Hey, this is Sandy. And Randy? And we're here on AT Corner. Being an Athi trainer comes with ups and downs, and we're here to showcase it all. Join us as we share our world in sports medicine. Welcome back to another episode of AT Corner. For this week's episode, we have some stories that I believe is a great follow up for what we talked about previously. So last week we did talk about on field eval and it really inspired the very first part of that on field eval and what is
calming down the athlete. Oh, for sure. I mean, I feel like that that's key to do it when it comes to that on field eval time, right? Making sure the athletes calm and then you can kind of go into the next steps. I mean, think about anytime you have someone who's injured, they're usually not calm, I would say. No, I honestly like when when I get out there for the on field on court eval. A lot of times the most of the time I'm taking the time is just calming them down honestly so I
can start. That's usually what you do. I feel like the I can picture actually an athlete who is very calm. I had a finger dislocation who who walked over to me and he's talking to one of his coaches and he just sticks out his hand and he was like, it's broken. That's all he says to me. He's he's totally fine. So I mean, sometimes they're calm. That wasn't an on field eval, but. Yes, that's that's probably an exception to what the rule tends to be. It really was.
And I don't know if he looked well, no, I I know he looked at it because he was looking at it when he was on the field. And then when he came off, he just like handed me my his hand. Not bad for looking at it too. And I'm like passing out. I know he was kind of preoccupied, I think. Fair. It's kind of a crucial moment in the game. That's fair. So how comfortable are you with the process of calming down an
athlete when they are hurt? This is the very first question I asked on our Instagram stories. And I would say most a TS who answered put themselves closer to being pretty confident, which I I expected. But I also asked how comfortable are you with the process of calming down a parent who is like a parent of an injured athlete and most a TS were not as comfortable, which makes sense. I mean, you're you every day you're dealing with, you know, athletes.
Not as often are you having to calm down that parent, but you might have to. Have you ever had to calm down a? Parent. Well, that's what I was gonna say. I'd also kind of like be interested to see like if there was this like the breakdown on setting 'cause I feel like I feel like we're probably like secondary school would probably have feel more confident than maybe like. Your than us. Your collegiate professional right? Like or even industrial.
I feel like I've never really had a crazy like over the top UN like unconsolable parent. I've had crazy parents, but I've never had someone who was freaking out at like more than the athlete. Yeah, well, I think too, it kind of depends, like depending who's like, depending on the situation, right? Like if I'm actively dealing with the situation, like I can't be taken care of, Mom, dad,
guardian, right. So a lot of times that's when this person needs to go, like, 'cause I'm not working with minors, right? So it's like they got to go, like someone's got to like, like control the scene, right? Get them back. And so yeah, I've never been in that situation where I'm actively calming. I'm trying to think like a lot of times, like they'll come over with questions, but that's like after it's all handled. So there's not a lot of like calming.
I mean, obviously they're still concerned, but like it's pretty much handled like, I don't know, it just I've never had a situation where they're hysterical. Yeah, neither have I, which thank goodness 'cause I used to work with youth. Youth. Sports you you have a more. And those parents were kind of crazy. That's all I'm going to say. Yeah, yes. But I didn't have any hysterical parents. Yeah, I'm trying to think of
like I've never had. Yeah. Later in the episode we do talk about calming down an injured athletes teammate. Oh, that's interesting. And then we'll also talk about just different scenarios like asthma attacks, dislocations, calling 911 and calming someone down, calming someone down with a season ending injury, kind of along all those lines. So why don't we start with just in general calming someone down, calming an athlete down. So to follow up from our last episode, I started with Gabby,
Elle says. I always tell my students about how important eye contact is. And then from there, focusing on breath work if they're hyperventilating or freaking out. Yeah, I feel like I've been now ever since last week when we were talking about the on field eval. Now I'm like trying to like really focus on what 'cause I after a while it just becomes like second age, right? You go out there, you do your thing and then you get off the field, right?
But I feel like now I've actually been paying attention to like, what, what do I actually do on the field? So I can, you know, share. I feel like as soon as I get out to the field, that is the very first thing I do too, is eye contact. And I feel like the now that I'm noticing, I feel like when people are in pain, they close their eyes. Yes. Which makes sense. But then also like you're giving them something to focus on, right?
You have them open their eyes and they can actually 'cause they're, they're closing their eyes and they're kind of like like tense. And so when you ask them to open their eyes and look at you, they kind of relax a little bit. Like it's an immediate like and then you can get them working on their breath work. It's funny you say the eyes closed 'cause that'd be really weird to see them just with their eyes open in pain. I mean, if I feel like they're looking at it. Yeah, I know.
But I'm just trying to sit there and think, like a lot of times you can get there and they're like on the ground in pain like. Yeah, eyes are closed. Like forcibly closed, Yeah. Like it would be weird for me to see them, like with eyes open, like like, I don't know. I feel like we're hallucinating more than we are in pain. I'd be concerned I'd, I'd, I'd, I'd be concerned. We're seeing things that I'm not seeing. Yeah, that'd be concerning. I mean, I think it's just sensory input, right?
For sure. They're just trying to like deprive themselves because they're getting so much of A stimulus from that pain that they're shutting off and like their their visual input. That's how I take. It that's that's I'm. Assuming, sorry, there's no actual citation for that. I don't know that's that's just a good point. They are always, their eyes are always closed, right? Like forcibly closed. That's like what I'm what I'm. Yeah, I'm going through
literally every single one. That's what it is. That's. Interesting. I I really think it's probably the sensory. It probably is. It probably is you. Want to read the next one from page P? Yes, Page P says you're in good hands. I know you're scared, but I'm not. This is our plan. It's OK to be insert emotional response here. I'm going to do my best to try and help you. Just overall validating what
they're experiencing is normal. For sure, all super great things to I feel like if you have like a go to phrase that will just naturally come to you when you go out there after a while, and especially if you if you don't have one and you start to practice one, these are all good ones. Yeah, slow downs, like one of mine, yeah. And then I'll go into breathing, 'cause, you know, their minds racing, especially if they've been there before, like, like
you're like ACLS, right? When they feel a pop in their knee, they kind of know. And they just spiral. Yeah, right. So like if it's something that they've kind of experienced too, like sometimes, yeah, their mind starts to just go down that just that, that spiral. Another thing that I do too, I don't know if someone's going to
say, but I like contact, right? I like, I like, I try to either like like touch the limb that's hurt like somewhere or if they're really out of control, like I'll, I'll, I will grab like, like I'll have my hand on their torso to just try and let them know I'm there. I give them like feel some kind of support. You know what I think? I think I usually do their shoulder. I'll I'll put my hand on their shoulder as I'm like looking them in the eye, unless it's their ankle and I'm by myself.
