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What Should a Sports First Aid Kit Contain
In many ways, a sports first aid kit is very similar to a traditional first aid kit.
However, there are certain components that are very important to have in a sports first aid kit, that are not as critical in a traditional first aid kit.
Nosebleed Plugs
Nosebleed plugs are small pieces of cotton shaped in a round cylinder shape that can be used to assist in the event of a nosebleed.
Nosebleed plugs are used when a person has an uncontrollable nosebleed that is not stopping, or even for a minor nosebleed, where somebody wants to keep on playing or operating without having to stop what they are doing.
Athletic Tape
Athletic tape is a cloth tape adhesive material that can be applied to the skin around joints and body areas that require some additional structural support.
Athletic tape is commonly used to help sports people that may have a vulnerable joint, for example, a shoulder or knee, or ankle, and they use the adhesive cloth athletic tape to provide some additional structure to the joint that may assist from further injury and damage.
Athletic Tape Cutter
An athletic tape cutter is a special type of scissors designed to cut athletic tape. The nature of the material makes athletic tape tricky to cut with regular scissors, so athletic tape cutters are an essential ingredient in a sports first aid kit.
Face Shield
A first aid face shield is a piece of sterile see-through material with a breathing valve in the middle, which is used for CPR. It makes the CPR process more hygienic for both the person providing CPR and the person receiving the CPR.
The face shield can be placed over the face of the person receiving CPR, and still allows the breath from the person providing CPR to provide the required assistance.
Cold Pack
A cold pack, or an ice pack, can come in various different shapes and sizes. They are used to apply to injuries, or to general body areas, following strenuous exercise.
The cool temperature applied to the muscle or joint assists with soothing aggravated muscles and decreasing inflammation.
Electrolytes
Electrolytes assist with reducing dehydration. They are a critical component of any first aid kit, especially a sports first aid kit to assist an athlete or sports person who becomes dehydrated.
Nitrile Gloves
Nitrile gloves are critical components of any first aid kit. They are used by the person administering the first aid and ensure that no germs are passed from the hands of the first aid provider to the person receiving the first date. They also provide protection to the first aid provider from any chance the person receiving the first aid is carrying an unwanted infection in their blood.
Bandages
Bandages are a must-have item in any first aid kit, especially in a sports first aid kit. Bandages have multiple use cases, from being used as a sling, to being used to wrap an injury so a variety of styles and sizes of bandages is a very important component of any first aid kit.
Courses provided by Skills Training Group cover the skills required to properly utilize bandages for the best outcome.
Eye Wash
If an athlete gets a foreign particle in their eye, a sterile eye wash must be on hand in order to try and dislodge the foreign particle.
Tap water or other water sources could potentially be used for this, but you run the risk of potential infection given there is no guarantee as to the cleanliness of the water.
Non-Adhering Pads
Non-adhering pads are medical pads designed to be placed over certain injuries that will not stick to the injury. Particularly important for certain injuries, where a traditional pad could rip off the skin that has begun to heal and continually aggravate the area.
Non-adhering pads allow you to provide protection to an injury, without aggravating the ongoing healing process.
Pain Relief
Pain relief for injury should typically be administered and advised by a doctor, there are basic types of pain relief, such as paracetamol and ibuprofen that are safe and acceptable, and should be included in a sports first aid kit to provide some temporary relief where needed.
Sunscreen
Though sunscreen should be carried by athletes directly, it is always good to have some sunscreen in a sports first aid kit as well.
In the event that somebody runs out of their personal supply, or forgets to bring their own sunscreen, it is a good thing to have as a backup.
Antiseptic Spray
Antiseptic spray is a liquid substance that comes out of a bottle in mist form, that ensures no bacterial or microbial infections can develop in a particular area.
First Aid Guide
A first aid guide is a must-have component of any good sports first aid kit. A competent first provider will have a certain amount of knowledge that should inform them in many different types of first aid provision.
However, there is such a broad range of injuries and situations that may come up, that it is important to have a guide on hand in the event that further information or consultation is required.
Final Thoughts
This article describes some of the key components that must be considered when planning to purchase or equip a sports first aid kit. There are many other items that would be good to consider that we did not get a chance to mention, so ensure you research thoroughly before settling on the final configuration of your sports first aid kit.