Common Sports Injury First Aid: How to Treat Acute Fractures, Sprains, and More
Whether you’re watching from the sidelines or playing in the thick of it, sports injury first aid is something you might need to know at a moment’s notice. Teachers, coaches, parents, players on your local community team, and even just friends playing around in the park could get injured without warning. The difference between a swift recovery and a prolonged setback can be your knowledge and ability to provide sports injury first aid.
Assessing the Situation
Before providing sports injury first aid, your first priority is to assess the situation using the DRSABCD protocol. DRSABCD stands for Danger, Response, Send for help, Airway, Breathing, CPR, and Defibrillation.
First check for Danger and ensure the area is safe for yourself, bystanders, and the injured person before approaching; you don’t want to become a casualty yourself. Next, check for a Response by asking their name and squeezing their shoulders. If there’s no response, Send for help immediately by calling Triple Zero (000) for an ambulance or having a bystander do so for you. If the person is conscious, keep them calm and still while waiting for help to arrive, otherwise, move on to the next steps.
Check their Airway for obstructions by opening their mouth, and clearing any visible blockages you can see with your fingers; never perform a blind sweep. Look for signs of Breathing, such as their chest rising and falling or the feel of air moving near their nose and mouth. If there is none, you’ll need to begin CPR, which, in instances where the victim’s heart is not breathing normally arrest may include Defibrillation.
First Aid for Bone Injuries: Suspected Fractures and Dislocations
Bone injuries are among the most common, and the most serious, found in sports injury first aid. While anyone can provide basic first aid treatments, not just a medical professional, these serious sports injuries still require careful handling and specific techniques.
Fractures & Dislocations
A fracture is just another word for a broken bone. Your goal in treating any body part where you suspect a fracture is immobilisation by supporting the joints above and below the injury.
Position a splint alongside the injured limb, ensuring it extends beyond the injury site in both directions. In a pinch, you can improvise a splint with a sturdy piece of cardboard, a wooden board, or a tightly rolled magazine. Firmly secure the splint with a bandage, but ensure it is not wrapped so tight it cuts off circulation; you should be able to gently slide a finger underneath. If possible, also keep the area elevated.
An open fracture is when you can see the bone piercing through the skin. You should not attempt to push the bone back in. Instead, cover the wound with a sterile dressing, immobilise the limb as you would with a regular fracture, and apply pressure around the injured area. Keep the injured person warm with a blanket, as shock can develop if there is internal bleeding.
A dislocation is when a joint is forced out of its normal position. Again, your goal here is to immobilise the area rather than trying to pop the joint back into place like you might see in a movie.
First Aid for Strains, Sprains, Swelling, and Soft Tissue Injuries
In sports injury first aid, soft tissue injuries affecting muscles, tendons, and ligaments are even more common than bone injuries, and thankfully these minor injuries are much easier to treat. Sprains and strains have similar symptoms: pain at the injured area, swelling, bruising, and reduced function or difficulty moving. A sprain is a stretch or tear of a ligament, the tough bands of fibrous tissue that connect bones to bones at joints. A strain is a stretch or tear of a muscle or tendon, the tissue that connects muscles to bones. Despite these differences, the first aid for sprains and strains is the same.
The RICE method (Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation), while popular for decades and still commonly practiced in sports injury first aid, is no longer the recommended approach as studies have shown that when you apply ice you can actually slow the natural healing process. Instead, sports injury first aid professionals now recommend using the PEACE & LOVE protocol. As PEACE deals with first aid and LOVE refers to long term rehabilitation, you only need to know about PEACE for sports injury first aid.
P stands for Protect: limit movement of the affected for one to three days to prevent further damage, but avoid prolonged rest as this can slow recovery. E stands for Elevate: raise the injured limb above the heart to promote fluid drainage and reduce swelling. A stands for Avoid anti-inflammatories: inflammation is a necessary part of the healing process. C stands for Compress: use compression bandages or tape to reduce swelling, but not so tight that it cuts off circulation. E stands for Educate: see your doctor for more information on your specific injury and what to do next.
First Aid for Head Injuries
Head injuries are the most serious in sports injury first aid. They can affect the brain permanently, and the damage they cause may not be immediately apparent. All head injuries should be treated with the utmost seriousness.
Concussions
A concussion is a brain injury caused by a force hitting the head, causing the brain to move within the skull potentially causing swelling or bleeding. Symptoms include headache or pressure in the head, nausea or vomiting, dizziness or balance problems, blurred vision or sensitivity to light and noise, confusion or feeling “foggy,” difficulty concentrating or remembering, drowsiness or fatigue, and mood changes such as irritability or sadness.