Then I feel like I usually stabilize the joint and then I go to their head, but I can't like and I think we I don't know if we man, I don't think we talked about this in the on field eval, but I feel like we really now that I'm realizing, I think we really missed this point of going to the person first before the limb. We didn't talk about that at. All because if they're like, if they're like, like, if they're really like not doing OK. You're not going to get
anything. Done. Yeah, like I'm not. Going to get anything? Done. I I go to them. It's not good for them, it's good for you. I go to them first, like I said, a lot of times I'll have my hand probably on their torso and then yeah, I'm pretty much like like looking at their face right before it, like a lot of times, right. Lower extremity injury tends to be the more common occurrence. Well, on the field, if it's upper extremity, they're going to get it most.
Of the time, right? So then again, a lot of times, like I'm there looking at them in the eye, trying to calm them down before I even like 'cause I too, I'm pretty much by myself most of the time. So yeah, so I'll do that and then I'll go to the extremity. You can't depend. It just it depends on how they look on the field it. Depends is a very athletic training statement I believe. Right. They look pretty, pretty
together. Like I'll probably go to the extremity first 'cause I know like OK, like they're, they got it. But if they're not doing all right or I'll calm them down 1st and then OK, what's going on? Right, right. 'Cause also too, sometimes you like it. Maybe you didn't catch it right away so you're not 100% sure what I. Think even if you watch though. But there are perfect. Field field vision. There are sometimes that like they feel something that you can't tell from true.
Right, like biggest 1 is like when someone's hands like in between their legs, right? It could be groin, it could be hand. I mean it depends on on what they did. Yeah. But I'm just saying like, right, like you don't necessarily know. Yeah, like when? Someone's like under the pile. Yeah, I I don't know. I don't know what happened under there. Yeah, so sometimes you just got, you got to talk to them first 'cause there's not an extremity
to go to yet. Right, so Robbie W says I have found that the best way to have my athletes calm down in the moment starts in the rapport you have with them prior to the on field injury. Since we all try to build that rapport with every athlete that we have. I what I have found that since I have that rapport and trust built, I can get to them on the field and as I get to them, I let them know that I'm there with them and I got them.
And because of the rapport and trust built, that has been the most effective for me. Even with newer athletes, The rapport and trust the older athletes have with me tends to carry over to the newer ones, even if we haven't had a lot of time with the newer athletes, depending on when the injury occurs now, admittedly so, it normally takes at least two or three rounds of letting them know I'm there with them and I got them to get to the point where I can drill down into my
evil. But that's the general gist of what has worked for me. And I think that comes from both parties seeing the other put blood, sweat and tears into the one team mentality we all want for our athletes and programs. Yeah, for sure. I feel like rapport is very important for your returning athletes for sure. I feel like per diem, it's tough because you don't get that
rapport. I feel like most of the time when I was working per diem, I just run out and be like, I'm an athletic trainer and then just kind of like give them a little bit of basically like, I know, I know that you don't know me, but I got you. Yeah, for sure. And it's not about us, it's about you, right? My favorite would be I had like one of my athletes knew I was around 'cause it was a bad, it was basketball, so I was around the baseline. So I didn't actually go on the
court for this. And just from where he was, he was like, I'm good. Like thank you. I was like, I know I had to come over here to check. That's like you. You hear the stories of athletes who get injured and then they call like, away, like when they're away. And then they'll be like, can I call my athletic trainer or can I talk to my athletic trainer? Oh, I'm surprised I have and my kids.
I would for sure do that to me. Honestly, Randy, I've had basketball athletes like visiting team basketball athletes who are not your team and they know who you are because they love you so much. I forgot about that. I forgot about that, Yeah. And I remember I came to watch and they were there. Yeah, report is an important thing. Yeah, I, you know, what's funny is I don't know what I did. Just be you. I guess I was just being me. They were very jazzed to see me.
We'll probably see him this year for our basketball tournament. Yeah, probably. They'll probably remember you at. Least the returners. OK, I think you should read this from from Jen, OK. So this is a gem from Jen. I've had instances where the internationals lose their English, they are in so much pain or they're so scared they no longer have English. I know enough of my common languages to say a few words to calm them down and get them off the field.
Luckily we usually have more than one kid that speaks the same language. I also get them to come over and interpret. This year, however, I'm totally screwed if my kid from Cyprus gets hurt. No one else speaks Greek. Oh, shoot. That's interesting that they lose their English, I mean. I don't think I've had enough people with first language difference to notice this. I've never had my internationals
like that. Like usually when I get out there, they're they, they still have their English. But like, this totally makes sense. Yeah, I mean, I get if you're in that much pain, right, you're just going to revert to what's comfortable.
Right, exactly. You don't have to sit there and think about what you're trying to say 'cause even sometimes like, and that could be frustrating too, because like I've never had it like on the on the field, but like, like just in a regular injury, like they don't know how to say it in like whatever they're experiencing in English. So, yeah. So that could be frustrating, right. And which now means your, your first language would be more comfortable.
So I could I could see it being reverted to that. Right. I feel like that kind of goes along the lines of like when a parent speaks a different language and you have a kid who's trying to translate. Oh yeah. To them, like if you're working with a minor yeah, I know some of the like concussion tests are also now I know like impact had like Spanish. Yep, and I think I think I could be wrong but I think Sway just updated that they have more than just English.
That's cool. I think or they were talking about it. That makes sense. OK, so this next one you're definitely going to have to read because I thought it was too funny and I don't think I'm going to make it through. It So this one's a cool one from Kevin. How did an athlete say to me if I didn't come out and crack a joke then they knew there was an issue so I'd go out there and make a smart ass joke and it calms them down right away? I always try to keep it light.
