It is not a matter if... It is a matter when.

If you are going to be around sport and exercise, it is time to CYA! Liability in sport is no longer about the possibility of a lawsuit, it is more about when the lawsuit will be served. We are in a very litigious society. Not only are we facing the possibility of lawsuits, but we are also facing the strong arm of the law. This is actually a good thing. Nothing is more important than the athletes that we are attempting to help. Last August (2008), a sophomore football athlete in Kentucky collapsed and died (3 days later) from heat illness complications. The football coach was indicted on a charge of reckless homicide. He has now been indicted again the charge of wanton endangerment. The days of a coach denying water MUST end. There are many ways to control and discipline athletes. To endanger the health of an athlete in the name of discipline is not one of these. Take a look at this article… Ex-coach indicted on second charge in player's death

Warrior Girls

“Warrior Girls” (Michael Sokolove) may be the best book that I have read when it comes to the injury epidemic facing female athletes. Sokolove has written several pieces for the New Your Times and has taken a layman’s view to an epidemic that those of us in the healthcare field have either innocently overlooked in the name of caring for injured athletes or have “stuck our heads into the sand” denying that this is even a problem. Young female athletes (in my humble opinion) are competing in an arena that demands perfection, year-around practice and massive amounts of money spent by parents. They are doing this without the resources that are traditionally reserved for their male counterparts (access to quality strength training). I am sure that this will cause some descent among some, but the evidence is there! As an athletic trainer for more years than I can count, I can anecdotally account for a lopsided number of ACL injuries among our female athletes compared to our male athletes. You may disagree with me, but read before you solidify your decisions. The one thing to remember is that exercise induced injuries are caused by a mistake. An epidemic has formed because a preventable mistake has not been corrected.

Badwater Ultramarathon - the extreme

Just finished reading the article in the Arizona Republic about Perry Edinger running the Badwater Ultramarathon. Phoenix man completes Badwater Ultramarathon . What a great example of the demands placed on the body (physical and psychological)! 135 miles through Death Valley and up the the trailhead of Mt Whitney. To run 135 miles in less than 30 hours is incredible. To run 135 miles through Death Valley in July is unbelievable! Wow.