I live and work in a small rural-suburban community. Everyone here works hard for what we have and we all love our town. Unfortunately because we're such a small town, funding is not always available for things like sports, band, and the arts. We do a lot of fundraising for our extracurriculars, but sometimes this isn't enough. This is why schools and school boards ask for their towns to pass educational tax levys.
Like many of my fellow Americans, I get a little testy when the government wants to raise taxes and take my money. School levys are a different beast. In this day and age, when schools need money, it is to fund programs that are important to enriching our children's lives, like sports, music, and the arts. Sure, our government leaders don't need any more money in their pockets, but our schools do.
Kids who love their town like mine do return after they graduate from college and make careers and raise families where they grew up and went to school. They are what keeps small towns like mine growing strong and thriving for the future. Sadly, without funding for extracurricular programs like sports, not to mention general funding to pay teachers and offer specialized classes, these kids won't make it out of high school with the necessary advantages they'll need to not only go to college, but to go on and succeed in life.
Where are we without sufficient funding for education and after school programs? How much better are we than a developing country? As Americans, we've long enjoyed being a super-power, partially based on our high class education systems, but this has been dropping at a frightful rate over the last 20-30 years. What will happen in 15 more years when no child has gotten the experience of learning an instrument in school or taking the field to learn teamwork and responsibility with a sports team? After we cut music, the arts, and sports, what will we cut next? English? Foreign language classes? Science?
Between budget cuts and levys not passing, the education system in our country is in sad shape. Whatever happened to "no child left behind?" By cutting funding for programs essential to the enrichment of our children's lives, we are leaving every child behind. If we lose enough money, we may as well plant the golden arches on top of our high schools and teach our youth how to flip burgers and say "Do you want fries with that?" as that will be as far as they're able to go in life.
I have to laugh at voters who stand up and claim to be proud Americans, waving their family values, their patriotism, and the flag in people's faces, yet at the same time executing explosive protests against raising taxes for schools. Our children are the future of our country, but without a good solid education including what our states deem as "extra" or "optional" programs. I find it highly unfortunate that people think buying a new car or a big tv is more important than paying a tax that will give our youth the advantages they need in order to stay ahead in life and become the leaders of tomorrow.
Next time your town is trying to pass a school levy, instead of thinking about what's in your wallet think about what's in your future. One day, the current high school students will be running the show. They will be our mayors, our governors, our legislators, our presidents. By not voting to provide our kids with the proper amount of education that they need, you the voter are hurting not only our children and their futures, but our country, and yourself. Think hard the next time you're faced with a school levy, and make the correct decision. Vote yes, always vote yes.
Wednesday, August 8, 2012
Tuesday, August 7, 2012
Banned From Use: Why I don't allow headgear under helmets
It is steadily becoming more popular for football players to wear some form of head covering underneath their helmets. Some claim it keeps them cooler, others admit to doing it just so they "look cool." It is all well and good for a player to want to look cool on the field, but unfortunately when it comes to wearing things that alter their equipment, it simply isn't safe. Football helmets are fitted specifically to an athlete's head at the beginning of each season. When helmets are given out, most kids are not already wearing their other head gear, and even a fractional addition like a skull cap or bandana can change the fit of the helmet drastically. |
| Skull Cap, manufactured by Under Armour |
Like skull caps, many athletes wear bandanas under their helmets under the belief of keeping themselves cool and keeping sweat out of the eyes. Unfortunately, the bandana like the skull cap can cause the helmet to slip about on a player's head. Additionally, because bandanas must be tied to the head, the knot can often settle underneath the helmet, causing not only discomfort but additional motion on the head, again increasing the risk of concussion or TBI.Is it ever safe to wear head gear under the helmet?
I do have several very specific exceptions to my "no head gear" rule. The first being the wearing of a head covering for religious reasons, and the second being if an athlete has excessive amounts of hair. Athletes with dreadlocks or large poofy hair have a harder time fitting into their football helmets with ease. If you have an athlete with a large amount of hair that does not want to cut their hair for the season, then I do recommend wearing some type of head gear under the helmet, however the helmet must be fitted while the head gear is on the athlete, in order to ensure proper fit.