Sometimes it's a joke, sometimes it's just need a nap or something. One of my athletes told me once that since I'm always joking or light hearted, if I came out to them serious with no humor then they would panic because they knew something was really wrong. This is the funny part. I once had a kid that I was splinting during a baseball game. Rescue showed up, but so did a fire truck. City rules are one piece of each department needs to be there. And he goes, oh look, a fire
truck. I come back with I pictured you as more of a train guy, but I guess you like the wee woos better than the Choo Choo. He started laughing, the coach started laughing and all he said was thanks, I needed that. See like like I'll crack a joke but if I know. Right. If I if I know how it'll be received by the athlete. We did have a lot of people who say that they crack jokes when they get out to the field.
And I think, and that's The thing is like also people wrote the caveat that they it depends on who the athlete is. Yeah, yeah. You can't always crack a joke. You can't. No, you can't always crack a joke. Not, not in all situations. No. Not to everybody. No, definitely not. So, Speaking of the wee woos. And the Choo choos. And the Choo choos, is your calming down process the same or different for an athlete with an injury like like an ankle sprain or something versus an athlete
you've called 9114? I don't think in general, no like it. It's always still breathing. I get him to focus on the breath. I think the tone is a little bit different. That's what I was like. There is some if, if there, if it's a subtle or if it's like a little bit of a difference. Yeah, it's like a subtle difference because, but it's definitely a difference. Because if it's gonna be like, like if we're talking like 911, right, our, our goal is hopefully not to get them into shock, right?
Right. So there's times you have to get the AT voice out. Oh, you do an AT voice so good, Yeah. And you got to like, really get like, I don't know, like really stern, serious and like lock in compared to like, calming down someone with like, an ankle spray. And I don't have to get like, full mode on them. So yeah, I think that would be the difference. But in general, the elements, I feel like they're just this. It's still breathing. Right. So 32% of people in our poll
said both situations are the same. 68% said I respond differently in an emergency condition. Leah P says it depends on the environment and the reaction of others around me and of the athlete. It's never not serious. But I'm not an alarmist and I make sure my tone of voice is very calm but also very confident. Those things remain the same. But what I say and how much I say depends on the situation. It's fair. Maddie S says again. I just explained to them what's happening.
I talked them through why I called. Tell them that I'm going to need to tell them that I'm going to stay with them until they arrive. Ask them if they need anything while we wait. Tell them what the next steps are once they go, and if it's my athlete, what the plan will be after and what the follow up process looks like. Letting them in on the process usually helps calm them down. And then I just talk about absolutely anything, whatever topic comes to mind that helps
them keep calm. Abigail C says for little kids, she says it's all a precaution. And I won't leave your side until mom or dad comes. A lot of people said they do like the five senses while they're while they're having the athlete like weight. Also, people said they they talked them through it. Keep eye contact, breathing, tell them they're doing great with a low and gentle voice. My process is kind of similar to this.
I'll have I'll talk them through what I learned from my very first preceptor, Haley. She talks him through the process, including of like hearing the sirens and that the sirens are coming and that you know, they're going to be parked close to us. There's going to be people coming by to help you get you out of pain, etcetera, etcetera.
So even like, I like the part about the sirens, 'cause I feel like, I mean, it's a normal occurrence for you to hear sirens, but they're not usually coming for you. So that in itself, like you're already in a scary situation. But then when you realize that like the sirens are getting louder and you know there's going to be a bunch of people surrounding you and a bunch of people like they're going to hook you up to machines sometimes or, you know, whatever's, whatever the situation is.
Like I feel like knowing the process helps. A lot. Oh, for sure. Yeah, I've done that too. Like, just let them know what's going to happen. They're going to ask you a lot of the same questions I asked you, right? Because, you know, that gets annoying, too. I already answered that question. Right. All right, so. How do you calm someone with a dislocation? I luckily, knock on wood, I haven't had a ton of them. I think really honestly, just one shoulder. Really. Yeah, well.
In what sport? Track. No way. Oh yeah, I'm pretty sure. Yeah, I've pretty much, I've said this story, but it's still funny every time I say it cause OK, when you think of track, when I say track, right, you're going to think, OK, well, maybe pole vault, maybe a thrower. No, no, no, this was a sprinter. Now you're thinking, oh, he probably like fell or something. No, this was end of the season. We're going to nationals. Our 4 by 1 qualified for nationals, right?
So this is a big deal right now. We in our heat, I'm just saying we beat USC, Oregon and we were second to A&M. I'm just saying granted, Oregon and USC fouled and got disqualified. That's how we beat them. But anywho, it doesn't matter. Beside the point. So we decided that we're going to do stadiums one day. Oh no. Right before we leave, by the way, like we're leaving to Eugene, like in the next day or two, and I get a call to go out there, someone's shoulders
dislocated. And like I'm trying to run through my head, like what? What did we do again? I thought maybe he fell. No, no, no, no, no. He was resting in between sets and was about to get up and grab the pole. And. As he started to pull, his shoulder came out. So was it pretty unstable beforehand? Nope, he's never had a dislocation before. What? Yep. That he knows of. That's crazy. Yep. What? That does not make any sense. Nope. There's more to that story. Now this kid was pretty good.
Like I don't think he like, I think he would tell me if it was like if they were no way of. Shoulders didn't dislocate from hey. I believe the kid. I bet. I think he was that tired. His muscles were that tired and that fatigued. What? Was he doing upper body? That was so fatiguing. I don't know, Couldn't tell you. But you know what? This kid I trust. I trust the. Kid, good on you for trusting
your athletes. If it was one of his teammates, I would have kind of like, OK, but him now this. Just like one of those freak things. It honestly, it was probably the freakiest thing ever. That's I think literally that's my only dislocation. Did you get it back in? We did. I didn't it. I tried it on the when I got there, I couldn't get it back. And then we got him to the athletic training room and we just literally just had it hang in there and just had him relaxed and then.
Like with a weight. No, we didn't do the weight. We had it just hanging. And then I was a grad assistant at the time, so I asked one of the assistant a TS, and he got it back in. Yeah. And it was honestly mostly just calming him down. Yeah, giving them a chance to relax. Right. Hey, that's what this episode's been. Exactly. And then it just went in. Most people said they never let the athlete look at them or not look at them. Look at the. Yeah, yeah.