When it comes to sports injury first aid, the first course of action for a suspected concussion is “if in doubt, sit them out”. Any athlete who develops concussion symptoms should be removed from play immediately and should not return to the sport or activity until they have been assessed by a doctor, even if they feel better. Beyond that, always follow the DRSABCD protocol, do not move the person if you suspect a spinal injury, and seek urgent medical attention especially if they show symptoms.
Nose Bleeds
Have the person sit down and lean slightly forward to prevent blood running down their throat. Pinch the soft part of their nose firmly, just below the bony bridge, and hold it for at least 10 minutes. Have the person breathe through their mouth and do not let them blow their nose afterwards. Seek medical attention if the bleeding continues for more than 20 minutes.
Mouth Injuries
A tooth that’s been knocked out can be saved if you act quickly. Handle the tooth by the crown (the white chewing surface), never the root. If the tooth is dirty, rinse it gently with milk or saline to help keep the tooth’s cells alive, but don’t scrub or wrap it in tissue. Seek dental care as soon as you can, ideally within 30 minutes.
First Aid for Heat-related Illness
Sports and other physical activities cause you to sweat, accelerating the possibility of heat-related illnesses under hot conditions. For sports injury first aid, prevention is better than treatment; so drink plenty of water before, during, and after games. But sometimes even the best preparation is not enough, and you need to know the sports injury first aid for what happens next.
Heat Exhaustion
Heat exhaustion occurs when the body overheats, usually due to a combination of prolonged exposure to high temperatures, physical exertion, and dehydration. Signs include heavy sweating, pale and clammy skin, muscle cramps, fatigue, weakness, headache, nausea, and dizziness. The affected person’s temperature may rise but typically remains below 40°C.
Move someone affected by heat exhaustion to a cool place, have them lie down flat, and loosen or remove any tight clothing. Give them cool water or a sports drink to sip if they’re fully conscious and able to swallow, and keep them cool by wetting their skin with cool water and fanning them. If their symptoms don’t improve within 10 minutes, call 000.
Heatstroke
Heatstroke is similar to heat exhaustion, but it occurs when the body’s temperature rises above 40°C. Unlike heat exhaustion, sweating may stop during heat stroke, leaving the skin hot, red, and dry. Other signs include confusion, altered mental state, rapid heartbeat, seizures, and loss of consciousness. Left untreated, heat stroke can quickly damage the brain, heart, kidneys, and muscles.
Call 000 immediately for heatstroke. While waiting, your priority is rapid cooling. Ideally, you should immerse the person from the neck down in cold water for up to 15 minutes, but if this isn’t practical wet the person with cold water under a shower or hose, or cover their body with cold wet towels, changing them frequently and fanning the person constantly.
Building a Sports First Aid Kit
A well-stocked sports injury first aid kit ensures you can provide immediate care for any injuries that occur. To be ready for both common injuries and more serious sports-related injuries, make sure your kit is fully stocked with:
Instant ice packs or reusable cold packs for reducing pain and swelling from acute injuries.
Elastic compression bandages for supporting sprains and strains and reducing swelling.
Triangular bandages for creating slings for arm injuries or securing splints.
Wound dressings including sterile gauze pads, non-adherent dressings, adhesive bandages, and wound closure strips.
A splint that can be shaped to fit any limb.
Sports strapping tape for joint support.
Medical tape for securing dressings.
Antiseptic wipes or spray for cleaning wounds to prevent infection.
Scissors for cutting tape, gauze, or clothing.
Tweezers for removing splinters.
Disposable gloves for infection control.
Keep your sports injury first aid kit in an accessible location that all team members and staff know and can find in an emergency. Check the contents every six months or after each use to ensure none of its contents have expired or need replacing.
Treating Injuries in an Emergency
Sports injury first aid comes down to preparation and knowing how to respond before injuries happen. By completing a nationally recognised first aid course you’ll have the hands-on experience to ensure you’re ready to act when someone needs help.
FAQs
When Can I Return to Sport after a Concussion?
Australian guidelines require athletes to be completely symptom-free at rest for at least 14 days before returning to contact training, with a minimum of 21 days before competitive contact sport. Return must be gradual and guided by a medical professional, progressing through stages of light activity before full participation.
How Do I Treat Muscle Cramps?
Muscle cramps are sudden, involuntary contractions that cause sharp pain, often in the calves, hamstrings, or feet during or after exercise. Stop the activity and gently stretch the affected muscle, holding the stretch until the cramp releases. Massage the area and apply warmth if the cramping persists. Sip water or an electrolyte drink, as dehydration and mineral depletion can contribute to cramping.
How Do I Remove Something from an Eye?
Do not rub the eye, as this can scratch the cornea. Wash your hands, then gently pull the lower lid down and ask the person to look up while you flush the eye with clean water or saline. If the object is under the upper lid, gently pull the upper lid outward and down over the lower lid. Seek medical attention if the object cannot be removed, pain persists, or vision is affected.