SportsEvents Magazine

SEP 2015

SportsEvents is edited for those who plan tournaments or other sports events.

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GAME Plan t mergency Physician Robert Glatter, MD, speaks from experience on the front lines of treating sports injuries when he urges sports events planners to be prepared for medical emer- gencies. As director of sports medicine and traumatic brain injury in the Department of Emergency Medicine at New York's Lenox Hill Hospital, he has treated both athletes and spectators who have suffered serious medical conditions while partici- pating in or attending sports events. "All sporting events have the poten- tial for medical issues to arise," he said. "Planners have to be prepared for many types of medical emergencies." Caring For Competitors For the athletes, orthopedic injuries, including fractures and sprains, as well as lacerations, are among the types of sports injuries most often seen by emergency physicians, according to Glatter, who is a spokesperson for the American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP). "Being able to splint fractures, and reduce certain dislocations on the scene is critical to limiting the damage to an ath- lete," he said. In situations where teams don't have their own medical staff or emergency plan, sports events planners should make prepa- rations with area medical personnel for on-site treatment and determine in advance where and how injured people will be transported to a medical facility, Glatter advised. Protecting Spectators Even when teams have their own medical staff on site, event planners are likely to be the people responsible for a variety of medical issues that can affect spectators, Glatter said. "The most urgent situations that can occur among spectators include acute respiratory failure, cardiac arrest, status asthmaticus, anaphylaxis , foreign body ingestion or aspiration, and falls that cause head and neck injuries," he explained. In addition, planners need to pay close attention to extremes of heat and cold weather and to plan for heat-related illness or hypothermia, Glatter recommended. While spectator injuries occur at all types of sports events, football tends to result in the greatest number of medical emergencies, according to Glatter. "Football games held in outdoor stadi- ums during the winter tend to be associat- ed with more medical issues in general," he said. "The games can lead to hypo- thermia, especially in spectators who are dressed improperly, and those who con- sume alcohol in excess. Those with chron- ic medical issues such as heart disease, diabetes, or kidney disease may be most at risk for hypothermia. Children who attend the events who are improperly dressed are at risk as well." Precautionary Measures Whenever possible, planners should make sure that functioning automatic external defbrillators (AEDs), along with staff who are adept in their use, are on-site, with clearly marked signs to indicate where the AEDS are located at the event, Glatter recommended. Additionally, he advised that planners be prepared for episodes of choking, for- eign body aspiration, cardiac arrest, and acute anaphylaxis or allergic reactions. Since injuries often lead to litigation, Glatter said that having adequate liability coverage to handle all types of potential injuries and catastrophic events is an essential aspect for sports event planning. Medical Tools To Have On-Site Dr. David Geier, an orthopedic surgeon Be Ready For Medical Emergencies BY MARCIA BRADFORD September 2015 16 www.sportseventsmagazine.com

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