Soft Tissue Injuries: Treatment and Management Guidelines

1. Unit 7 Injury Management

2. Soft Tissue Injuries • Abrasion • Scrapping away of outer layer of skin • Avulsion • Tearing or pulling away a part of a structure • Laceration • Jagged, irregular cut • Contusion • A bruise

3. Soft Tissue Injury Treatment • Clean area with soap and water • Apply antibiotic cream • Apply sterile bandage • Watch for infection

4. Treatment: Severed or Amputated • Wrap severed part in sterile gauze • Put in plastic bag • Put plastic bag on ice • Send severed part with victim to hospital

5. Deep Lacerations • Apply steri-strips or butterfly dressing • Cover with sterile dressing • Stitches? • Longer 1 inch • Deep cut into dermis • Edges that do not close with steri-strip or butterfly dressing • Uneven edges • Best to get stitches within 6-8 hours to decrease scarring and infection • Facial best to get stitches within 4 hours

6. BITES • Wash with soap and water • Cover with sterile dressing • Apply antibiotic ointment • Apply Ice • Never apply ice with snakebites • Stimulates the spread of the venom • Complications • Poisonous • Minimize movement • Seek medical attention • Infection • Seek medical attention

7. BLISTERS • Caused by the skin rubbing against a hard or rough surface resulting in the layers of the skin to separate • Feel a “hot spot” • Treatment: • Leave in tact • Popping blister leaves open skin susceptible for infection • If blister is torn, keep clean and cover with moleskin or second skin.

8. STINGS • Treatment • Look for stinger • If stinger present scrape away from skin with finger nail or edge of a plastic card • Never use tweezers to remove stinger- squeezing the stinger will release venom into body • Wash area with soap water • Cover with sterile dressing • Apply Ice • Watch for allergic reaction

9. ALLERGIC REACTIONS • Caused by insect stings, food, other allergens • Known as Anaphylactic shock • Cause serious life-threatening breathing emergencies • Air passages swell and restrict breathing • S/S= rash, tightness in chest, swelling of face and tongue, dizzy, confused • Use of Epi-pen is necessary treatment

10. ALLERGIC REACTION • HITCH

11. SKIN CONDITIONS • Caused by a fungus, virus, bacteria or parasite • Common in sports such as wrestling, but can occur in any individual

12. FUNGUS • Tinea= superficial fungal infection • Thrive in Moist, warm, dark environments. • Treatment • Anti fungul creams or sprays. Sometimes needs an anti-fungal oral medication • Common types in athletics • Tinea corpis, Tinea cruris and Tinea Pedis

13. Tinea Corporis- Ringworm • Common in wrestling • AKA- Tinea Gladiatroum • Lesions have a ring-like eruption with red or brown plaques with raised border • Appear on scalp, trunk and upper and lower extremities • Spread by skin to skin contact

14. Tinea infections… Tinea cruris Tinea Pedis Athletes foot Redness, scaling, cracking and itching Soles of feet and in-between toe • Jock Itch • Rash, scaling small papules in groin and medical thigh area

15. Bacterial Infections in Sports • Impetigo • Pustules that become crusted and rupture • Highly contagious with skin to skin contact • Treated with oral anti-biotic

16. Bacteria Infections • MRSA • Caused by Staphylococcus aureus bacteria or “staph” • Start as red bumps and quickly turn into deep painful abscesses • Can penetrate into blood stream, potentially causing life-threatening infections to body systems • Treatment • Antibiotics & Draining abscesses

17. Common Viral Infection in Sports • Warts • Verruca vulgaris • Small tumors with dark centers • May appear anywhere on body • Treatment • Cryosurgery • Salicylic acid

18. Verruca Plantaris Plantar warts • Develop on sole of foot • Pinpoint black spots • Can be protected with donut-shaped pad to relieve pressure

19. Eczema • Itchy red rash • Caused by • Allergies • Stress • Temperature • Drug reaction • Scratching • Sun exposure • Treatment • Corticosteroid Lotions and ointments • Antihistamines • Lotions to hydrate skin

20. BLEEDING • Arterial Bleeding • Bright red and spurts • Hard to stop and life-threatening • Venous Bleeding • Dark red and steady flow • Easier to control • Capillary Bleeding • Slow and steady • Greater chance of infection • 10% loss of blood volume may be critical

21. Controlling External Bleeding • Apply direct pressure with sterile dressing • Cover with a roller bandage • Bleeding does not stop • Additional dressing • Minimize shock • Call 911

22. Internal Bleeding • What do you do? • CALL 911 Immediately!! • DO not give anything to eat or drink • Life threatening - Death will be the outcome without QUICK advanced medical care!

