AED

Nearly 350,000 people suffer cardiac arrest annually.   Because cardiac arrest leads to the death of one youth athlete every three days in the United States, sports parents should know how to perform CPR and use an AED, which can significantly increase a victim's chances of survival.

Lightning is the most dangerous and frequently encountered thunderstorm hazard that people experience every year, consistently ranking among the top 2 causes of storm-related deaths in the United States. A new position statement from the National Athletic Trainer's Association contains comprehensive recommendations about ways to minimize risk and incidence of injury.

The National Athletic Trainers' Association is now an official supporter of Advocates for Injured Athletes and its Athletes Saving Athletes^TM program, which provides high school students with training and skills to recognize signs and symptoms of life-threatening injuries, with the aim of reducing the risk and incidence of injury and death among student-athletes.

Young baseball and softball players who receive direct ball impact to the chest wall directly over the heart may develop sudden cardiac arrest, a condition called commotio cordis.  Teaching batters to turn away from an inside pitch, and pitchers to react as quickly as possible to a batted ball hit back at them can help reduce the risk, and an AED and a someone trained in CPR should be on site at all times to increase the chances of survival.

With spring sports beginning for over 40 million young athletes,  the National Athletic Trainers' Association (NATA) has ten tips for parents, coaches, and administrators to help prevent injuries and ensure a safe and successful season.