In all, a skull cap or bandana underneath the helmet is completely unnecessary, equipment altering, and potentially dangerous. Unless an athlete must wear head wear for religious reasons or an athlete has excessive amounts of hair that need to be kept out of the way, any head covering underneath the football helmet should be avoided.
Friday, August 3, 2012
How to Beat the Heat - Tips from 2-a-day camp!
We had a local reporter come by practice last night to do a short story on the team this year, and he also had many questions about what we do here at our school to combat the heat and prevent dehydration and heat illness. After coming in and posting the daily weather, I realized that a blog about what to do to beat the heat wouldn't be a bad idea.
Post the weather daily in a visible, high-traffic area.
Making your athletes and coaches aware of the daily weather conditions is a crucial step in beating the heat. Coaches may decide to adjust practices based on their personal experiences with weather conditions, and athletes may choose to dress differently based on temperature and humidity. I post my weather data right over the scales where the teams weigh themselves in before getting dressed for practice - can't miss it there! If you don't have the time or desire to stand outside with your trusty old sling psychrometer before posting the weather, (honestly, who wants to anymore?) try one of these links. While websites won't give you exact results unless their equipment happens to be on your field, they're a good tool and speed up the process by quite a bit.
The Weather Channel
National Weather Service
Have an action plan in effect before the season starts.
Sit down with your coaches before you start two-a-days and plan out what you're going to do if the heat index reaches certain levels. Where I live, we are always in the "Caution" zone during two-a-days, so we take our normal precautions at that time. Once we pass out of the caution zone, we've established a yellow, orange, red rating system based on the heat index scale. Each color has it's own action and practice plan based on heat guidelines, for example in the "yellow" zone, we start practice in helmets only, and move to shells as it gets cooler as we practice in the evening.
Change your practice times.
My school has switched to evening practices for the first time this year, and let me tell you - it's excellent! While the decision was made mostly based on work schedules and the like, we also took into account the Ohio weather and the steep drop in temperature we have most nights. Starting practice during one of the warmer parts of the day and practicing as it gets cooler has a huge advantage over practicing while it is getting hot - as your athletes heat up, the air is cooling down, decreasing your chances of having someone overheat!
Take longer breaks or shorten practices.
When the heat goes up, so should your water breaks and time between practices. As athletes sweat more, they will need more frequent trips to the water jug to prevent dehydration and heat illness. You can also change two two-hour practices with one break into three one-hour practices with two breaks. This allows you to more efficiently utilize practice time while keeping athletes safe and out of harm's way by allowing them more time to rest and cool down.
Don't go "full pads" if it's too hot.
As easy as this is, many coaches will complain about having to alter how much equipment their athletes are wearing at each practice because it changes what they're able to do during practice. The bottom line is that football equipment is heavy, hot, and doesn't breathe well. If it is above a certain temperature and humidity, it is not safe for athletes to be performing heavy drills in full padding, as they will be unable to cool themselves effectively. Practice can be changed from full pads to just shells, just helmets, or no equipment at all based on relative humidity, and altered as the day progresses.
Have the athletes bring extra dry clothes.
An athlete running around in sweat-soaked clothing isn't cooling their body effectively. Sweat cools your body by evaporating off of your skin, however it cannot do this if it is sopped into your clothing. Having athletes put on fresh socks and shirts between practices can help them cool themselves more effectively when they get back outside.
Wherever you're at, stay cool out there today! Northeast Ohio is standing at a balmy 93 degrees in the shade and 40% humidity - hot hot!
Post the weather daily in a visible, high-traffic area.
