Course

General Emergency

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12 Lessons

Significant medical and orthopaedic emergencies are relatively rare in a football environment. They do, however, occur and clinicians and event organisers must be prepared to manage these conditions. An awareness of the more common conditions and a plan to manage these appropriately is essential.

Medical emergencies should always be managed along the lines of existing protocols, with attention to the patient’s airway, breathing and circulation. The management of some of these conditions in a football context requires specific protocols.

Emergency medical conditions which may occur on the field of play include:

 

  • Acute anaphylaxis
  • Acute asthma
  • Acute chest pain
  • Dehydration
  • Dental injuries
  • Dislocations
  • Fractures
  • Grand mal seizures
  • Head injury
  • Heat-related emergencies
  • Hypoglycaemia
  • Spinal injury
  • Sudden cardiac arrest

The management of cardiac conditions, including sudden cardiac arrest (SCA), are not considered in this module. To learn more about these conditions please review the cardiology and SCA modules. The management of hypoglycaemia (diabetes module) and asthma (respiratory module) are also not specifically addressed in this module. The team care and event management modules also review how one might prepare to manage a medical emergency involving a player, spectator or official.

Presented by

Efraim Kramer

Learning outcomes

By the end of this module you should:

  • be able to develop an action plan for the management of a medical or musculoskeletal emergency;
  • have an understanding of the common causes of medical emergencies on the field of play;
  • be able to appropriately identify the common causes of medical emergencies on the field of play and initiate an appropriate management plan;
  • be able to appropriately identify fractures and dislocations on the field of play and manage them appropriately;
  • be able to manage a player who is suspected of having a cervical spine injury, including how to immobilise and transport them; and
  • understand when to refer a player or spectator for an urgent hospital assessment.

Tasks

  • Review the module content and complete the “required reading”.
  • Complete a basic life support CPR certification from any organisation registered with your national Resuscitation Council or equivalent approved body.
  • Complete the case-based assessment task.

Required reading

F-MARC Football Emergency Medicine Manual

Required reading

The FIFA Medical Emergency Bag and FIFA 11 steps to prevent sudden cardiac death: setting a global standard and promoting consistent football field emergency care

Dvořák J, Kramer, EB, Schmied CM, et al.

Br J Sports Med 2013;47:1199–1202

Suggested reading

Brukner and Khan’s
Clinical Sports Medicine 4th Edition
Chapter 47 (pages 972-995)

References

  1. Simons FE, Ardusso LR, Bilo MB, et al. 2012 update: World allergy organization guidelines for the assessment and management of anaphylaxis. Curr Opin Allergy Clin Immunol. 2012;12(4):389-399.
  2. Simons FE, Ardusso LR, Dimov V, et al. World allergy organization anaphylaxis guidelines: 2013 update of the evidence base. Int Arch Allergy Immunol. 2013;162(3):193-204.
  3. Simons FE, Ebisawa M, Sanchez-Borges M, et al. 2015 update of the evidence base: World allergy organization anaphylaxis guidelines. World Allergy Organ J. 2015;8(1):32-015-0080-1. eCollection 2015.
  4. Ryan JM. Abdominal injuries and sport. Br J Sports Med. 1999;33(3):155-160.
  5. Stricker PR, Hardin BH, Puffer JC. An unusual presentation of liver laceration in a 13-yr-old football player. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 1993;25(6):667-672.
  6. Houshian S. Traumatic duodenal rupture in a soccer player. Br J Sports Med. 2000;34(3):218-219.
  7. Dutson SC. Transverse colon rupture in a young footballer. Br J Sports Med. 2006;40(3):e6.
  8. Repanshek ZD, Ufberg JW, Vilke GM, Chan TC, Harrigan RA. Alternative treatments of pneumothorax. J Emerg Med. 2013;44(2):457-466.
  9. Akoglu H, Akoglu EU, Evman S, et al. Determination of the appropriate catheter length and place for needle thoracostomy by using computed tomography scans of pneumothorax patients. Injury. 2013;44(9):1177-1182.
  10. Zengerink I, Brink PR, Laupland KB, Raber EL, Zygun D, Kortbeek JB. Needle thoracostomy in the treatment of a tension pneumothorax in trauma patients: What size needle? J Trauma. 2008;64(1):111-114.
  11. Erbel R, Aboyans V, Boileau C, et al. Corrigendum to: 2014 ESC guidelines on the diagnosis and treatment of aortic diseases. Eur Heart J. 2015;36(41):2779.
  12. Konstantinides S, Torbicki A. Management of venous thrombo-embolism: An update. Eur Heart J. 2014;35(41):2855-2863.
  13. Fenster PE. Evaluation of chest pain: A cardiology perspective for gastroenterologists. Gastroenterol Clin North Am. 2004;33(1):35-40.
  14. De Waele L, Boon P, Ceulemans B, et al. First line management of prolonged convulsive seizures in children and adults: Good practice points. Acta Neurol Belg. 2013;113(4):375-380.