Hello Everyone!
My name is Natasha (Tasha) Anderson, and I'm the
certified athletic trainer for Desert Mountain.
I just wanted to write a quick note to
introduce myself to those of you who I didn't get
to meet at the information meetings last Spring
and to discuss a few things which I've
received some questions on in the last few days.
While there's not much we can do about the heat
these days, there are some things that the players
can be doing to help prevent heat illness. One of
the biggest things is for them to stay hydrated
and to make sure that they're replacing the fluids
that they lose during practice. They should be drinking
fluids throughout the day, and especially 2-3 hours
before practice/games. I recommend drinking both
water and electrolyte beverages (such as Gatorade
and Powerade) so they can maintain proper
hydration and also good electrolyte balance. Beverages
with caffeine can contribute to dehydration so I
recommend staying away from these, especially during
the season. Another important thing is for the players
to re-hydrate themselves after practice is over.
This is best accomplished within 1-2 hours of practice
ending. As far as food goes, they should be eating
a well balanced diet of lean meats (protein), starches,
grains, fruits and vegetables. I encourage all athletes
to eat 3 meals a day, with some supplemental snacks,
especially before practice. Since football practice
is late afternoon/early evening, I typically recommend
a light snack before practice, and dinner after
practice. This should give them energy for practice
without causing an upset stomach. Since all athletes
are different in their dietary and caloric needs,
please contact me if you have specific questions
regarding your child.
Those of you who had a child who played football
last year may remember the baseline concussion testing
that was performed. This has become a district standard
and will be done every 2 years for all Desert Mountain
athletes involved in contact sports. Therefore,
this year we will only be testing freshmen and any
other athlete who did not play football at Desert
Mountain last year. These tests are done at the
beginning of the season to give us baseline data
for each athlete's cognitive function. Then, the
tests are repeated if the athlete sustains a head
injury and compared to the baseline data to help
assess the athlete's condition and provide a safe
return-to-play. Please let me know if you have any
questions regarding these tests.
Finally, I just want you all to know that I am available
for any health concern you have for your athlete.
Please do not hesitate to contact me
either via email or telephone.
Go Wolves!
Natasha Anderson, AT
Head Athletic Trainer--Desert Mountain High School
n.anderson@spoonerphysicaltherapy.com
Office: (480) 484-7077
Cell: (417) 425-0453
Sport-related concussion has been a prominent issue
in athletics and sports medicine for the last few
years. Recently, recommendations have been made
by the National Athletic Trainers’ Association
(NATA) and the Concussion in Sports Group that clinicians
incorporate specific assessment tools for sport-related
concussion to aid in making appropriate and safe
decisions as to when an athlete can return to play
following a concussion. Furthermore, the most recent
Zurich consensus document highlighted the need to
study younger athletes and investigate the emotional
and social effects of sport-related concussion.
As a co-author of the NATA Position Statement I
can say with confidence that baseline testing and
the use of appropriate assessment tools will assist
the medical personnel working with your child to
make more objective decisions following concussive
injury.
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