Making your athletes and coaches aware of the daily weather conditions is a crucial step in beating the heat. Coaches may decide to adjust practices based on their personal experiences with weather conditions, and athletes may choose to dress differently based on temperature and humidity. I post my weather data right over the scales where the teams weigh themselves in before getting dressed for practice - can't miss it there! If you don't have the time or desire to stand outside with your trusty old sling psychrometer before posting the weather, (honestly, who wants to anymore?) try one of these links. While websites won't give you exact results unless their equipment happens to be on your field, they're a good tool and speed up the process by quite a bit.
The Weather Channel
National Weather Service
Have an action plan in effect before the season starts.
Sit down with your coaches before you start two-a-days and plan out what you're going to do if the heat index reaches certain levels. Where I live, we are always in the "Caution" zone during two-a-days, so we take our normal precautions at that time. Once we pass out of the caution zone, we've established a yellow, orange, red rating system based on the heat index scale. Each color has it's own action and practice plan based on heat guidelines, for example in the "yellow" zone, we start practice in helmets only, and move to shells as it gets cooler as we practice in the evening.Change your practice times.
My school has switched to evening practices for the first time this year, and let me tell you - it's excellent! While the decision was made mostly based on work schedules and the like, we also took into account the Ohio weather and the steep drop in temperature we have most nights. Starting practice during one of the warmer parts of the day and practicing as it gets cooler has a huge advantage over practicing while it is getting hot - as your athletes heat up, the air is cooling down, decreasing your chances of having someone overheat!
Take longer breaks or shorten practices.
When the heat goes up, so should your water breaks and time between practices. As athletes sweat more, they will need more frequent trips to the water jug to prevent dehydration and heat illness. You can also change two two-hour practices with one break into three one-hour practices with two breaks. This allows you to more efficiently utilize practice time while keeping athletes safe and out of harm's way by allowing them more time to rest and cool down.
Don't go "full pads" if it's too hot.
As easy as this is, many coaches will complain about having to alter how much equipment their athletes are wearing at each practice because it changes what they're able to do during practice. The bottom line is that football equipment is heavy, hot, and doesn't breathe well. If it is above a certain temperature and humidity, it is not safe for athletes to be performing heavy drills in full padding, as they will be unable to cool themselves effectively. Practice can be changed from full pads to just shells, just helmets, or no equipment at all based on relative humidity, and altered as the day progresses.
Have the athletes bring extra dry clothes.
An athlete running around in sweat-soaked clothing isn't cooling their body effectively. Sweat cools your body by evaporating off of your skin, however it cannot do this if it is sopped into your clothing. Having athletes put on fresh socks and shirts between practices can help them cool themselves more effectively when they get back outside.
Wherever you're at, stay cool out there today! Northeast Ohio is standing at a balmy 93 degrees in the shade and 40% humidity - hot hot!
Thursday, August 2, 2012
Concussion-proof Helmets - Is there really such a thing?
The number one question I am asked by football parents is "What helmet should my child be wearing to prevent them from having a concussion?" The easy and honest answer is this:
No matter what helmet your child or athlete is or is not wearing, they are in danger of a concussion while playing football, or any other sport.
The long-form answer is a little more complicated. Yes, there are helmets that will protect your child better than others, but no helmet is perfect and every athlete is different. If you're looking for a helmet that will better protect an athlete with a history of serious traumatic head injury, you may consider re-thinking football altogether. Athletes who have sustained traumatic brain injury in the past are significantly more likely to re-injure themselves than athletes who have not suffered a concussion in the past.
For parents who won't let me escape without giving them a recommendation, this year I'm recommending a Riddell Revolution 360 or a Riddell Revo Speed. These make up the majority of what my high school team is currently wearing, though I do have a few students in Schutt DNA's, and a few others in what my students laugh and call "potato helmets" due to their age. I have been around Riddell helmets for over ten years and I personally find them to be some of the best available on the market. The athletes are most comfortable in them, they have a desirable design, and above all consistently have the highest scores in helmet concussion studies no matter what the testing venue.
If your school is like mine and doesn't have the funds to replace all of their older helmets, make sure that you are giving out all of the newer helmets first, and make certain that athletes who are prone to head injury or have a history of head injury are in the higher rated helmets in order to decrease their chances of re-injury.
