School coaches need more sports medicine knowledge

Study indicates that athletic staff could benefit from basic medical course

Coaches who take a 10-week course in sports medicine are better equipped to handle medical emergencies on the playing field, but they are still not as knowledgeable as certified athletic trainers, according to a study presented June 4 at the 51st Annual Meeting of the American College of Sports Medicine.

Researchers say the results underscore the importance of athletic trainers at the high school level.

According to a news release from the American College of Sports Medicine, however, the conclusions drawn by the research should not be construed as an official statement of the organization.

"If you look at professional and college athletics, sports medicine has evolved into a highly specialized entity, but this has not trickled down to our high schools," said lead researcher Dr. Shane Shapiro of Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, Fla., in the news release.

"Since there are so many more athletes competing at the high school level, the fact that athletes may not be (under) the best medical care during practice or play is concerning," he added.

High school coaches of various sports were tested on their sports medicine knowledge before and after an intensive 10-week course.

The course covered basic sports medicine concepts such as chronic illness, concussion, sprains and strains, heat illness and eating disorders.

Even after the course, the coaches scored on average nearly 20 points lower than athletic trainers.

"A good majority of high schools do not employ full-time, certified athletic trainers," said Shapiro.

"So, most of the time student athletes spend in practice or playing a game, no one is there with a fundamental knowledge of important health concepts. The only person there is the coach. If the coach is ultimately responsible, they need to be more comfortable with these topics," Shapiro said.

According to the ongoing study, coaches did score significantly higher in testing following the training course.

This, and the reality that budget challenges would preclude many school systems from hiring athletic trainers, leads researchers to call for the development of universal sports medicine certification for coaches.

They also urge parents and athletes to call for better standards of care from their school systems and athletic governing bodies.

"The ideal set up for schools is to have a full-time athletic trainer on staff, in partnership with a local community physician," said Shapiro.

"Combined with an athletic staff and better-informed coaches, you form a medical team to ensure athletes receive the care they need," he said.

The American College of Sports Medicine is a sports medicine and exercise science organization with more than 20,000 members.

The organization, which was founded in 1954, works to advance and integrate scientific research to provide educational and practical applications of exercise science and sports medicine.