23. Internal Bleeding Signs and Symptoms • Tender, swollen, hard areas • Rapid, weak pulse • Skin cool, pale, moist • Vomit blood • Excessive thirst • Confusion • LOC

24. SHOCK • Life-threatening condition when there is not enough blood being delivered to vital organs • SIGNALS: • Restless or altered level of consciousness • Rapid breathing or pulse • Pale, ashen, cool, moist skin • Thirsty

25. Treatment for SHOCK • Call 911 and monitor ABC’s and vital signs, treat conditions • Elevate legs 12 inches • Keep person comfortable • DO NOT give person anything to eat or drink

26. Abdominal Injuries • Ruptured Spleen • Located ULQ • Caused by blow to abdomen • S/S = rigid abdomen, nausea, vomiting and possible signs of shock • Khers sign • Left shoulder and arm pain • Can cause profuse hemorrhaging and death

27. Abdominal Injuries • Appendicitis • Located RLQ • Caused by bacterial infection from an obstruction • Mild to severe cramping, nausea, vomiting and low fever, RLQ pain • Surgery required

28. Abdominal Injuries • HERNIA • Protrusion of abdominal viscera through abdominal wall • Common in groin- inguinal hernia • Superficial protrusion may be observed, pain is increased by sudden movements, coughing or sneezing • Surgery required

29. SPLINTING • Only if the person must be moved • In the position you find it • Joints above and below must be immobile - SNUG • Check circulation before and after (warmth, color) • Only if you can do without causing more pain

30. Head, Neck and Back Injuries • Biggest Concern? • Paralysis if moved • Signal of One? • Change in conscious • Numbness or tingling or loss of movement • Complain pain or point tenderness on cervical spine • Care for? • MINIMIZE MOVEMENT • Provide in-line stabilization

31. What if athlete is wearing a helmet? • Do not remove • IF need to gain access to airway use appropriate equipment to minimize movement of spine

32. Care for Medical Conditions • Seizure • Protect from injury • Do not put anything in mouth • Do not hold down • Faints • Lay down & elevate legs

33. Care for Medical Conditions • Diabetic (Too much or little sugar in person’s blood) • Give sugar if conscious • Asthma • Help administer inhaler

34. Heat Illnesses • Normally progress in severity • Heat cramps • Heat exhaustion • Heat Stroke • Caused by combination of strenuous activity and hot/humid weather • Fluid imbalances

35. Heat Cramps • Result from fluid volume problem • Can be prevented by drinking water before and throughout activity • Stretch the affected muscle slowley

36. Heat Illnesses • Heat exhaustion • Profuse sweating • Pale skin • Nausea • Dizzy • Headache • Altered LOC • Heat stroke • Red, flushed dry skin, irritable, aggressive • Headache • Dizzy, weak • Sweat mechanism shut off • Most serious heat condition- call 911

37. Treatment of Heat Illnesses • Move victim to cool place • Give cool water - small amounts if conscious • Immerse in cold water or use ice towels • Fan, sponge off • Loosen clothing • Victim not improve or won’t drink= call 911

38. Cold-Related Illnesses • Frostbite • Lack of feeling • Skin appears white & waxy • Skin cold to touch • Hypothermia • Shivering • Numbness • Glassy Stare • Decrease LOC • Weakness • Impaired Judgement

39. Treatment for Cold related illnesses • Gently& SLOWLY warm victim • Warm too quickly can a cause heart arrhythmias • Check ABC’s • Remove wet clothing and cover with blankets • Handle carefully • Frostbite • Soak in warm water • Cover - DO NOT RUB