A look at using Sports First Aid Kits from Bound Tree Medical Europe, a worldwide distributor of medical supplies to first aiders, medical personnel, emergency services and peace officers
If you’re responsible for a small local sports team, or a small group in individual sports such as tennis or boxing, you may not have the luxury of a dedicated first aider in your group. School, pub and other social teams are just as likely to see minor injuries as the professionals though (some might argue more so!) so if you have your players best interests at heart you’ll want to ensure appropriate first aid is on hand during training and play. In short, you need a Sports First Aid Kit.
If you have little or no formal first aid training selecting a kit can be confusing. You’ll see many kits on the market dedicated to particular sports, but these often contain the exact same items you’d see in general first aid kits at a significantly higher price…with the extra frequently being accounted for by celebrity endorsements or an approval badge from a sports governing body that has no real medical weight.
We’d suggest a better approach is to buy one of the many generalist kits on offer – either a standard First Aid Kit or a generic Sports First Aid Kit – and simply add the few extra items that may be required for your particular sport. As we’re looking at kits for those with no or little first aid training you may be unsure what those items are, but we’re here to help with a list of some of the items you may need to suit a particular sport!
Athletics
Naming specific items for every event is beyond the scope of this article, but genrally you will be dealing with sprains, muscle strains, and minor cuts scrapes and bruises.
Essentials include conforming bandages which can be used both for dressing retention and supporting strains/sprains. Conforming bandages are stretchy and elastic to hug any almost any area of the body tightly, which means they can be used to hold bandages or pads in place and are also ideal for providing a little extra support to sprained ankles, wrists, etc.
Blister plasters will also come in handy. These gel plasters are more effective than standard fabric plasters and will help keep pressure off tender areas.
Boxing & Martial Arts
Cuts, swelling and concussion are amongst the more common injuries in contact sports. In addition to the usual first aid supplies you should consider adding:
- Petroleum Jelly: plasters and dressing aren’t allowed in the ring, but this viscous, sticky topical substance can make an acceptable short term substitute for some cuts. It won’t help close wounds but may help form a kind of seal around minor cuts, allowing a fighter to finish a bout without excessive bleeding that would lead to a stoppage.
- Cotton Wool Applicators: essentially long cotton wool buds (to allow greater control and less chance of cross-contamination). Primarily used in the application of petroleum jelly.
- Nitrile Gloves and antiseptic wipes: getting cut is bad enough, fighters don’t want to worry about an infected wound too! Cuts should be swabbed down with antiseptic before further treatment, and gloves should be warn to prevent the spread of infection.
- Ice Bag & Towel: ice is a highly effective short-term treatment for swelling or over-heating, and can be applied directly to swollen areas during a fight or sparring. Keep a towel handy too, as with ice, water and sweat around you’ll want to keep your fighters dry.
Football, Rugby, Cricket & other Field Sports
Although martial arts can often be seen as having high potential for injury the truth is just about any injury which could occur in the ring can and does happen on the pitch – along with many others. Include everything you’d need for a martial arts and athletics kit, and also consider adding:
- Finger Splints: soccer goalkeepers, rugby players, cricket, hockey and lacrosse players are all in danger of finger injuries to some extent. Keep finger splits on hand to minimise post-injury trauma, and consider finger specific dressings too.
- Cold spray: used for rapid treatment of sprains and swelling as well as for pain relief.
Equestrian, Motor Sports and Extreme Sports
In addition to all of the above consider adding a neck brace and inflatable casts to your kit. Broken bones or severe neck injuries are a major danger when practicing these sports even at lower levels, so ensure you’re prepared for these serious injuries.
Above all remember that prevention is better than cure, and train your players to engage in their favourite activity safely to minimise the chances any of the above will be needed. We hope you enjoy your sport safely!
Author Credit
Written by Bound Tree Medical Europe Ltd, a worldwide leader in supplying essential products to emergency medical services, fire and police departments, hospitals and various other pre-hospital organisations.
