Back to Basics: The Role of the Team Physician

Editor’s Note: AJO Deputy Editor-in-Chief Robin West, MD, is the Head Team Physician for the Washington Redskins and the Washington Nationals. She has previously served as a team physician for 2 Super Bowl-winning Pittsburgh Steelers teams. I am pleased to “hand off” this issue to her.

—Bryan T. Hanypsiak, MD

The summer is over, football season has begun, and team physicians are busy trying to manage and treat the plethora of injuries that come with the game. Football is one of the most popular sports played by young athletes. Youth participation (ages 6-14 years) in tackle football was 2.169 million in 2015, according to a study conducted by the Physical Activity Council and presented by USA Football. There were 1.084 million boys (and 1500 girls) playing high school football in the 2014-2015 season, nearly twice the number of the next most popular sport, track and field, according to the National Federation of State High School Associations.Due to the sheer volume of athletes and high-impact nature of the game, football leads all other sports in the number of sustained injuries.

Team physicians have the leadership role in the organization, management, and provision of care of the athletes on the team. The roles and responsibilities of the team physician are ever-evolving. The team physician has to meet certain medical qualifications and education requirements, and understand the ethical and medicolegal issues.

The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons and several other medical associations have put together a Team Physician Consensus Statement (available at http://bit.ly/2b8rOzS). All team physicians, coaches, and athletic trainers should read and understand this statement, as it delineates the qualifications, duties, and responsibilities of the team physician.

Our Football Issue focuses on the most common injuries that the team physician will encounter during the season. Our goal is to create a comprehensive guide for the team physician on the acute management of these injuries. As team physicians, we have to make quick return-to-play decisions that are often difficult, as we are dealing with extremely competitive athletes and coaches in the heat of the moment. Since we can’t control the high levels of adrenalin, loud stadium, or rapid speed of the game, we need to be prepared to perform a comprehensive evaluation and diagnosis under these circumstances. This return-to-play decision should be based solely on the severity of the injury and safety of the player. As a team physician, you are responsible for making the “final call” on when the player is safe to return to the game.

This issue includes a section on the most common medical issues (ophthalmology, dental, and dermatology), concussion, exertional heat stroke, knee injuries, and foot and ankle injuries. We also have a special list of the most common items to include in the athletic trainer’s medical bag when covering a high school or collegiate football game (see page 376). Our prominent contributing authors all have extensive experience covering high school, collegiate, and professional teams.

I hope that our Football Issue helps you to keep your athletes safe and injury-free, which is necessary to have a successful season. Remember, as the team physician, your primary focus is the well being of the players. The success of the team only comes when the players are healthy. A cohesive, well-organized medical team, led by the head athletic trainer and team physician, is a key component to the care of the athletes. It truly takes a village to provide top-notch medical care to a football team.

Am J Orthop. 2016;45(6):338. Copyright Frontline Medical Communications Inc. 2016. All rights reserved.

Editor’s Note: AJO Deputy Editor-in-Chief Robin West, MD, is the Head Team Physician for the Washington Redskins and the Washington Nationals. She has previously served as a team physician for 2 Super Bowl-winning Pittsburgh Steelers teams. I am pleased to “hand off” this issue to her.

—Bryan T. Hanypsiak, MD

The summer is over, football season has begun, and team physicians are busy trying to manage and treat the plethora of injuries that come with the game. Football is one of the most popular sports played by young athletes. Youth participation (ages 6-14 years) in tackle football was 2.169 million in 2015, according to a study conducted by the Physical Activity Council and presented by USA Football. There were 1.084 million boys (and 1500 girls) playing high school football in the 2014-2015 season, nearly twice the number of the next most popular sport, track and field, according to the National Federation of State High School Associations.Due to the sheer volume of athletes and high-impact nature of the game, football leads all other sports in the number of sustained injuries.

Team physicians have the leadership role in the organization, management, and provision of care of the athletes on the team. The roles and responsibilities of the team physician are ever-evolving. The team physician has to meet certain medical qualifications and education requirements, and understand the ethical and medicolegal issues.

The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons and several other medical associations have put together a Team Physician Consensus Statement (available at http://bit.ly/2b8rOzS). All team physicians, coaches, and athletic trainers should read and understand this statement, as it delineates the qualifications, duties, and responsibilities of the team physician.