Look at the. Look at the dislocation. You look at the dislocation and then they guide them through breathing and they also explain what they're going to do. I think it was hit or miss. If people said no one said that they didn't explain what they're going to do. But I think it was hit or miss because I think also taking the time to explain what you're going to do and depending on who
it is, sometimes I think people. Make it worse, like they'll tends up more, but yeah, right, you're going to do what? I think it also depends on what you say. So like for example, oh here, like Abby, Abigail C says I don't let them look, but if that freaks them out more than I warn them. That's cool. Trust is huge here. So basically like she's like, oh, you can look, but just it's dislocated. I mean like so like I had it's. Pretty gnarly.
Like in the case of like someone who might need stitches, right? Like I had like just not that long ago had someone with a finger injury that needed stitches. And like it was like it was pretty covered like so I don't think he saw it yet. And I just asked him like, hey, how you doing? It's like it was bleeding, right? It's all the blood all over the place. And it freaked some people out, right? So I asked him like, hey, how are we doing? He's like, oh, I'm doing good.
OK, cool. Then he asked, can I see it? I'm like, you sure? He's like, yeah. So if they're doing OK and they look OK and they're not like they're not like halfway out, I'm like, no, I'm good. Then I might let them see it. Now if bones are sticking out, I don't know if I'm gonna let them see it because I feel like 9 times out of 10 that that person might be going out, right? Right. But yeah, that's true. It's. I feel like with shoulders you can't really. It's not like you can.
Like it's kind of. Hard, yeah. You can't really like look. I mean, you can kind of look. But kind of code. But not as much as like. Comfortable. Or like an elbow, even an elbow. I think the people who I've had with elbow dislocations, they haven't immediate like they grab it. They actually, that's the thing. They they probably know. Yeah. Like outside of obviously my elbow hurts and probably feels weird, right? Like, just them. Yeah, like holding it.
And they're like, Oh, well, that's not how my elbow normally feels. Right elbow dislocations were the calmest athletes I've ever had in an injury. It's. Very interesting because I've heard that's one of the most painful. I've had two of them and they are they were both very calm. I remember one of them, yeah. He seemed pretty chill. But he also was injured all the time. He was, yeah. First time?
No, not my first time. And then so that one is, it's just like, OK, well, here's what we're going to do. It's like you don't really have to actually calm them. Yeah, yeah. That one you can definitely joke with. Yeah, you could. Yeah, Hit him with the oh, that's not normal. That's not supposed to be there. That's not supposed to be facing that way. You definitely have to be careful about who you say that too. What not to say, oh boy. And just walk up and be like oh,
Oh no, Oh no, that's not good. What? No, no, it looks fine. When I was early certified I used to say something like best case scenario this is what goes. But I quickly learned that then they say, well what about worst case scenario? So I don't say that anymore. Well, worst case. We don't think about worst case scenario, we think about best case scenario. That's true. I think for a dislocation, most of the time I just talk about how OK you're.
I know you're in pain now, but this is going to feel so much better once it's back in. Yeah, I mean, I feel like, well, especially if it's someone who's had it before, they can know that too. So they're just like, they just do it, do it, do it right, Yeah. What about asthma attacks? Breathing. I feel like this one's the most obvious for. Breathing. I know I feel like all of them, it just boils down to breathing. But yeah. It really, it really does.
But OK, wait, we talk about breathing like we talk about communication. Everyone's like, oh, you need communication, but I don't think that anyone's really, I mean, people submitted it, but I don't think we talked about it yet of like how you actually guide someone through breathing.
Like the way I guide someone through breathing is usually like, OK, I need to take a big deep breath in through your nose and then out through your mouth or, and it like sometimes if they're like just breathing crazy, sometimes I'll be like, OK, blow out a candle. Or especially with like asthma attacks, like recently I had someone who like literally would not focus. And so then I just like use my finger as a candle. I was like blowing my finger.
This is a candle. I need to blow my finger like or blow through a straw. Or. Some sort? Yeah, Blow through a straw. I like to blow through the straw. I feel like it gives you a nice visual 'cause you also get you, you can also, I mean blowing through the candle, you'll get people to like actually like pucker their lips. But like, I like. I like the visual of the straw. Yeah, I usually like the straw. Lately, though, I've been using the candle. Because who doesn't?
Like, I don't know when I switch, but yeah. And then I can ask them how old are you? And they'll tell me how big. Sorry, I don't have that many candles. I don't have that many fingers. That's pretty good. That's there's. There's one of my jokes. Yeah, there it is. Barely. Yeah, I do that. Basically the biggest thing is just diaphragm breathing man. As you do that, Maddie S says focusing on breathing helps the
most. Do it with them and explain that it's going to feel horrible and panicky at first, but to make make each exhale longer than the last and eventually it regulates itself. Breathing slowly in through your nose, holding it for a beat and blowing out through your mouth like you're blowing through a straw. It calms down your heart rate and nervous system and slows down your breathing. People also said they have them focus, like focus on me, do a guided breathing, someone said,
taking audible deep breaths. So the patient breathes with you. Yeah, I'll do it with them. I feel like you kind of have to as you're. Talking because halftime, like when you're that in that kind of state where you can't or it feels like you can't breathe and you're panicked, you're like, you're not paying that much attention. Like you hear the words, but you don't know what they mean, right? So I get it. That's why I'll do it with them.
I also feel like the I'll count like because they'll like breathe in and out through their mouth and nose, you know, But I feel like also like in for three 123, out for four 123. Four, I should do that. I don't know why I don't count. A lot of times I no, a lot of times I go off. I just feel like, I feel how long it's been. Like if I feel like they're just going, then I have to tell them,
OK, slow it down. And then, you know, I'll guide them through taking that bigger breath through the nose and then slowly push that air out. I feel like I have to count because if I don't count then I feel like they cheat on how how long they're like inhaling or eczema. That's fair. Now I don't count like if I'm on the field, but I do count if I'm like like with an asthma attack. And I think that's like what kind of what it depends.
Like if it's someone who having something that they have to like breathe or like actually, I I might do that with my rib people too on the field. I'm trying to think, I don't know. Again, it's kind of something you just, it depends, you know, how many messages we got that say it depends. I bet a ton. Probably. Yeah, I bet a ton. We did. How about calming someone with a season ending injury? That one's hard.
