Peoria Standard

Athletic trainers use emergency action plans like the NFL

Someone walked up to the Carle Orthopedics and Sports Medicine supervisor at a high school wrestling meet recently just to thank him for being there. The athletic trainer and supervisor, John Flannell, MS, LAT, ATC, PES, knew exactly what prompted the comment he so appreciated.

When seconds counted, an athletic trainer was the first to reach Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin when he collapsed on the field from a cardiac arrest during an NFL game in Cincinnati. An athletic trainer and medical professionals who used CPR and an AED (automated external defibrillator) on the field are credited for Hamlin surviving the cardiac incident and now being in recovery.

While local high school athletic teams do not have physicians on the sidelines like the NFL, many do have the benefit of an athletic trainer from Carle Sports Medicine. Sports like football, soccer, baseball, basketball, volleyball, wrestling, softball, track and cross country competitions most often are accompanied by a Carle trainer. There are 22 who work directly with high school athletes and two working with college-level athletes.

Even though they work with amateur athletes rather than professional, the local athletic trainers have many of the same mechanisms in place as the professional leagues. Emergency action plans are in place and reviewed before each season with the coaches and the high school athletic department. They talk with coaches from both teams before each competition to introduce themselves and let them know where they will be located during the event. That awareness includes coordinating responses and an understanding of medical needs athletes have even before competing.

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