My other action when asked about what helmets are the safest and best is to point parents and coaches to the Virginia Tech - Wake Forest helmet studies. While these are not the end-all be-all of informational studies, they are an excellent resource for parents, coaches, and medical staff who are looking to educate themselves on helmet safety. The brief-form summary of their findings can be seen to the right (click to enlarge.) My two favored helmets received top ratings for the 2012 study, along with the Rawlings Quantum Plus. The only ratings I tend to disagree with are those for the Xenith X1 and X2 helmets, as I personally find that they do not offer athletes, especially those who have incurred a previous head injury, enough protection from hard contact forces such as head to head, head to ground, or head to knee contacts.
Whichever helmet you choose for your athlete, remember that proper fit is also vital to decreasing the chances of concussion. Helmet technology and proper hitting mechanics can only take safety so far, and if a helmet does not fit correctly the chances of injury skyrocket. Helmets should be snug so as not to move around on the athlete's head, but not so tight as to cause discomfort. The ear holes in the helmet should line up with the athlete's own ears. The front lip of the helmet should fall about one inch or two finger-widths above the eyebrow, and the face mask should come out about three finger widths from the end of the athlete's nose. The chin strap should be snug to prevent movement, but not so tight that it cuts off circulation or causes discomfort.
Stay safe this season, and remember that no helmet is 100% concussion-proof. Always make sure that your athletes are in the best helmet for them, and that they wear a mouthguard at every game and practice!
No matter what helmet your child or athlete is or is not wearing, they are in danger of a concussion while playing football, or any other sport.
The long-form answer is a little more complicated. Yes, there are helmets that will protect your child better than others, but no helmet is perfect and every athlete is different. If you're looking for a helmet that will better protect an athlete with a history of serious traumatic head injury, you may consider re-thinking football altogether. Athletes who have sustained traumatic brain injury in the past are significantly more likely to re-injure themselves than athletes who have not suffered a concussion in the past.
For parents who won't let me escape without giving them a recommendation, this year I'm recommending a Riddell Revolution 360 or a Riddell Revo Speed. These make up the majority of what my high school team is currently wearing, though I do have a few students in Schutt DNA's, and a few others in what my students laugh and call "potato helmets" due to their age. I have been around Riddell helmets for over ten years and I personally find them to be some of the best available on the market. The athletes are most comfortable in them, they have a desirable design, and above all consistently have the highest scores in helmet concussion studies no matter what the testing venue.
 |
| Riddell Revolution Speed |
 |
| Riddell 360 |
If your school is like mine and doesn't have the funds to replace all of their older helmets, make sure that you are giving out all of the newer helmets first, and make certain that athletes who are prone to head injury or have a history of head injury are in the higher rated helmets in order to decrease their chances of re-injury.
My other action when asked about what helmets are the safest and best is to point parents and coaches to the Virginia Tech - Wake Forest helmet studies. While these are not the end-all be-all of informational studies, they are an excellent resource for parents, coaches, and medical staff who are looking to educate themselves on helmet safety. The brief-form summary of their findings can be seen to the right (click to enlarge.) My two favored helmets received top ratings for the 2012 study, along with the Rawlings Quantum Plus. The only ratings I tend to disagree with are those for the Xenith X1 and X2 helmets, as I personally find that they do not offer athletes, especially those who have incurred a previous head injury, enough protection from hard contact forces such as head to head, head to ground, or head to knee contacts.Whichever helmet you choose for your athlete, remember that proper fit is also vital to decreasing the chances of concussion. Helmet technology and proper hitting mechanics can only take safety so far, and if a helmet does not fit correctly the chances of injury skyrocket. Helmets should be snug so as not to move around on the athlete's head, but not so tight as to cause discomfort. The ear holes in the helmet should line up with the athlete's own ears. The front lip of the helmet should fall about one inch or two finger-widths above the eyebrow, and the face mask should come out about three finger widths from the end of the athlete's nose. The chin strap should be snug to prevent movement, but not so tight that it cuts off circulation or causes discomfort.