It is honestly, Oh, it depends. Like if they're hysterical or or just like obviously upset, like hysterical breathing, right. Like if it's, but if it's them just going through the range of emotions, just being upset. A lot of times I just kind of, I let him, I let him feel it, you know? And yeah, I'm trying to think like a lot of us just educated. OK, here's what we're gonna do. And then like, so like I'll say
like what, what, what I feel. And I always like cause a lot of times, right, it's like ACL or like something like that. ACL is like what I picture when I picture having this conversation. Most time, right, that that tends to be the season ending injury. I mean, there's obviously a ton that could be season ending but
yeah, you know, right. Like I let them know, like here's, you know, here's what I'm worried about, you know, but I can only go off of what I feel, you know, I don't have MRI is I just, I can only go off of what it just feels like and what my tests tell me. All right, so here's what we're going to do. You know, we'll get it. We'll have you refer you to here. Here's probably what's going to happen and so on and so forth.
Yeah, I think the hardest one again, it's kind of like where you're at season ending wise, right? Like, like for again, like take the track example, right. If you have a sprinter and it's April and they get a hamstring, like a significant hamstring strain, well, conference is probably going to be early May, right? And then going into maybe June, like Nationals isn't until like late or early June. So that could be season ending.
But it's not like, yeah, depending where you are, like that doesn't really necessarily need imaging. So that one, yeah, that one's kind of a hard, harder one 'cause you don't have that kind of like, well, you know what, you know, we'll get imaging. We'll see. You just kind of kind of have a feel like, yeah, that's right. You're going to. You're kind of done. Right. Oh, that's so tough, I feel
like. But you sorry, not to not to interrupt, but then you also don't like you want to give them some hope because hey, maybe they could come back, but you don't want to give them false hope. Be like, oh, no, we can get this back, right? You know, so you're in that balancing act like, well, here's
what we can try, right? I just like a lot of times in those situations, I'll just kind of be like here, like they'll ask, or I could be like, hey, like, you know, we can try all right, and we'll do our best to get you to whatever the goal is as possible. But I don't just know, it may not be feasible. Right. Right. So they can choose if they want to buy into no, I'm going to do it, or as long as they're aware, hey, it just, it may not work out in that favor.
Right. Yeah, Usually I tell them like, OK, the test that I just did was for this. This is what it feels like. This is what it should feel like. Here's what I'm not feeling on this side, or here's what I am feeling on this side, depending on what it is. And you know, I really wish I'm wrong about this, but you know, from what I'm, what I feel clinically before we get any imaging or anything, this is
what I'm feeling right now. And usually they obviously most of the time take it hard or they're like just totally numb to it. And then usually I take it off them. And I say, do you want me to keep talking about this or do you want some space to process before I go into like the surgical and the whatever process sending you to doc like blah, blah. Before all that. I kind of just give him and then when I come back later, then I kind of check in with him again.
Like do you want to hear like talk more about the process or? Yeah. What? Yeah. Because sometimes that process helps to hear. Yeah, for sure. And sometimes they're just like, I can't handle anything right now. I'm not going to hear anything you say. Yeah. And I think again, I think it depends, it also depends on like if they've had it before and how many times they've had it. Like I think a a RE tear to an ACL is way different than your second RE tear or your third RE tear.
You mean an initial tear versus? The yeah, like, but even the difference between like someone who just retour compared to someone who if they're on their third re tear or their second retail or yeah, third retail, I mean, so they've, they've already been through the surgery like twice.
Like I think that's hard to have that like conversation too, because yeah, I've, yeah, some people like if they just have to think of going through it again, like you think it'd be better because they kind of understand it. But maybe that's the problem too, is they understand what that process is and they're like, bro, seriously? Maddie S says I explained to them what the timeline and
process of recovery looks like. Tell them they're allowed to feel angry and sad, leave it open for them to ask any questions they have and I try to parse out what what plans they have after sport. I want them to focus on getting better for themselves 1st and then we can discuss on what coming back to sport looks like and I tell them they can always
change their mind. If their initial plan was to get straight back into playing and now they want to medically retire, that's allowed and vice versa. They also don't have to make any decisions at all and we don't have to tell the coaches what they decide unless they give me approval. If that's the case, I can help them talk to the coaches as well. Basically just letting them know that they have options to take different paths and that they are not in it alone.
For sure. So other people said just they talk about the process, our role and support that we have for them, changing their mindset. Some people, someone said they take the injury day by day or they tell them to, we'll take the injury day by day. Yeah, sometimes that's what it is. Someone said tell them it's OK to feel emotions. For sure.
We'll do a private talk or walk, sometimes alone, sometimes with a friend or coach that actually goes straight into perfectly into what Christina says so simply, she says sometimes you can't calm someone seriously injury. Sometimes it's just, yeah, I mean, I. Was like, this is like mic drop for me. I thought that was like, boom, that's profound. I think the important thing is you have to remember like. It's not about you. Yeah, it's not about you.
And like they're not going to just like quote UN quote calming them down. It's not going to be like all of a sudden they're just super stoked, like oh, sweet, OK, cool. I feel, I feel I feel better about this like they're going to still be probably like really upset, like you tore your ACL, like it's you are not going to play your sport for a year, right? That's hard. Now, obviously when they walk away, we don't want them necessarily like hysterical,
right? So kind of helping at least get away from the hysterical part and just keep them just not, I don't know, I don't know how else to explain just they don't walk away hysterical. Like obviously they're going to be sad and that's fine. And like just making sure that at least they are able to process past hysterical. The rest will come with time and support. Which does not just rely on you, it's. Going to rely on everybody that whoever their support system is.
That too, I think is important to note. I think when we talk about a lot of things, but especially like calming the athlete or like being the person there for them. Like I feel like we put so much on ourselves as athletic trainers, Like we have to be the ones to do those things. But I think we don't also realize that. Like just think of any time that you not even just injured, like in general, like you are going through a hard time.
Like imagine talking to your best friend or your partner or your parent or your sibling versus talking to someone who you might be really close with because you see all the time at work, but not necessarily like personally and emotionally invested with, right? So even someone who you might have like a lot of rapport with, you might not be the person that that person needs. You might be part of that equation, but you might not be the person, and that's OK.