Our Football Issue focuses on the most common injuries that the team physician will encounter during the season. Our goal is to create a comprehensive guide for the team physician on the acute management of these injuries. As team physicians, we have to make quick return-to-play decisions that are often difficult, as we are dealing with extremely competitive athletes and coaches in the heat of the moment. Since we can’t control the high levels of adrenalin, loud stadium, or rapid speed of the game, we need to be prepared to perform a comprehensive evaluation and diagnosis under these circumstances. This return-to-play decision should be based solely on the severity of the injury and safety of the player. As a team physician, you are responsible for making the “final call” on when the player is safe to return to the game.

This issue includes a section on the most common medical issues (ophthalmology, dental, and dermatology), concussion, exertional heat stroke, knee injuries, and foot and ankle injuries. We also have a special list of the most common items to include in the athletic trainer’s medical bag when covering a high school or collegiate football game (see page 376). Our prominent contributing authors all have extensive experience covering high school, collegiate, and professional teams.

I hope that our Football Issue helps you to keep your athletes safe and injury-free, which is necessary to have a successful season. Remember, as the team physician, your primary focus is the well being of the players. The success of the team only comes when the players are healthy. A cohesive, well-organized medical team, led by the head athletic trainer and team physician, is a key component to the care of the athletes. It truly takes a village to provide top-notch medical care to a football team.

Am J Orthop. 2016;45(6):338. Copyright Frontline Medical Communications Inc. 2016. All rights reserved.

Editor’s Note: AJO Deputy Editor-in-Chief Robin West, MD, is the Head Team Physician for the Washington Redskins and the Washington Nationals. She has previously served as a team physician for 2 Super Bowl-winning Pittsburgh Steelers teams. I am pleased to “hand off” this issue to her.

—Bryan T. Hanypsiak, MD

The summer is over, football season has begun, and team physicians are busy trying to manage and treat the plethora of injuries that come with the game. Football is one of the most popular sports played by young athletes. Youth participation (ages 6-14 years) in tackle football was 2.169 million in 2015, according to a study conducted by the Physical Activity Council and presented by USA Football. There were 1.084 million boys (and 1500 girls) playing high school football in the 2014-2015 season, nearly twice the number of the next most popular sport, track and field, according to the National Federation of State High School Associations.Due to the sheer volume of athletes and high-impact nature of the game, football leads all other sports in the number of sustained injuries.

Team physicians have the leadership role in the organization, management, and provision of care of the athletes on the team. The roles and responsibilities of the team physician are ever-evolving. The team physician has to meet certain medical qualifications and education requirements, and understand the ethical and medicolegal issues.

The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons and several other medical associations have put together a Team Physician Consensus Statement (available at http://bit.ly/2b8rOzS). All team physicians, coaches, and athletic trainers should read and understand this statement, as it delineates the qualifications, duties, and responsibilities of the team physician.

Our Football Issue focuses on the most common injuries that the team physician will encounter during the season. Our goal is to create a comprehensive guide for the team physician on the acute management of these injuries. As team physicians, we have to make quick return-to-play decisions that are often difficult, as we are dealing with extremely competitive athletes and coaches in the heat of the moment. Since we can’t control the high levels of adrenalin, loud stadium, or rapid speed of the game, we need to be prepared to perform a comprehensive evaluation and diagnosis under these circumstances. This return-to-play decision should be based solely on the severity of the injury and safety of the player. As a team physician, you are responsible for making the “final call” on when the player is safe to return to the game.

This issue includes a section on the most common medical issues (ophthalmology, dental, and dermatology), concussion, exertional heat stroke, knee injuries, and foot and ankle injuries. We also have a special list of the most common items to include in the athletic trainer’s medical bag when covering a high school or collegiate football game (see page 376). Our prominent contributing authors all have extensive experience covering high school, collegiate, and professional teams.

I hope that our Football Issue helps you to keep your athletes safe and injury-free, which is necessary to have a successful season. Remember, as the team physician, your primary focus is the well being of the players. The success of the team only comes when the players are healthy. A cohesive, well-organized medical team, led by the head athletic trainer and team physician, is a key component to the care of the athletes. It truly takes a village to provide top-notch medical care to a football team.

Am J Orthop. 2016;45(6):338. Copyright Frontline Medical Communications Inc. 2016. All rights reserved.