Stay safe this season, and remember that no helmet is 100% concussion-proof. Always make sure that your athletes are in the best helmet for them, and that they wear a mouthguard at every game and practice!
Tuesday, July 31, 2012
Welcome to Football Season: Hydration
I don't know about the rest of you, but my school started two-a-day football yesterday! Since it's been ridiculously hot here in northeast Ohio, I thought I would re-start my blogging with some tips on keeping your kids cool on the cheap!
Water Bottles
Always have water bottles available, whether you have kids bring them or you provide them. Water bottles can be transported easily to various practice sites. It's a good idea to issue at least one carrier (six bottles) to each team, though if you have the funds for more then hand out a few. If bottle carrier sets are a little out of your price range, look into getting individual bottles for each athlete. While this might sound like it is more expensive, the easy solution is to find local businesses to sponsor you. It takes a little extra work but in the end it often means that you'll end up with neat water bottles for very little if any cost!
Water Horses
I don't recommend actually going out and purchasing one of these, simply because you'll end up paying upwards of $2000 for a system that's made more or less of parts you can assemble from your local hardware store for about $200 or less. To make one, you'll need a long saw horse, like one you would see at a large construction site or blocking a road, a length of PVC pipe around the same length as the horse, 5-8 pipe nipples, a power drill, a hose bib that will connect with your PVC pipe, and a bag of long zip ties. I'll post more on how to construct this monster tomorrow, but it's quite easy. Note that these materials are not all deemed consumption safe, however if you're in a pinch it is better than having no water at all.
Sprinklers
Working with peewee football? Set up a sprinkler on the practice field and run through it for one of your drills! It keeps your kids cool and keeps your field looking nice all at the same time.
Ice Towels
Every squeamish water girl's nightmare. Yes, ice towels are gross and rather unsanitary, but we're going for cheap not pleasant here. Take a bucket or an old cooler that leaks and is just disgusting and throw about ten towels in the bottom, then fill it halfway with ice and partway with water. Whatever you do, just please wash the towels every night! An interesting variation to towels I've seen is using shammy cloths, though this is less cost effective.
Ice Bath
This is a last resort with overheated athletes. If you find yourself dealing with a chronic overheater however, it's not a bad idea to have your ice bath up and ready to go.
Keep an eye out for a post on how to build a water horse for your team, and watch me do it too! (Hopefully!)
Water Bottles
Always have water bottles available, whether you have kids bring them or you provide them. Water bottles can be transported easily to various practice sites. It's a good idea to issue at least one carrier (six bottles) to each team, though if you have the funds for more then hand out a few. If bottle carrier sets are a little out of your price range, look into getting individual bottles for each athlete. While this might sound like it is more expensive, the easy solution is to find local businesses to sponsor you. It takes a little extra work but in the end it often means that you'll end up with neat water bottles for very little if any cost!
Water Horses
I don't recommend actually going out and purchasing one of these, simply because you'll end up paying upwards of $2000 for a system that's made more or less of parts you can assemble from your local hardware store for about $200 or less. To make one, you'll need a long saw horse, like one you would see at a large construction site or blocking a road, a length of PVC pipe around the same length as the horse, 5-8 pipe nipples, a power drill, a hose bib that will connect with your PVC pipe, and a bag of long zip ties. I'll post more on how to construct this monster tomorrow, but it's quite easy. Note that these materials are not all deemed consumption safe, however if you're in a pinch it is better than having no water at all.
Sprinklers
Working with peewee football? Set up a sprinkler on the practice field and run through it for one of your drills! It keeps your kids cool and keeps your field looking nice all at the same time.
Ice Towels
Every squeamish water girl's nightmare. Yes, ice towels are gross and rather unsanitary, but we're going for cheap not pleasant here. Take a bucket or an old cooler that leaks and is just disgusting and throw about ten towels in the bottom, then fill it halfway with ice and partway with water. Whatever you do, just please wash the towels every night! An interesting variation to towels I've seen is using shammy cloths, though this is less cost effective.