Yeah, Yeah, that is OK. And I think that is the hard part because like you see these athletes in the least traditional, like traditional setting kind of view, you see them all the time and you're with them all the time and you're with them through their triumphs and you're with them through their like lows and their failures. So you, I, I feel like you probably get this sense of, and you're also there to make them feel better, right?
They come to you with problems, like honestly, all the time. They just come in with problems, right? Whether it's actual injury problems or just life problems, right? They, they, they trust us and they, they want our opinion. So you get this feeling of like, I, I have to make them feel better, Like I have to do what I can. And like you said, you know it's that's not in those kind of situations or that's a support system solution or not the only one that's going to be helping
them. And which is also a good thing, because if you were the only one helping them, that would just that just screams burnout. And yeah, it'd be taxing on the clinician. Right, right. There have been some athletes who I have had to distance myself from because of how much they have put on me. Oh, interesting. Like mentally?
Yeah, and I get that. And I'm like, I am, I'm here for you for a lot of things, but I can't be here for you for this much like I need to refer you out for someone in your support system or a mental health person or or literally someone else who can deal with this in addition to just not just. Me. Yeah, for sure. It's also a boundary thing. For sure. Have you ever had too calm an athlete's teammate after they saw an injury? No, I don't think so.
That's funny, because 68% of people in our poll said yes. Oh, interesting. Right. I was actually surprised. Like I think that this is common, but not as like not that common, not like 70% common. Only 32% of people said no. Yeah. I'm very intrigued by that. No, I mean, I've had people ask what? Do you mean ask? Like, is this person OK? Are they going to be OK? My answer's always the same. They're going to be. They're going to be OK. Because at some point, that's a
good answer. They will be OK, I promise you. At some point, I don't know when, but at some point, well, sometimes I do know when, but at some point they will be OK. But I can't tell you when because HIPPA. But that's interesting. Oh, man, yeah. I don't think I've ever had to actually calm down a teammate. I had someone I just shared this recently, I had someone who passed out on the court and oh, did she pass out? No, she passed out on the side when she was sitting on the side
and her teammate like freaked. Out. Yeah, I remember that. For good reason, but I was obviously tending to the athletes, so I couldn't tend to the teammate. But one of our students jumped in and was able to go take care of them. Nice, which was good. It was great. That's so interesting, I'm still trying to think. No, I don't or really never had that before. I don't think other than that like nothing kind of goes.
Like nothing, me actually having to calm someone down, like obviously like teammates are concerned. Well, you know, you see all those those videos like basketball when someone like like breaks their tibby in half, like snaps their tibby in half and then the whole bench is like. Passed out, throwing up. Not OK. Yeah. No, I've never had that. That's interesting. That's I'm great now that I said it. Whitney sees, Yeah. I'm actually dealing with this
now. Whitney Sees said had an athlete seven months out from ACL reconstruction. They saw their best friend tear their ACL and went into hysterics, could not get them out of the bathroom. They even threw up. It was a process, but had to transition their thought to now they can help their best friend through the process because they've already done it. It wasn't about them anymore, but instead to focus on their
best friend and be that support. I was kind of bouncing in between the two athletes at the time, obviously trying to make sure injured athlete was OK physically and mentally given the situation. The friend slash teammate, the post op athlete was sick to her stomach because it all flashed back when she did it and everything she had previously
been through. I honestly didn't calm her down as much as her coach had to. But after about 30 minutes she was able to gather herself and the three of us watched the remainder of the district tournament right behind the bench. They end up making it to state for the first time in a couple years, although I can't recall any more details of what exactly I said.
I do know I had to help her the post op athlete, change her focus and once she realized that it wasn't about her being sad but her supporting her team mate, she was much better. Still emotional of course, but more encouraging. I told her we couldn't change what had happened to you, but you can be the bestest, most supportive friend ever.
It's true. I feel like the moral of the story is not this story, but like this whole every all these stories are, Yeah. The action on him is like breathing and focus, like changing their focus and mindset. Breathing in mindset. For sure, I think that. Almost sounds like mental health too. Yes, it's all physical. Pain. Physical pain and wait, it's all mindset. Is that what you're saying? It's it's all mindset. Sounds like a basketball team now. It's just mindset.
That's. What I was going for, Yeah. How often do you have to calm them down? How often do they wait? No better question. I have a better. Question how often do they need to be calmed down a lot? Which team do you feel like you've had to calm down the most? Oh, that's hard. Yeah, actually, as I'm thinking about this, that's really tough for me too. Like I feel like it's so individual.
Yeah, I mean, the only, the only thing I can think of is probably track because you have so many different events and a lot of not a lot, but right, there's a good chunk that are distance. Also I feel like something so easy not easy something so simple in track can make you technically like quote UN quote end your season or like make you scratch or like ruin your qualifier like something along those.
And everything with track too is like everything you do is to train at your highest level and you're trying to qualify for things as an individual, right? You don't, you don't qualify as like a team, A group of individuals qualify as the team. So it's like because you have to like even your conference meet, you have to qualify for the conference meet. So like you're just representing your team as a whole and the same thing for everything past that.
So it's not like team sports where my biggest thing is like when I talk to like athletic training students about it and like the difference between like an individual sport and like a team sport because you know, being an AT in track like it is, it is tough because you know, a lot of people are kind of used to team sports and like the mentality is just slightly different because you're 80% in a team sport. At the end of the day, what's the goal of a team sport?
Just to win right at the end of the, I mean, obviously you want to play well, but the true goal of like any season is, oh, we're trying to win. We're trying to win a championship. So you're 80%? Like it's, I think what you're trying to say, sorry to interrupt you is like in football, for example, like you're not comparing your, I mean you are a little bit, but like you're not comparing your rushing yards to the other teams
rushing yards. Like individually you're looking to see, OK, maybe we got more passioning yards, but it didn't end up in a. We still lost the game and at the end of the day, we lost, right. Whereas in an individual sport, you're 80% of like, if you're not feeling good and you like, you may not be able to perform well, you as an individual did not qualify. You're you're done. Basically.
You didn't hit the marks. So it's a different mindset and a different vibe that you have to go through. So, Yeah, yeah. So like that's kind of like what how I explain it. So the same thing kind of like with like you said, like such a small, like some sometimes such a relatively small, right, Because these are injuries and there are big deals, all right. Something that probably wouldn't be season ending in a team sport, maybe season ending in a individual sport, you know, like.
