Make the stadium safe – CHIRISTIAN BAAH to GFA

When a footballer,Referee or any other athlete takes the field to participate in a game, he or she is at risk of many different injuries. Unfortunately, the fans in stands can also be at risk of a serious injury. And whether it is for a sporting event, concert, or convention, stadium owners have the responsibility of providing patrons with a safe place to sit, walk, and watch whatever event they are there to see as well us protect the footballers and the entire Technical team

It is expected that every Stadium will undergo Occupational health and safety evaluation before given clearance to operate,the principal actor in this case,is the Doctor in charge of the Stadium.

The role of the Stadium Doctor is to provide extra medical assistance in managing acute medical or surgical emergencies and injuries for the home and away medical staff on match-days. This ensures a high standard of medical care is maintained for all players throughout the football season.The Stadium doctor should be mandatory for all clubs competing in certified Stadium for every league session.

It is imperative that all Confederation of African Football, Premier League and other minor sporting matches and activities which will be taken place in the stadium,should have at least a medical Doctor on call, The day consists of arriving approximately three hours before kick off to have a Meeting with the local paramedic and ambulance services take place two hours before kick-off to outline logistics and the destination of local hospitals, including the major trauma centres.

A unique responsibility of the Stadium doctor is to liaise with the away team doctor. This involves informing and discussing the facilities available and facilitating support for any injuries or emergencies. With regards to head injuries, the players are continually assessed (if substituted during the match) with any deterioration of clinical symptoms relayed to the medical team pitch. If a player is taken to hospital during the match, the Stadium doctor will remain at the home stadium ensuring two doctors remain present. This also provides the opportunity to address any appropriate medical history of concern, in particular any cardiac/respiratory history to be aware of in the event of an on pitch cardiac arrest.

At the stadium, we take positions for the match at kick-off. We then effectively communicate this information to the medical team at the bench/pitch side to inform appropriate decisions, including immediate substitutions, or close monitoring scenarios. Under the new guidelines, if there is a confirmed or suspected period of loss of consciousness, the player will be prevented from returning. This set-up allows for quick and repeated review of the live feed, reducing any uncertainty when making decisions. This worked effectively throughout the season for both home and away teams.

At full-time, the medical team assesses all wounds and performs appropriate treatments. We also make decisions on further imaging and investigations. We discuss any necessary issues with the travelling medical team and/or offer further medical assistance until situations are resolved safely.

The Doctor should be fully prepared to host
Home CAF matches
Home League Cup matches
Summary of common injuries encountered
Students Activities
National teams preparation for tournaments.
Referees training

And also to attend to guests,Athletes and other supporting staffs in the Stadium E.g

Lower limb musculoskeletal injuries and assessments at half time and full-time
Head injuries/Concussion
Wound treatment and management
General medical treatment and advice
Communication and player interaction

The match day in the Premier League is highly pressurised and can be a stressful environment for the players and staff. Meticulous planning and organization ensure that all aspects of preparation are covered and run smoothly. Outlining the EAP early on match days gives each person a specific role and responsibility to carry out during the day. From the Stadium Doctor’s perspective, a key skill is effective and clear communication. A number of different situations and scenarios test this skill throughout the day: discussions with team Doctor and physiotherapists, describing and relaying mechanisms of injury information pitch-side or to the bench, discussions with local emergency departments and consultants regarding immanent transfers and admissions. Keeping calm under pressure along with confident decision-making are medical staff characteristics that provide high levels of care consistently.

Player interaction is also very important, as a stadium Doctor,it is not enough to be only present on match-days; player interaction is limited and there will be situations where you are leading their medical care and treatment. It is imperative, like any other clinical situation, to build rapport and trust with the players to ease anxiety during these situations, for example suturing a wound quickly at half time or assessing a head injury. Each player has certain pre-match assessments, medications and supplements that can be administered to develop a better rapport and doctor-player relationship. It is therefore important to consistently arrive with sufficient time before kick-off to allow for certain interactions.

In my experience, building a relationship whenever possible makes treating the injured player more comfortable and reduces the initial stress levels of being treated by someone they don’t know.

In Bringing Back the Love,firstly,Let us make the stadium Safe!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Dr Christiana Baah

Reference: Dr S.Raj

Source:flyfmonline.com