Additionally, there is an optional Tecnica Gavilan Hands-on Workshop presented by Gary Lang, ATC on Saturday, February 25 available for 6 CEUs.

Click here  for more information and how to register.

Watch the San Diego 10News report on the launch of Athletes Saving Athletes.

For additional information visit San Diego 6

CATA President, Mike West and San Diego athletic trainer, Robbie Bowers were recently interviewed by The San Diego Union-Tribune about the importance of AED accessibility.

View more videos at: http://nbcsandiego.com.

The California Athletic Trainers’ Association Says Schools Need to be Prepared for Cardiac Emergencies

SAN DIEGO, October 2011 – Picture the typical cardiac arrest patient and what comes to mind? Certainly not a high school athlete.

But that was the case last Friday, when a 16-year-old Los Angeles High School cheerleader collapsed to the ground and later died despite resuscitation efforts.

And she is not alone.  This past year there have been several reports of young athletes suffering from Sudden Cardiac Arrest (SCA). In fact, in just one month, four teen athletes suffered SCA – Wes Leonard, a high school basketball player from Michigan, Matthew Hammerdorfer, a 17-year-old Colorado rugby player, Jarvis Brinkley, a 16-year-old basketball player from North Carolina  and Robert Garza, a 16-year-old Texas basketball player.

“SCA is the number one killer of young athletes,” says Mike West, President of the California Athletic Trainers’ Association (CATA).

Each year thousands of kids die from SCA ranging from infants to adolescents and, approximately 50-100 sudden deaths occur specifically among athletes in middle school, high school and college.

“Sadly, many of these deaths could have been prevented with a thorough pre-season physical to detect any pre-existing heart conditions or with the timely use of an AED,” says West.

While SCA can strike without warning there can be pre-cursory signs, like fainting, difficulty breathing, chest pains, dizziness and/or racing heart rate – but they often go undetected by coaches and parents who may not have the medical expertise to realize a potentially life threatening condition.

According to the American Heart Association, timely application of an AED could save 50,000 lives from sudden cardiac arrest.  Since brain damage starts to occur in just four to six minutes after someone experiences cardiac arrest, it is essential to restore a normal heartbeat—which only an electric shock can do—as soon as possible. A victim’s chances of survival are reduced by 7 to 10 percent with every minute that passes without defibrillation.

The survival rate of SCA victims who receive defibrillation within the first three to five minutes is 75 percent as compared to those who do not receive an electric shock—their chances are reduced to 5 percent.

Currently, state and Federal laws require AEDs in every airport, and on every commercial liner and health club, but California legislation only recommends that school districts implement AED programs.

Until recently, many schools have been hesitant about purchasing an AED due to financial restraints, but now, the life-saving machines that used to cost upwards of $3,000 can be purchased for a minimal $1,000.

“Immediate care by qualified personnel with the appropriate equipment saves lives,” says West. “AEDs are affordable, easy to use and maintain. They should be in every school in California, and all school staff should be trained on how to use the device as well as perform CPR.”

About the California Athletic Trainers Association (CATA):
Athletic trainers are health care professionals who specialize in the provision of physical medicine and rehabilitation services, serving as physician extenders in the prevention, assessment and treatment of acute and chronic injuries and illnesses. The California Athletic Trainers Association (http://www.ca-at.org) represents and supports 2,200 members of the athletic training profession through communication and education

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We’re so happy to say our efforts and contributions towards passing AB 25 have been successful: California has implemented a new Concussion Bill to protect student athletes. This is a good step, but it’s just a first step – we’ll continue to fight for state regulation of the athletic training profession in California in order to further ensure the safety of our student athletes.

Click here for more information about this bill.

In light of the NFL lawsuit, our very own Mike Chisar of Diablo Valley College was interviewed by KTVU (Channel 2 in Oakland) health and science reporter, John Fowler, regarding the seriousness of concussion trauma and the prolonged risks of repeated blows to the head.

Parents take every precaution to keep their kids safe. They teach them to buckle up in the car, to look both ways before crossing the street and to never talk to strangers.
But what about safety during sports?
Without knowing it, many  California parents are putting their children’s lives at stake each time they let them participate in school sports.
A recent study by Safe Kids USA shows that parents acknowledge that they do not have the information they need to protect their children from serious injury while taking part in team sports. Worse, only 17 percent of parents recognize that an athletic trainer is an expert source for such information. Aside from their family doctor, the majority of parents surveyed identified their child’s coach, websites or news publications as their go-to source for sports safety information.

“The most reliable source of information on injury prevention and the best person on the athletic field specifically watch out for the safety of your kid’s health is an athletic trainer,” says Michael West, president of the California Athletic Trainers’ Association (CATA).
Athletic trainers specialize in the prevention, diagnosis, assessment, treatment and rehabilitation of sports injuries and illnesses. Unlike coaches who only have basic emergency care training, athletic trainers are educated in the recognition of and emergency care for catastrophic injuries such as spinal cord injuries, sudden cardiac arrest, heat illness and concussions – athletic trainers save lives.
But currently the state of California does not regulate the athletic training profession. This means anyone can call themselves an “athletic trainer” and practice freely in schools, posing a serious health risk to student athletes in their care.
With children today playing sports more intensely and at a higher level than ever before, there’s an increase in cases of students suffering from heat illness and concussions in sports, yet parent’s concern has not increased accordingly.
Parents need to be aware of who’s providing on-site healthcare for their kids and not just during games but practices too. One in three parents does not realize that their kids could potentially be injured just as much during practices as in an actual game.
“Without state regulation, there’s a good chance that the person attending to your child’s injuries may be untrained and unqualified,” says West, who, with the CATA, is trying to help pass legislation (AB 374) that would require licensure of athletic trainers. “Almost every other state regulates the athletic training profession. Why is California gambling with our kid’s safety?”
According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, more than 1 million serious sports-related injuries occur each year to adolescents aged 10-17 years and in just the past three years, over 36 California high school students have died due to sports-related injuries.
The number of young athletes sustaining severe or multiple injuries while playing team sports has more than doubled, jumping from 15% in 2000 to 21% today. “The need for a qualified athletic trainer and comprehensive healthcare program in high schools and club-level sports is more important than ever,” says West.
The CATA advocates that parents take action now to keep young athletes healthy and safe by assessing their athletic safety programs and ensuring appropriate medical care is provided to all participants during games and practices.
Parents can do their homework by asking their coaches and administrators if the athletic trainer at their school is certified. They can also do their part to help pass the Athletic Trainers’ Practice Act, which would require the licensing of athletic trainers, by contacting their local legislator. Letters of support can be downloaded on the CATA website.

About the  California Athletic Trainers Association (CATA):
Athletic trainers are health care professionals who specialize in the provision of physical medicine and rehabilitation services, serving as physician extenders in the prevention, assessment and treatment of acute and chronic injuries and illnesses. The California Athletic Trainers Association (http://www.ca-at.org) represents and supports 2,200 members of the athletic training profession through communication and education.