Health care guidelines issued for school athletes

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Schools and other organizations that sponsor teen athletic programs should do more to ensure school-aged athletes stay healthy and injury-free, according to new guidelines.

The recommendations, issued by the National Athletic Trainers' Association (NATA) and 16 other professional organizations, call for high schools and groups that sponsor teen sports to set up "athletic health care teams."

The teams -- including a physician and an athletic trainer who is on-site during practice and competition -- should not only treat injuries but also have comprehensive plans for preventing them, according to the guidelines.

More than 7 million U.S. high school students participate in school sports -- with numerous benefits, NATA points out. Still, roughly 715,000 students suffer sports- or recreation-related injuries in schools each year, and many could be prevented.

"Appropriate medical care of athletes involves more than just basic emergency care during sporting events," Jon Almquist, chair of the task force that created the guidelines, said in a statement.

"To reduce injuries, organizations sponsoring athletic programs need to establish an athletic health care team that functions to ensure appropriate medical care is provided for all participants; this can go a long way in preventing minor injuries from becoming more significant time-loss injuries."

The task force recommendations, which are published in NATA's Journal of Athletic Training, state that yearly pre-season medical screening of all high school athletes is "essential" to spot teens who are at risk for injuries or more serious problems such as a heart defect.

Such pre-participation screening is required in schools, but it should be encouraged in community sports programs as well, according to the guidelines.

The recommendations also call on organizations to ensure that their facilities and equipment are safe and well-maintained; that there is always a qualified professional on site to take care of athletes' injuries or illnesses, and to oversee their recovery after an injury; and that they give athletes sound advice on nutrition and health.