No Rest for the Injured

While the vision of a Bye Week for most players, staff and fans is one of rest and relaxation, there is a dark side of football that few ever see.

Deep under the teal seats of the stadium is the Athletic Training Room where the injured players spend a good part of the Bye weekend.  The healthy players are off visiting friend and family while the players with injuries have work to do.  It's not a fun weekend for the players that have mandatory rehab or for the athletic trainers who are still working to help these players.  With that being said, this is a very important weekend for the Jags because this is a weekend where we can get the necessary work to make our team better.

I learned a long time ago as a teenager in Massachusetts working at a state forest cleaning bathrooms and picking up trash for the summer that with everything in life, there is always going to be someone working hard behind the scenes.  Whether it is the food on the plate or the car you drive or the music you listen to, there will always be many people who have worked very hard to make that happen. 

The NFL is no different.

The players who are not completely healthy are required to stay in Jacksonville for rehab two times a day with our medical staff.  Most of the football staff and the coaches are relaxing elsewhere while these players are busting their butts.  They have well-structured programs designed to improve their strength, decrease the injury swelling and improving their ability to play football while staying healthy for the remainder of the season.

For those of us, players and staff, who are here, we all agree on one thing:  The fans and the team are why we want to work this weekend.  This may be the last free weekend we have all season and if we can come out of this weekend a healthier and stronger team, it was well-worth working a few extra days!

As you sit down to watch the NFL games this weekend, raise your drink to the Rehab Crew.  We'll be here in the Athletic Training Room representing the Jaguars well.  You will not see the rehab stats in the newspaper on Monday morning but if we do our job, you will like what you see on ESPN's SportsCenter for many Sunday nights to follow!

MDR

Head Concussions: Not to Be Taken Lightly

With the high-profile players in both college and professional football suffering concussions recently, everyone seems to be talking about the concerns with concussions.  Unlike a knee injury or a muscle strain, the details about head injuries can be confusing.

Whether it's a blow to the head or the head contacting with the ground, excessive forces impacting the brain may cause temporary changes in brain function.  Those changes can range from dizziness to vomiting to unconsciousness.

The evaluation and management of concussions has improved drastically over the past 5 years.  Obvious this not a new injury in the world of sports medicine and the medical staffs associated with football are well-versed in safely treating and managing this type of an ailment.

The "concussion test" the media loves to discuss is a computer-based neuropsychological test administered during the off-season.  This test assesses an athletes reaction speed, memory skills and ability to mentally process information.  The neuropsych test serves as a baseline test and the scores are used to compare to when the athlete has been concussed during a game or practice. 

This type of test is a valuable tool for the medical staff to use when assessing the player to determine the severity of the injury and when to allow the player to return to both workouts and, eventually, for contact.

Concussions are a serious injury and a medical problem that merits the opinion of a physician for athletes, young and old.  The signs and symptoms will vary for all athletes while the common rule for all concussions is if treated early, concussions can be managed successfully.

Tackling the Heat: Part #1

Hi Chris,

Thanks for the message and it was great to meet you a couple of weeks ago while we were "out on the road" bike riding in this heat.  Your comments on your symptoms and problems during your hot bike ride are very typical for EXERTIONAL HEAT ILLNESS. 

This will be an important topic for all of us to understand and to make the necessary changes.  Case in point..EXERTIONAL HEAT ILLNESS is a very preventable problem but if this medical issue is not properly addressed, in this hot environment, it can kill you.  Now you know why I stressed the word "important"!

Tips to Tackle the Heat

1.  If you are presently dehydrated because of illness, recent excessive sun exposure or medications, minimize your exposure to a hot environment.

2.  Avoid consuming excessive caffeine, alcohol and carbonated drinks before, during and immediately after being in a hot setting.

3.  Wear light colored and breathable clothing.  Your body is like a giant radiator so cooler clothing allows your body to dissipate heat much more efficiently.

4.  Use my "50/50 Rule" that I constantly remind our player to follow.  Drink 50% water and 50% sports drink starting at least 30 minutes before you enter a hot environment then both during and after being in that setting.

5.  Watch for early warning signs that are telling you that your body is struggling with the heat:  Dark colored urine, body chills, confusion/difficulty concentrating, upset stomach and an interest in becoming a Colts fan.

6.  It takes up to 10 days to thoroughly acclimate to a hot setting.  Start slow, avoid the mid-day sun and take frequent breaks to allow your body to properly adapt to "tackling the heat".

Based on what you wrote, Chris, you can see that you were showing signs of EXERTIONAL HEAT ILLNESS.  Now you know ways to properly deal with these issues.  I hope you stay healthy and safe as you enjoy the wonderful sport of bike riding!

Ironman Triathlon.....One Month and Counting!

One month from today, July 5th, I'll be jumping into the lake to start my sixth Ironman Triathlon in Austria. An Ironman Triathlon consists of a 2.4 mile swim, a 112 mile bike and concludes with a 26.2 mile marathon run. Although daunting, the race is quite simple: Everyone starts the swim when the cannon fires and whoever finishes the three events first wins.

The wonderful part of such a grueling endeavor is that winning is not an important part of the day for 99% of us involved in the race. The Ironman Triathlon is considered to be the most difficult one-day athletic event in the world yet the sportsmanship of the athletes is remarkable.

My training for this event has been rigorous. I have been preparing for this race for 5 months. As you can imagine, the amount of time and effort to be physically and mentally conditioned for a 140+ mile race has been extensive. Working out for as much as 28 hours per week in addition to family and work responsibilities.

Along with aggressive workouts comes soreness, stiffness and injuries. Preventative sports medicine is an important responsibility of myself and my wonderful staff here with the Jaguars. With that being said, I have utilized the very same techniques as I use for the Jags' players for myself to stay healthy and to be able to training at a very high level.

I realized a long time ago that if I lived by the motto "do as I say not as I do" that I would soon be injured and to be forced to stand on the sidelines watching others do what I love to do...to be active & healthy while challenging myself as an athlete each and every day!

Is the athlete in you content with your activity level? What can you do to improve your health so you, too, can get back to doing what really makes you happy?

Intro to Sports Medicine

This is the start of my Sports Medicine blog! I look forward to discussing medical issues, health tips and stories of interest geared towards helping you to stay healthy & active. I welcome your feedback and enjoy the ride... MR