Ice Bath
This is a last resort with overheated athletes. If you find yourself dealing with a chronic overheater however, it's not a bad idea to have your ice bath up and ready to go.
Keep an eye out for a post on how to build a water horse for your team, and watch me do it too! (Hopefully!)
Sunday, April 8, 2012
Violence in Pro Sports - Is there a trickle down to our youth events?
Violence "scandal" in the NFL? Sure the Gregg Williams tape looks bad, but how bad is it really? Most fans have not ever been a spectator inside of a high school or college football locker room or on the sidelines. We like to watch our sports from the stands or on our tv sets in our plush living rooms, and most of us don't realize quite how brutal the talk can get. Initially sure, I was shocked, but after thinking on the issue I realized that what Williams was telling his players isn't much different from what players tell each other.
The difficulty comes when we consider the example that this sets for our young athletes. Sure, football is a sport that is based (generally speaking) on violent actions. Tackling is a "violent" action, and often can result in injury. We've come to accept this as a part of the game - which is why most high schools and colleges require athletes and parents to sign waivers acknowledging the fact that there is a very good chance they will be hurt playing the sport. How though do the actions seen in NFL games run down and influence younger players?
In all honestly I'm not sure that there is much of a trickle-down. Middle school and younger football players play quite a different game from that of high school level and above. Youth football programs see far less injury, likely because the kids are there for fun alone, and are not under the influence of outside factors like fans, peers, and of course the big one - testosterone! Once our kids hit high school age, the locker room and sideline transform into a place where the encouragements of violence that Gregg Williams spouted are frankly commonplace. What may surprise some people is the source - not the coaches but the players themselves.
Williams' words might be shocking to some, but I have heard the same things on high school and college sidelines and in locker rooms, not from the coaches but whispered, spoken, and shouted by individual players and their peers. I would be a millionaire if I had a quarter for every time I've overheard a player decide that they're going try and injure an opponent. Emotions run high in football, as in many other contact sports. I've seen it in soccer, football, ice hockey, lacrosse, field hockey, even basketball and baseball on occasion.
Athletes learn these "violent" behaviors at the high school age, and rather than a trickle-down it seems to be a trickle-up. Players establish an in-game pattern whereupon they reach an emotional high then following a bad play or an error of some sort, decide that they want to take it out on another player. I would imagine that this behavior is learned based on a combination of observation of peers actions, encouragement of older teammates, and of course the heightened emotions that are brought on naturally in our teens.
When we realized that spear-tackling was dangerous and were seeking to ban it from the game, we started with youth sports. When we needed to change the equipment rules, we started with youth sports. If we do want to change the nature of the game and steer athletes away from seeking to remove their opponents from the game then starting at the pro-level will be unproductive. Sure, we do need to continue to penalize NFL and NHL players for dangerous hits, especially with all of the new concussion knowledge we are equipped with, but if we really want to make the game safer we need to start where the action starts - in our high school sports.
Coaches and other sideline personnel are aware of what their players are doing and talking about, but when a kid comes off the field and forcefully insists that they're going to injure an opponent, most of the adults on the sidelines turn a blind eye. We'd all like to win our games, that goes without saying. Sometimes a deaf ear is turned to the sideline conversations of players because of this. We can't babysit our kids, and we certainly shouldn't coddle them, but perhaps we as adults should start encouraging our players not to go after their opponents with intent to harm them each time we overhear a threat of violence on our sidelines. Yes, it's one of those things that takes extra effort, and yes we all probably have just about enough to think about during games without having to remember one more ridiculous thing, but it takes two seconds. It might be a pain in the butt, but if we have any concern for the future of the game, especially when we factor in our steadily increasing knowledge of head injuries, it is probably something we should all heavily consider doing.
