Context: Lean as a quality improvement philosophy is new to athletic training despite widespread use in health care for many years. Objective: To introduce the concepts of Lean and Lean Six Sigma and create a primer document for athletic training educators in the classroom. Background: Lean requires organizations to exercise effort along with…

Participation in organized sport and recreational activities presents an innate risk for serious morbidity and mortality. Although death during sport or physical activity has many causes, advancements in sports medicine and evidence-based standards of care have allowed clinicians to prevent, recognize, and treat potentially fatal injuries more…

Each year many young athletes suffer injuries from overtraining. According to the existing literature, strategies do exist to help control this growing problem. This article explores the basic nature of training and overtraining, with a particular emphasis on endurance athletes. Several psychological factors are highlighted as the first clear…

Objective: The purpose of this article is to discuss the process of developing and validating an instrument to investigate an athletic trainer's attitudes and behaviors regarding the recognition and treatment of exertional heat stroke. Background: Following up from our initial paper, which discussed the process of survey instrument design and…

Sports offer so many benefits to kids, from fun and fitness to responsibility and teamwork skills. With sports also come bumps and bruises--and one type of injury requires much more than an ice pack or a band-aid. Head trauma is one of the most common injuries sustained by young athletes, with more than 60,000 concussions occurring each year in…

Education Commission of the States (ECS) reviewed legislation in the 50 states to see how state leaders are responding to concerns about concussions in youth sports. This report reviews state responses to concussion concerns, and provides examples of provisions put in place by California, Connecticut, and Texas. Three emerging innovations are…

The pole vault was considered the ultimate test of physical ability and daring before the advent of modern extreme sports such as skateboarding, snowboarding, and mountain biking. The inherent risks of the pole vault have been well documented. The National Center for Catastrophic Sport Injury Research reported in 2007 that the catastrophic injury…

In August 1995, a young football player died as a result of heat exhaustion suffered on the first day of football practice in Arkansas. Spurred by this tragedy, the district made some changes that every school district with an athletic program should consider. These include using a heat-stress monitor; abandoning the practice of group physical…

Cites statistics on death and injury from high school sports. Offers advice to coaches and athletic directors about safety consciousness, how to assess sports safety programs, and the advantages of employing certified athletic trainers. (MLF)

Coaches, regardless of their level, should be certified in basic first aid, CPR, and the use of automated external defibrillators. They need to be trained regarding liability and those laws that apply to the field of coaching. There is a certification known as "First Responder," whereby the trainee earns a level of expertise just below that of a…

Reviews the role of athletic trainers in New York State secondary schools. Discusses the need for trainers to provide emergency medical care for sports injuries and to develop prevention programs. Reviews efforts to obtain certification for trainers from the New York State Education Department. (FMW)

Identifies professional responsibilities, educational requirements, and current use of certified athletic trainers in prevention and care of high school sports injuries, using literature from the MEDLINE and Health STAR databases. Whereas most high school sports injuries are minor, adequately trained personnel should be present to ensure early…

Administrative Code 3301-27-01, revised in June 1995, replaces what was previously known as the sports medicine certification program. The revision changes requirements for individuals who supervise, direct, or coach a pupil activity program that involves athletes, routine/regular physical activity, or health and safety consideration as determined…

This article discusses the dramatic injury incidence in high school athletics, the lack of medical support for these injuries, and coaches' lack of knowledge and preparation regarding these injuries. It then considers implications of this situation for the coaching profession and for physical education programs that prepare coaches. (IAH)

Surveys of 830 National Athletic Trainers' Association members examined academic degree, practice setting, years experience, state of employment, salary, and full- or part-time status. The article provides the resulting information on the trainers. (SM)