Well, I mean, someone can not that, not that it's good, but like someone can take like 2 weeks off A-Team sport yeah and come back and be fine, but like. And again like. Different in an individual. Sport yeah and again it it goes back to OK, if they come back or they're probably not coming back 100%, but whatever percentage they're at probably still gives the their team the best chance to win, you know and whereas that individual like they're not they're not going to be able to
compete individually very well. Possibly right. There's some that they're probably 80% is probably better than most the fields 100 right. There are some people that are like that, but yeah, you know it's it's it's a different mindset and yeah and because of that and because of just how the seasons are yes, I've had more quote UN quote season ending injuries that kind of like you have that conversation when like maybe in a team sport, that conversation doesn't necessarily
happen with that type of injury. So there's that calming down. But then also, yeah, a lot of endurance events. So kids are pushing themselves, right? So, you know, they finish, they look horrible. So you got to calm them down. Or the OR the students that do have asthma, right? Like most time they're fine. But every now and then, depending on the race, depending on what the weather was, depending on how much dirt got kicked up, maybe they're going into an asthma attack, you know.
So I feel like, yeah, I've had more calming down probably in track if I had to, if I had to just pick up some because I'm trying to think like, basketball. Not really right, Soccer, not really. Volleyball, no. Yeah. So track. I could see that. It's like a box. Of chocolates, a lot of sense. Yeah, like a box of chocolates. Never know what you're going to. Get Nope. That's athletic training for you it. Depends.
What about you? I didn't have an answer to my own question that I asked SO. But I think it's, I think it's hard too 'cause like. I mean, here's the thing, I work football in the fall and then in the spring it's like I've done baseball and softball and I do basketballs. So like I feel like the variety, like I don't really have that much of A variety. Like I've worked other sports, like I've worked a ton of other sports, but like not not so
consistently. So it's hard for me to like actively compare when I feel like overarching. I have so much more football. I feel like and I and then so I'm just trying to compare. It's it's hard to compare like football to like another sport in general because also you like someone gets a fracture and they can still play. Yeah. So I'm like when I'm working baseball, like someone gets a fracture and they're done.
Yeah, most of the time, yeah. You know, or like even someone, someone takes a ball to the elbow and they can't throw right. So. A blister. A blister on the finger, right? The big like, everyone makes a joke, but hey, you try and throw a baseball with a blister on your finger, it ain't going to work very well, right? So yeah, I get that. So I feel like it's, it's hard to compare. I know I asked the question, but like it's hard to compare.
Like my experiences for sure. I feel like what I've needed to calm down the most are just kids per diem, like working per diem a lot and working with kids. When I used to work with kids, there was it was just a lot of calming down. Someone said we're going to see more broken hearts than broken bones today. Yeah, that's true. When I when I I think I was working a jiu jitsu some. Broken egos. Exactly, it was a it was AI think it was all ages, but we had started oh, the day was
kids. I think so like yesterday we saw a lot of broken bones. Today we're going to see a lot of broken hearts. Yeah, yeah, yeah, you're right about the kids. But I think it was something what's sometimes nice about like, kids is like, like, I don't know, I feel like they just transition faster. You can distract them so. Easily. And they'll all of a sudden kind of be fine.
Right, right. Yeah, I don't know, it's weird, but some of them also life so simple as a. Child like it freaks them out more to have you there. Yeah, Yeah, that's true. Because who are you? I don't know who you are. Yeah, here's what mom. Right. Mom, that's my Gatorade. Yeah, that's when I'm like, how long have you been doing this? One time I had a kid who was in a race, some sort of cross country or something. I'm sorry. And I was like, how long have you been running?
And he was like, this is my first year. And I was like, oh, you like it? And he's like, no. That's the right answer. OK, sounds good. Yep, see again, like that's that's another reason why I never really liked like high school track or high school cross because like either half the kids are being forced to do it because like mom and mom, dad guardian did it right. And like the other half, like still don't know what they're
doing. Like, I know it sounds really elitist and bad, but it's really tough when you ask a kid like, oh, what's your mileage at this week? And they're like, Oh, I don't know, I'm like, bro, how are you not keeping track of this? Like, come on, because they're just I know because it's not their fault. But that's why I did not like working high school track. It's not. It's not for. Everyone. It is not for everybody. Major props again, first of all, just major props.
Always to high school a TS. Oh, absolutely. They they are, they are amazing. Hands down, yes. You hold the profession, you support everyone. Completely speechless and there's not enough kind words to say for what a high school AT does. Honestly, my time at the high school, I loved the high school athletes. I I worked a very special population that I only had like 30 athletes at a time.
Yeah, but hold on, you also had eight man football Exactly, which is which is just like a meat grinder. Yeah, I could never do it again. Like it was. It was insane. However, I had such a great time and I I really enjoyed, like that age group. I would say even them, I had to do a lot more calming down than I do my college athletes. Yeah, which makes sense. Like I feel like you, I mean as you, as you like, see the progression of the sport itself as well.
Like, you see, like they know how to hit in College. In high school, they do not know how to hit. No, see again say right like same thing with track. They know. Oh, I should keep keep track of my mileage, right? Oh, what was my pace? I was this much. Yeah, I know you should. They don't know. They don't know. That. That's where the that's and that's the level that they learn that at. So when they get to the college level, they know. Yes. Again High school a TS just
their job is they do an amazing. Job, actually, you know what I take back what I I I wouldn't say by a sport, but age group actually, I think I have to calm the adults that I've worked with down a lot more than I've had to calm down like college or I mean, not that college are not adults, but like like like adult adult like an actual. Some of them definitely legally are adults, but they are not adults.
Honestly, I the more like people say that like older people say that like, oh, like you're still a kid. Like you're just kids and like you don't realize until you get older and then you're just like honestly, you really are. Like I'm just sitting there thinking like when I was like in college and I'm just like, you really are still kind of a kid
or like. I don't know how anyone literally not to just me personally, I don't know how anyone trusted me when I just graduated and I looked like I was like 18 and I just graduated grad school. I don't know how anyone trusted me with their kid. Like it literally I don't. I don't know. I as a parent, I don't know how I would feel that some person is like trying to take care of my kid. I don't know. I don't know. Yeah, I yeah, you're still. That's why And that's why like.
