Injury Diagnosis for Coach Wannebee

ere's the injury checklist I mentioned. At the end of last year's rules
meeting, the league had a couple sports doctors give a short talk about
injuries, including the following tips. While I may have misunderstood them and
could be giving a bad tip in here, the tips seem to make sense. But mostly, I
know they were helpful last year and trust they may help when you have a
player hiding an injury to get back in the game.

I'm not a doctor. You may want to have your doctor take a look at the list.
Better yet, have a doctor speak to your coaches. As coaches we see the
injury first, and usually decide if a kid is OK to play. The more information we
have the better.

After each question is the answer that's a red flag.

Ankle
Is there excruciating pain and limping? Yes
Can he stand on his tiptoes? No
Can he stand on his tiptoes on just the hurt leg? No
While sitting, is the ankle turned? Yes
Remove the shoe and sock. Is the ankle swollen? Yes

Knee
Is the player "toe walking"? Yes
Did he hear a pop or a crunch when it was hurt? Yes
Could he move the knee right after the injury? No
Is the pain localized in one spot or in the general area? Localized
Can he do a "stork stance", standing on the injured leg with the other leg
bent? No
Can he do a half-squat 2 or 3 times? No
Can he use the hurt leg to step up (like onto a bench)? No

Concussion
Is the player wobbly, have poor concentration? Yes
Can he stretch out his arms then touch his nose with his finger, like a sobriety
test? No
Can he read something when asked? No
Does he know his name, age, the score, quarter? No

Grade 1 Concussion
Confusion WITHOUT amnesia and no loss of consciousness. He may return to
play if examined immediately and reexamined every 5 minutes for 20 minutes
without signs of amnesia.

Grade 2 Concussion
Confusion WITH amnesia and no loss of consciousness. He should be removed
from the game and reexamined within 24 hours by a doctor. If there's no
further symptoms he may practice after at least 1 week.

Grade 3 Concussion
Loss of consciousness. He should be transported to the nearest hospital. If
there's no further symptoms he may practice after at least 2 weeks.

Neck - ALL NECK INJURIES SHOULD GET IMMEDIATE MEDICAL ATTENTION
With the helmet off, are his eyes level? Are his ears level? No
Can he move his neck from side to side? No
Is there tingling in his neck, shoulder, or arms? Yes
Is he feeling weak or are his arms heavy? Yes

For most injuries use the RICE method: Rest, Ice, Compression, and Elevate.

I hope this is helpful. Let me know if you see something missing or incorrect.