “great workout.” Who am I to argue? I thought and watched her struggle for the next 24 hours with pain and decreased mobility in the affected limbs. Fortunately, she recovered and went back to the gym “for more” within the next day or two. My medical thought process was thwarted although keen for any sign or symptom of something worse than a basic muscle strain.
How willing are sports enthusiasts to prepare themselves for the demands of the event they participate in? My guess is very willing. How prepared is the general public to take the same efforts to prepare for the summer activities that are prevalent during this season? Likely not as much, is my second guess. Accepting the probability that public “warm-up” will not occur and a lack of general safeguard will prevail requires the need to be prepared for emergencies. Just how prepared is our society to handle these emergencies? That answer depends upon each individual’s training and skill in basic first aid and sports injuries. Fortunately, SurefireCPR provides courses designed to train, certify and prepare the general public in skills required to respond to medical emergencies. Being present and able to assist an injured athlete is a great privilege – doing so with American Heart Association approved skill is even better. We all have the responsibility to be prepared, willing and able to assist when injury occurs. The summer months continue to bring sports enthusiasts outdoors and into activities that may lead to injury.
Be ready to help – be trained in basic first aid and sports injuries!