I still look like I'm in college. That's why it's like I understood, like I try not to get that frustrated anymore, like with paperwork, because I understand like we're getting them like after high school, like in 18 years. Old by paperwork. They never like they, they just don't understand what they're looking at or like they don't know how to answer the questions, you know what I mean? And it's just. Kind of insurance. Yeah, and it's not their fault.
They probably parents didn't tell you. Well, they're and. They probably make your appointments. Like exactly like when they were in high school. Mom and dad probably did it all or did a solid chunk of it. And then like you're 18 years old and now all of a sudden I'm not asking mom and dad, he'd get this paperwork done. I'm asking you to get this paperwork done right. So like I'm I have learned just be more patient. Like it's OK. I feel like the older. Please bring your insurance
card. I'll look at it. I'll I'll help you right. Right, I'm here to guide. You I'm here to guide you. I feel like the older that people get in general, the more perspective they get. Yes, I have which. Could be a good thing and it could be a bad thing. It could be a bad thing. What the more perspective, I guess. Why not not you? I feel like in general, because I feel like sometimes when people have more perspective than they are more cranky that other people don't have
perspective. That's fair. I see what you're saying. Like when I was a kid, I remember when I was a kid, I used to say I don't understand adults who don't like kids because they were always a kid once. Like all of them have been a kid once. You're right, you're right. I literally did not understand that that was the hill I was going to die on. I did not understand adults who did not like kids. But now as an adult, I can see not that that's not, I do not fall in that category.
However, I can see. Well, it's not for everybody. I can see why an adult might get annoyed by a kid because they have different like outcome outlooks and perspectives. Yeah, it's a lot of energy, and some adults don't. Yeah. Also going back to the paperwork, my favorite is when the kids realize that this is a lot of paperwork. These are a lot of questions. Why do I have to keep signing this? Why do I have to do this? And part of me just wants to be
like, welcome to life. Yeah, guess what? This. I'm actually, I'm actually prepping you for life because this is all it's going to be. You go to the doctor's office. Guess what you're going to ask? Answer the same question. You can't get to the doctor's office right exactly at your appointment time because guess
what, You have to fill out paperwork and it takes like. 12 And guess what, you're going to answer the same three questions that you already signed when you, when you preach, when you like checked in online, you answered that question. And guess what? You're going to form where you have to answer that same question. Yes, that's just life. Should it be better? Yes, but it's not right now, so you're welcome. I'm prepping you so you can get frustrated with me.
Who's more patient with you than at the doctor's office where they're not going to be patient with you? I feel like even if you go back to our older episodes when we were newer, well, I mean, you're obviously like you weren't like newly, newly certified, but like if you go back to our older episodes, even like five years ago, we've changed so much from. I I agree. And I sometimes think like,
actually, yeah, I'm. I'm never going to go back and listen to those old episodes because I have changed so much as a clinician. Like I don't know if I can stand by some of those things that like I've. Well, we we already. Before I knew, you know what I mean. We've already pulled out the biggest difference in and sound bites for me. Oh yeah, because you said that you would always be an NCAA four year athletic trainer. Here you are working at A2. Year, yeah, see. So boom, say just right.
There's the biggest one. Right. So you're right, we have grown. I mean, for me, I think and as it came up in this episode too, like I didn't see any ACL. I've saw I saw one ACL in the first three years of my career and I think in the past couple years I have more than doubled that number. That's crazy. Right. Yeah, I've had, I've had several Acls probably in the past two years, which is I didn't, I mean, you never know what's going to come at.
But then also opposite like I saw a lot of emergencies in my first few years certified and I haven't had any in the last two years. I know I say this all. No, I say this all the time so I can't jinx it. I'm knocking on wood. I say it all the time. I'm OK thanks. Thanks for unjinxing me. You're. Welcome. I had one athletic trained student that loved saying that. What? It's slow today. Oh yeah, no, you can't say that. I'd be like, get out.
I'd be like, Dang it, you. Did they curse my last football game or is that what happened? You better. Talk to your you better talk to your students about that. They they might have. I don't think they did, but they might have. Who knows. Do you have any other calming down last minute tidbits before we? No, I think, I think we've covered everything. No, yeah, like I said, like I just I like to make sure like I have some contact with them, like on them. I just let them know I'm there.
And then again, just breathing, breathing. It goes and again it goes back. It goes back to the eval episode. Just slow down, right? And in this case, it's them slowing down. I can't believe we made it through the entire episode without saying that telling someone to calm down will not calm them down, will not I? Definitely don't say that. I definitely don't say calm down. No, I just like slow down, right?
Like for them, just like let you know I. Feel like slow down is dangerously close to calm down. It's dangerous. Close. That's why I don't punch it out. As but you know you use that that it's that different tone. Yeah, it's a very gentle, it's a very supportive slow, slow down. See. That's better. Slow down. Take deep breath in through your nose, out through your mouth. That sounds familiar. Yeah, I feel like you've told that to me before. So yeah, right.
So that's my slowdown. But like for them too, right? Because things are happening so fast, it stresses you out more. Right. So, so As for us slowing down on your on field evals, the athletes slowing down because there's plenty of times that they've feel like they've torn their ACL and like maybe your test like, hey, it doesn't feel quite right. It's not a definitive yes or no, but it doesn't feel right. They get the MRI, It's not the ACL and it was something not as severe as the ACL.
So that's why it's slowing down. Yeah, that's what I got. So our next episode is going to go back to our education. We're doing ACU, we're doing. ACU. And then we also have a couple of exciting interviews in the works, so keep tuned for that. If you guys are new, we do several different types of episodes. We do story episodes like this one and the last one with stories from athletic trainers all over all over.
And then we also have education episodes that are good for C us depending on. And they're dope. On which episode it is to make sure you check the show notes. We are transitioning to being ACU provider alongside athletic training chat and clinically pressed. Big thank you to them. So they are currently putting our episodes on their website to make sure you check their website through our show notes so you can see which ones are already up and which ones are also free.
Take advantage of those, especially since it is not reporting year yet, but next. Year will be never too early to start. Never too early. Get get sees now. And then we also do interview episodes where we bring people on for interviews. I think that's all I got. Thank you for helping us showcase athletic training behind the tape. Bye.