Off-Field Injury Evaluation

Evaluation vs. Diagnosis O By law, ATC’s cannot diagnose O Education and training allow them to make quick and accurate judgment calls O i.e. fractures, ligament tears, etc.

Assessment Terms O Etiology – cause of disease O Mechanism – mechanical description of cause O Pathology – structural and functional changes as result of injury O Symptom – change this indicates injury/disease O Sign – indicator of an injury/disease

Off-Field Injury Eval Process HOPS O History O Observation O Palpation O Special Tests

HOPS - History O Past experiences O “Has this ever happened before? If so, when?” O Present O “What’s the problem?” O “How did it happen?” O “When did it happen?” O “Did you hear or feel anything?” O Have them point to where it hurts and describe pain O Acute or chronic?

HOPS - Observation O How do they move? O Is there a limp? O Obvious asymmetries/deformities? O Swelling? O Unnatural lumps? (i.e. fracture or dislocation)

HOPS - Palpation O Bony O Check injured and non-injured sights O Check bilateral O Soft Tissue O Swelling O Lumps O Gaps O Tissue tightness O Check bilateral

HOPS – Special Tests O Movement Assessment O AROM, PROM, RROM O Manual Muscle Testing O Muscle isolation O Neuro Testing O Sensory, reflex, motor O Joint Stability Testing O Sprain grades O Functional Performance Testing O Full strength, joint stability, coordination, and pain free

Progress Evals O Monitors progress of the athlete O History O Pain today vs. yesterday? Did yesterday’s treatment help or make it worse? O Observation O Swelling down? Can athlete move better? O Palpation O Tenderness? Deformities? O Special Tests O More stable? More strength? Better ROM?

Documentation of Injury Evals O Accurate documentation CYA O SOAP Notes: O Subjective – what the athlete tells you O Objective – what ATC finds (palpation, ROM, special tests) O Assessment – ATC’s professional opinion O Plan – treatment, referral, inform parents, etc.

Imaging - Radiography O X-Rays O Used to identify O Fractures O Dislocations O Bone abnormalities

X-Ray

Imaging – Computed Tomography O CT O Like X-ray, but more detail O Allows for views from many angles

CT

Imaging – Magnetic Resonance Imaging O MRI O Expensive O Test of choice for detecting soft- tissue injuries O Ligament tears O Tendon injuries O Muscle injuries

MRI

Imaging - Ultrasound O View location, measurement, or delineation of an organ or tissue O Reflection of sound waves O Typically only used in pregnancy

Ultrasound