CRITICAL CARE PITCHSIDE

You'll have seen physios such as Stuart or Stephen on the pitch when rugby players collapse after heavy challenges, or when there are potentially critical injuries to the spine. How do we train for these potentially dangerous situations, and ensure a players optimal safety on the field, and possibly safe transfer off the field on a board or buggy?

The answer is an annual course run in Scotland called 'SCRUMCAPS', currently running in Edinburgh under the leadership of  course co-ordinator Dr Johnathon Hanson. Sports physicians & pitchside physios are not trauma or critical illness specialists. The initial medical care that a critically injured or an athlete who has suffered a cardiac arrest will receive is most likely from these individuals who do not deal with critical care situations on a regular basis, and the SCRUMCAPS course has been designed to improve the immediate care skills. 

 The skills generally covered in this course include basic airway management, airway adjuncts up to laryngeal mask insertion, needle cricothyroidotomy, management of the unconscious casualty, management of potential cervical spinal injury on the field of play, oxygen therapy, recognition of life threatening injuries such as chest injuries or occult abdominal bleeding, basic life support, the advisory external defibrillator (AED), logrolling, scoop and spine board extrication and management of open and closed long bone fractures. Other areas can include anaphylaxis, choking or medical emergencies.

Athlete in vaccuum mattress

Athlete space once out of vaccuum mattress

These courses also teach planning, and promote leadership and teamwork. Favourable outcomes in stressful situations need strong leaders and efficient team working and this is seen as being a crucial skill. These courses are a massive part of ensuring athlete safety in the Northern Hemisphere, and warrant a close look by sporting authorities world-wide to promote continuing high standards of care under often exacting conditions, not just in rugby but court/field/pool sports too.


We will post some videos demonstrating some of these injuries and how they have been managed-they are already available on the internet, but we'll package them into one blogspace-the EdinburghPhysioBlogSPACE!