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Show The Thunderbird Monday, September 26, 1983 Page 41 Davidson knows pains, strains Trainer notes importance of athletes, others understanding injuries by Paul Husselbee The value of knowledge in an athletic injury situation is invaluable, and knowing what to do when can mean the difference of a week or 10 days in recovery time, said Ben Davidson, SUSC athletic department head trainer. Many people have different ways to treat an injury, Davidson said, but I stick with what works, what has been best for our athletes in the past. Davidson has been SUSCs trainer since 1979. He left Weber State College after six years as head trainer for the Ogden school to come to SUSC, he said. The programs are comparable and 1 graduated from SUSC, so I felt like I wanted to come back, Davidson said. After finishing undergraduate work, he received his masters degree in athletic training from Indiana State University in 1973. Shortly thereafter, he was hired at Weber State. Four or five athletic injuries could be termed most common for most sports, Davidson said. are the knee injury, The four most the hamstring pull or tear, the shoulder injury and the neck injury, he said, but you have to throw an ankle injury in there somewhere... we get as many of them as we do the others. Neck injuries are serious because they are so dangerous, Davidson said. A player with what appears to be a neck injury should never be moved without receiving expert medical care first, he said. Our shoulder injuries are more minor here than they are in other places, thank goodness, Davidson said. We have been lucky to only have a few serious shoulder and knee injuries that required surgery since Ive been here. n Though they are not an every day occurrence, the training department does handle more sprained ankles than other serious injuries, Davidson said. We dont get a tremendous number, no more per capita than other schools our size, he said. But we do get our share. In sprained ankle cases, Davidson said he likes to use pressure wrap on the ankle and ice water to reduce swelling, later elevating the ankle to further stifle swelling. The less swelling there is, the better off the ankle will be, he said. Sometimes if you control the swelling correctly, you can reduce SUSCs Doc goes with tried and true methods the amount of recovery time by as much as a week, and with your star players near the end of the season, or in the playoffs, that can make a difference. Though many people recommend alternate hot and cold treatments, Davidson said he likes to stick to just cold water and ice as much as possible. The cold decreases pain and allows a range of motion to be built back up in the ankle more rapidly, he said. "It helps the healing process move along. Davidson teaches athletic training courses as part of the physical education departments class load. He has four student trainers who assist him in the athletic department facility, which is located in the PE building. J THE FOUR MOST COMMON SPORTS INJURIES Knee Shoulder dislocation Ligament injuries happen when ligaments are stretched beyond their strength. All sprains are ligament injuries. These injuries can result in joint instability and malfunction. Most minor ligament injuries heal with rest, ice and therapy (called RICE treatment.) Some minor and all major injuries require surgery. Healing takes between five days and a few months depending on degree of injury. A sports activity must be discontinued until injury is completely healed or further damage may result. Dislocation of the shoulder occurs when the ball of the joint is Suddenly and forcefully removed from the socket. Any movement to prevent dislocation of the arm is extremely painful. A physician should be seen immediately because the ball may fracture and prevent relocation. Ice the injured area until treatment is available. There are several methods of relocating the shoulder. Once relocated, the shoulder should be immobilized for about three weeks and treated with ice twice a day. Dislocations have a 95 percent chance of recurring. Surgery to prevent disclosure is necessary if the athlete is to continue his career. Hamstring Neck The hamstring muscle is located in the back of the thigh, originating in the bottom of the pelvis and running to the knee. Injury occurs when the muscle is stretched out, usually during running. The athlete w!ll feel a definite rip in the leg. It is not painful at first, and the athlete can continue an event until the pain intensifies. The most accurate time to assess the damage is 24 hours after it occurs. The best treatment is RICE. Healing takes from three days to three weeks depending on the degree of injury. The athlete must guard against early return to play, as this may aggravate the injury. Fracture or dislocation of the neck may damage the spinal cord or cause paralysis. Less serious, but more common, injuries are stiff necks and neck spasms. Recovery from broken necks is rare. Recovery from minor injuries is complete and does not impair a sports career. The best prevention of serious neck injuries is to strengthen the neck with isometric exercises, apparatus and a Nautilus neck machine. These are recommended for all athletes who play contact sports. Neck extensions, flexions and rotations will ease stiff necks. Heat or ice treatment before and after play will help prevent pain. Spasms can be arrested by stretching with head twisters, posture clasps and massage. neck-liftin- g J |