The difficulty comes when we consider the example that this sets for our young athletes. Sure, football is a sport that is based (generally speaking) on violent actions. Tackling is a "violent" action, and often can result in injury. We've come to accept this as a part of the game - which is why most high schools and colleges require athletes and parents to sign waivers acknowledging the fact that there is a very good chance they will be hurt playing the sport. How though do the actions seen in NFL games run down and influence younger players?
In all honestly I'm not sure that there is much of a trickle-down. Middle school and younger football players play quite a different game from that of high school level and above. Youth football programs see far less injury, likely because the kids are there for fun alone, and are not under the influence of outside factors like fans, peers, and of course the big one - testosterone! Once our kids hit high school age, the locker room and sideline transform into a place where the encouragements of violence that Gregg Williams spouted are frankly commonplace. What may surprise some people is the source - not the coaches but the players themselves.
Williams' words might be shocking to some, but I have heard the same things on high school and college sidelines and in locker rooms, not from the coaches but whispered, spoken, and shouted by individual players and their peers. I would be a millionaire if I had a quarter for every time I've overheard a player decide that they're going try and injure an opponent. Emotions run high in football, as in many other contact sports. I've seen it in soccer, football, ice hockey, lacrosse, field hockey, even basketball and baseball on occasion.
Athletes learn these "violent" behaviors at the high school age, and rather than a trickle-down it seems to be a trickle-up. Players establish an in-game pattern whereupon they reach an emotional high then following a bad play or an error of some sort, decide that they want to take it out on another player. I would imagine that this behavior is learned based on a combination of observation of peers actions, encouragement of older teammates, and of course the heightened emotions that are brought on naturally in our teens.
When we realized that spear-tackling was dangerous and were seeking to ban it from the game, we started with youth sports. When we needed to change the equipment rules, we started with youth sports. If we do want to change the nature of the game and steer athletes away from seeking to remove their opponents from the game then starting at the pro-level will be unproductive. Sure, we do need to continue to penalize NFL and NHL players for dangerous hits, especially with all of the new concussion knowledge we are equipped with, but if we really want to make the game safer we need to start where the action starts - in our high school sports.
Coaches and other sideline personnel are aware of what their players are doing and talking about, but when a kid comes off the field and forcefully insists that they're going to injure an opponent, most of the adults on the sidelines turn a blind eye. We'd all like to win our games, that goes without saying. Sometimes a deaf ear is turned to the sideline conversations of players because of this. We can't babysit our kids, and we certainly shouldn't coddle them, but perhaps we as adults should start encouraging our players not to go after their opponents with intent to harm them each time we overhear a threat of violence on our sidelines. Yes, it's one of those things that takes extra effort, and yes we all probably have just about enough to think about during games without having to remember one more ridiculous thing, but it takes two seconds. It might be a pain in the butt, but if we have any concern for the future of the game, especially when we factor in our steadily increasing knowledge of head injuries, it is probably something we should all heavily consider doing.
Friday, March 16, 2012
The Great Shin Splint Debate
One of the inevitable things that none of us looks forward to in the spring is the plague of shin splints. Your athletes are changing surfaces and not a one of them has purchased new shoes. We've been practicing outside for a week and I'm looking out my office window as I write at four track athletes hanging around my ice bath waiting their turn to ice their shins up.
Over the years, I've encountered a lot of different opinions on what the best way to treat shin splints really is. We all have our own methods and opinions on it, and tend to settle into a pattern when we find something we think works. Two years ago I decided that instead of settling on a pattern, I would experiment and see for myself whose way really is the best. The results of my experiment? Pretty much everyone's methods work! Not every treatment will work on every athlete, so it is best to keep your mind open when you encounter some of the sillier ones, because they might surprise you.
Over the years, I've encountered a lot of different opinions on what the best way to treat shin splints really is. We all have our own methods and opinions on it, and tend to settle into a pattern when we find something we think works. Two years ago I decided that instead of settling on a pattern, I would experiment and see for myself whose way really is the best. The results of my experiment? Pretty much everyone's methods work! Not every treatment will work on every athlete, so it is best to keep your mind open when you encounter some of the sillier ones, because they might surprise you.
