Obviously, the best ways to avoid injuries are by preventing them from happening and playing safe. However, accidents do occur and below are just some things to keep in mind, especially first aid assistance, while enjoying your football at the East Malvern Junior Football Club.
First and foremost, keeping calm would help any situation immensely.
An on duty club trainer, Bryan, will be available at DW Lucas, Basil and Stanley Grose grounds and can be contacted on 0421 747 783.
Basic first aid assessment can be performed with DRABCD – Look out for Danger, Response from victim, obstruction of Airway, Breathing, CPR and Defibrillation procedures.
Witness or an account of an incident would be helpful to a player’s management if not known to the treating trainer/first aider/medical or allied health persons.
Protection for soft tissue injuries can be followed using PRICE – Protection of injured area (stop activity), Rest, intermittent Icing (no more than 20 mins), Compression and Elevation. The idea is to reduce swelling of the area.
An ice pack and firm pressure is often a good starting point for bleeding injuries.
Dislocation of joints must not be forced back into place or risk the damage of a nerve or blood vessel.
Ambulances can be called on 000.
Suspected neck or back injuries should be attended with utmost care to prevent any or further injury to the spinal cord. Players should not be moved and the game would have to be stopped to allow for appropriate assessment/ambulance arrival.
Severe head injuries (e.g. concussions) are to be dealt with carefully and similarly to neck or back injuries. Attached below are AFL guidelines on Management of Concussion in Community Football
Location of stretchers;
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- DW Lucas – In the “Home” change rooms of Dunlop Pavilion
- Basil & Stanley Grose Reserve – In Sheridan Pavilion
- Gardiner – In the Store Room of the Change Rooms.
Location of keys to barriers that allow vehicle access to grounds (TBC)
In the event a medical facility is needed on the Sunday, the closest hospitals would be Cabrini Hospital (183 Wattletree Rd, Malvern VIC 3144) or Monash Medical Centre (1/246 Clayton Rd, Clayton VIC 3168).
- Please note that if an ambulance attends for a player that has suffered a head injury it is probable that the player will be transported to the Royal Children’s as this is Melbourne’s only paediatric receiving centre for moderate or severe head trauma”.
The permission of resuming play after an incident or injury would appropriately and best be given by a certified trainer/first aider/medical or allied health persons.
Children suffering seizures on the football field may not always do so as a consequence of head trauma or pre existing epilepsy. The onset of cardiac arrest is frequently characterised by seizure activity and all children who have seized should be assessed adequately to ensure that they are not pulseless. Breathing will be present in the patient early in cardiac arrest and the presence of breathing should not be used to exclude this condition”.
Last but not least, enjoy the game, play safely and fairly!
Marc Gauci, Vice President & Club Secretary
Last Modified on 02/07/2011 10:59
