Important to keep some Life Support & Pitchside Trauma skills updated

SPACE has a defibrillator in the reception area. It has never been used (mercifully). As part of the ongoing training for staff in sports however, our staff are skilled in recognising when it may be of use.
JT & Stephen Mutch have been at the magnificent surroundings of the Aviva Stadium in Dublin to further their skills & update their knowledge.

JT getting to grips with an Irish dummy

Broadly the Irish programme for SAFE-Rugby has similar aims as the Scottish Rugby Union's excellent pitchside emergency care course SCRUMCAPS which we outlined on these blog pages a year ago when last updating (Critical Care Pitchside SPACE Blog Oct 20122) & there was hugely positive feedback from around the Irish provinces from the different persons servicing the needs of Irish rugby and also general sporting communities.

Scotland European Champions! SPACE Physios take the stage & help teams to best ever positions!

What a glorious week in Italy for the spaceclinics.com sponsored Scotland Touch team at the European Championships in Treviso!

With victories over England in the Mens' & Mixed Open Categories, a third place in the Womens' Open secured the overall Open title for Scotland for the first time ever.

The Mens' over 30s also managed 3rd, and Mens' over 35s finished 4th, but out of the five competing squads only one athlete was unavailable on the final day for selection which is testament to the hard work of players & medical staff.

Despite the location, one day's thunderstorms affected the pitches and the Team Accomodation Tent where the physio beds were situated to such an extent for Scotland that we had to negotiate to get a new pitch perched high on stage (cue many jokes about how it was always our calling to be on stage) away from the muddy swampland of the grassed area. Anyhow it established probably the best medical area witnessed in Touch as well as other events, as it was high and dry, and perfect for our three bedded physio setup.

Physios take the stage!

JT swamped

Stephen headed up the team, and liased with the National Team Management, JT continued his excellent clinical work from SPACE itself in the team environment, and the third physio was the experienced Touch campagner Luke Smith, whose soothing tones and hands were much appreciated by you and old(er) athlete as the matches piled up (between7 and 11 per team!). Gratitude was extended to one and all.

For anyone out there keen to touch base with the National Teams then check out the website http://www.scottishtouch.org.uk/ and we may see you out there on the fields and in the tents at a future event.

In the shorter term the Edinburgh Open Mixed Tournament is on 29th September, and the Aberdeen Tournament a week later on the 6th October.