- Pre-practice moist heat - I try to avoid this in more acute cases, for obvious reasons. For an athlete who comes in halfway through the season complaining that he or she has been having a nagging problem with shinsplints all year however, this can be a lifesaver. The heat will loosen up the anterior tibialis and take pressure off of the insertion where the pain is located. I find that this is best used in combination with taping or wrapping treatments, and should always be followed up with ice after practice.
- Shin taping - How many of my readers just groaned? Yes it's an old method, but we're still using it so there has to be something to it. moving the muscles across the leg with tape takes pressure off of the insertion point where the pain is coming from, relieving the pain. For some athletes, I've found that this is the only solution. I can stick arch supports in their shoes until the cows come home, but nothing seems to work for them like a good old tj. The downside to shin tape is that you may need to get your male athletes to shave their legs. I've tried this method using underwrap, but it just does not work the same.
- Neoprene calf sleeves - An interesting spin on several taping methods, calf sleeves work much the same way as a heat treatment does, except their effects last all the way through practice. Not only do you get the heating effects of a MHP, you also get the compression effects of a tape job. The downside to neoprene is that it gets extremely sweaty during practices, especially on hot days and needs to be cleaned frequently. Sleeves run about $10-15 a piece depending on the brand. If I have them available, I loan out one pair and recommend to the athlete that they purchase a second pair. This cuts down on the laundry they have to do, and ensures that your athlete will (hopefully) have cleaner gear.
- Toe tap exercises - I was flabberghasted when I heard about this one, but as a high schooler with terrible shin pain I was ready to try anything. My athletic trainer recommended that I try an exercise where I just tap my toe on the ground to build up the muscles in my lower legs and relieve some of the pressure on my shins. Believe it or not, this does actually work for some athletes! It can be done at any time of the day, so kids will do it while they're doing their homework or sitting in class as something to do. Keeping the heel on the ground, lift the toes and tap your foot on the ground, that's it. Use in combination with other treatments.
- Flexiwrap taping - I know what you're thinking, that stuff is for taping on ice bags, what good is it going to do for shins? This is another method that it's best to keep an open mind about. Flexiwrap can be used to take the place of neoprene sleeves if you don't have the funds for them. It acts the same as the neoprene would, keeping the heat in the muscle while adding a push to keep the pressure off of the muscle insertion. If you're feeling extra ambitious, you can even put a product like Biofreeze or Cramergesic on the skin before taping for a little extra feeling of heat. If you're doing this however, make sure to test it on a small area for a practice first - some athletes are more sensitive than others!
- Arch taping - This is my current go-to treatment, as it appears my current set of athletes are rather biomechanically unsound in the arch department. Correcting leg position by adding support to the arches should take the pressure off of the shins and hopefully help prevent other problems further up the leg into the season. The downside to arch taping is that some people are more sensitive to changes in their feet than others are and athletes might not be willing to try and get used to arch tape if it is uncomfortable.
- Insoles or arch supports - Insoles are expensive, so I tend to wait until I've tried a few other things before recommending their use. Store bought arch supports will work for some athletes however, so it isn't a bad idea to consider their use if an athlete has feet that can be corrected using a softer insert like the ones found at the drug store.
- Ice cup massage - If you have a freezer in your training room, you should have a backstock of ice cups waiting to be used. For shame if you don't. Slapping an ice bag on the shin doesn't have the same cooling effect as an ice massage does. You get greater contact time, and the rubbing motion across the muscle and shin area can help to relieve pain too.
- Ice bath - Seriously, don't put an ice bag on shin splints. Personally, I love the ice bath. Sure it takes a little more time out of your day to fill and empty and clean, but the treatment is so much more effective than a simple bag of ice, why not use it? Don't have a whirlpool or a tub? Get a party bucket, they're less than ten dollars.
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