Emergency Action Plans (EAP) and How to respond to injuries and medical conditions in a sporting context

Question 1

What does SALTAPS stand for?

Answer 1

See- what happened, look to see if the player is distressed or in pain
Ask- ask the player where it hurts and how severe it is
Look- look for signs of injury e.g. bleeding, bruising, swelling
Touch- touch the injury check for pain and heat
Active- can the person move the limb themselves
Passive- when you move the limb passively does it hurt much? Is it moving normally?
Strength- does the player have enough strength in the injured area to move unaided

Question 2

What does R.I.C.E. stand for?

Answer 2

• Rest
• Ice
• Compression
• Elevation

Question 3

How and why should you apply REST to an injury?

Answer 3

How
- rest the injured area
- stop the activity
- don’t put weight on injured area/use crutches or splint if possible
Why
- continued activity can cause further harm/injury

Question 4

How and why should you apply ICE to an injury?

Answer 4

How
- apply ice for 15/20min every 2/3 hours (regular intervals)
- use an ice pack or bag of frozen peas
Why
- applying ice to the area will help to stop internal bleeding
- helps to relieve pain
-blood vessels contract so stop swelling

Question 5

How and why should you apply COMPRESSION to an injury?

Answer 5

How
- compress the area with a bandage (not to tight)
Why
- helps to reduce swelling and pain by directing blood away from the area

Question 6

How and why should you apply ELEVATION to an injury?

Answer 6

How
- raise the injured site above the level of the heart or keep the limb up
Why
- helps to reduce swelling and pain by directing blood away from the area

Question 7

When should heat treatment be used and how does it work?

Answer 7

When to use
- use when an injury is older than 48 hours (2 days) do not use before this time
How does it work
- heat causes the blood vessels to open wide so more blood is brought to the injured area, this helps to promote healing
- heat can reduce pain and muscle spasms

Question 8

When should cold treatment be used and how does it work?

Answer 8

When to use
- used to treat soft tissue injuries immediately or later in rehab
-apply ice for 15-20min and repeat every 2-3 hours
How does it work
- reduces pain by numbing the area
- reduces swelling

Question 9

Why bandage and what injuries is it used for?

Answer 9

Why bandage
- applying compression to injury can reduce swelling
What injuries is it used for
- commonly used to treat muscle strains and ligament sprains (e.g. pulled calf or twisted ankle)

Question 10

Why use a sling and for what injuries?

Answer 10

Why a sling
-sling is used to support and keep the injured area still to prevent further injury and ease pain
When are they used
- slings are often used with arm and shoulder injuries (e.g. fractured wrist, dislocated shoulder)

Question 11

Why would you use a splint?

Answer 11

Why a splint

• a splint prevents you from moving a fractured bone (e.g. shin) or dislocated joint (e.g. knee)
• it protects the injured area and can help prevent pain by restricting movement
• splints are sometimes used after surgery to aid recovery

Question 12

Why might the R.I.C.E. method be unsuitable to treat some injuries

Answer 12

• wouldn’t address the injury/ e.g. not stop the bleeding
• waste time when injured person should be taken straight to hospital or 999 should be called
• could cause more pain/harm/cause further injury
• increase risk of infection

Question 13

When should massage be used and what are the benefits of it?

Answer 13

When to use
- use when an injury is older than 48 hours (2 days) do not use before this time
- can be used after exercise to help aid recovery
How does it help
- encourages blood flow to injured area
- increases flexibility/reduces tension
- can help to reduce pain/muscle soreness
- breaks down scar tissue

Question 14

When is taping used and how can it help?

Answer 14

When to use
- can be used before during or after activity to support an injured body part
How does it help
- provides support or keeps muscle/joint in place
- reduces pain

Question 15

How can bandaging help treat an injury?

Answer 15

• Prevents swelling or decreases blood flow
• eases pain
• keeps area immobilised/gives it support
• stops bleeding
• stops/prevents infection

Question 16

What is a splint used for and how does it help?

Answer 16

Used for
- prevents you from moving a broken bone or dislocated joint (usually applied to legs)
How does it help?
- reduces pain
- prevents further injury/damage

Question 17

What is a sling used for and how does it help?

Answer 17

Used for
- supporting an injured arm or shoulder
How does it help?
- keeps injured part of the body still (immobilised)
- helps to reduce blood flow to injured site (injury kept elevated)