| Educational Objectives |
MAIN CONFERENCE PROGRAM
Keynote Speaker: Cannabis as an Intervention for Patient Care
Dr. Jeff Konin PhD, PT, ATC, FACSM, FNATA, Professor and Chair of Physical Therapy Department, University of Rhode Island
Educational Objectives:
Educational Need/Practice Gap: Athletic training education has not historically taught about the endocannabinoid system (ECS) of the body. This system, identified in the 1990's, has become of more interest to both scientists and clinicians alike in understanding how a patient's body responds to certain immuno changes - many of which are now referred to as endocannabinoid deficiency. The recent nationwide trend of patients of all ages that are physically active discussing, and using, forms of cannabis (CBD, THC, Hemp Oil) has increased. As such, educating athletic trainers about the physical agent properties of various forms of cannabis, the ECS and its functionality, benefits and risks of using cannabis for different illnesses and injuries, and the legal structure surrounding this trend is imperative for the athletic trainer to effectively and appropriately manage patient care and maintain patient trust. Specific conditions such as inflammation, pain, anxiety and others will be reviewed. Focus will be on the current research and evidence explaining why there is a recent interest in this form of intervention, as well as the concerns associated with short and long-term risks and the challenges associated with performing high quality research studies.
Take A.C.T.I.O.N.: A Comprehensive 360 Degree Approach to Opioid Overdose Prevention and Management for Athletic Trainers
Darryl Conway, MA, AT, ATC
Educational Objectives:
1. Participants will be able to evaluate an interdisciplinary healthcare team to develop strategies to deal with the opioid crisis
including: (1) emergent treatment for opioid overdose, (2) mental wellness and (3) utilization of alternative therapies to manage
pain and limit the use of prescription and non-prescription opioids
2. Participants will be able to define and describe the current epidemiology related to the opioid crisis
3. Participants will be able to identify and discuss signs and symptoms of opioid abuse
4. Participants will be able to apply emergent treatment options for opioid overdose and respiratory difficulties
5. Participants will be able to identify and apply strategies for prevention of opioid abuse
6. Participants will be able to identify and apply strategies for comprehensive management of opioid abuse
7. Participants will be able to identify and apply possible alternative therapies to opioid use
Educational Need/Practice Gap: Opioid-involved overdoses and deaths in the United States are up among both sexes, all races, and persons of all ages, including high school, collegiate, and recreational athletes. Athletic trainers are also the main individuals involved in the post-surgical care of athletes who have been prescribed opioid medication. They are often the first healthcare provider to recognize physical and emotional signs and symptoms of abuse and may be present during an emergency situation. For this reason, athletic trainers must be knowledgeable and proficient in not only the recognition and emergent management of an overdose situation, but also prevention strategies, alternative therapies, and comprehensive management strategies to ensure positive outcomes. Using evidence-based recommendations and practical applications, this session will allow the athletic trainer to become an integral member of the interdisciplinary healthcare team to develop strategies to deal with the opioid crisis including: (1) emergent treatment for opioid overdose, (2) mental wellness and (3) utilization of alternative therapies to manage pain and limit the use of prescription and non-prescription opioids.
Blood Flow Restriction - Safety, Application and Efficacy
Scott Dankel, PhD
Educational Objectives:
1. Participants will be able to summarize the benefits of blood flow restricted exercise
Educational Need/Practice Gap: The use of blood flow restriction involves placing pneumatic cuffs at the most proximal portions of the arms or legs during exercise. This method of training aims to reduce the arterial blood flow to the muscle, while occluding venous return back to the heart. Blood flow restriction is commonly employed at rest, or in combination with either low-intensity aerobic, or low load resistance exercise. The application of blood flow restricted exercise enhances increases in muscle size and strength when compared to the same protocol performed in the absence of blood flow restriction. A brief overview of how to administer blood flow restriction during these different modalities of exercise (and at rest) will be presented, along with the benefits and proposed mechanisms of these benefits. Some safety concerns have been raised regarding an increased cardiovascular stress resulting from the application of blood flow restriction, and this will also be discussed. This risk can be minimized by applying the pressure relative to the individual and equipment being used. When this is done, the risks of blood flow restricted exercise appear to be similar to that of traditional high load exercise. Thus, appropriate knowledge of how to apply the stimulus is important to minimize the potential health risks related to blood flow restricted exercise. Individuals will learn how to apply the pressure relative to the individual, with an understanding of how this can be done in a laboratory setting, and how this can be done in a more practical setting without requiring expensive research equipment. Perceptual responses (discomfort and perceived exertion) will also be discussed with a focus on how injured populations perceive low-load exercise with blood flow restriction as compared to traditional high load exercise.
Movement Quality and Athletic Performance: Does it Matter?
Drue Stapleton, PhD, ATC, CSCS
Educational Objectives:
1. Participants will be able to identify the purposes of systematic movement assessment (movement screening) techniques
Educational Need/Practice Gap: Fundamental movement ability (i.e. the dynamic relationship between core stability, balance, and coordination) is associated with overall injury risk in a physically active population. Despite high performance levels, patients may demonstrate pre-existing, inefficient fundamental movements, limiting the maximum effect of their training and/or rehabilitation. While a variety of screening tools exist, questions remain regarding the usage and ability of the available systematic movement assessment techniques to predict injury and optimize human performance, contributing to confusion about their clinical usefulness. The purposes of this presentation are to review major screening techniques/protocols documented in the literature, explore the evidence linking their ability to predict injury (e.g., reliability, validity, predictive ability), and clarify the relationship between movement screening and athletic performance. This discussion will include data collected through a grant funded by the ATSNJ to investigate connections between movement competency and measures of athletic performance in throwing athletes.
Practice Domains: Injury and Illness Prevention and Wellness Promotion, Examination, Assessment and Diagnosis
Category: EBP
Difficulty Level: Advanced
Vitamin D Deficiency and its Relationship to Injury, Gender, Race, and Sport Season
Doug Mann, DPE, ATC
Educational Objectives:
1. Participants will be able to summarize the evidence related to Vitamin D
Educational Need/Practice Gap: Vitamin D is essential for bone health. Vitamin D insufficiency has been linked to detrimental effects in the neurological, immune, and psychological systems. Vitamin D deficiency has been shown in the athletic population, particularly in those athletes with darker skin and in athletes who participate in an indoor sport. Vitamin D levels are easy to measure and supplementation in those that are deficient may increase a person’s ability to heal and fight illness. Athletic trainers should be well versed in the prevalence of Vitamin D deficiency and the signs associated with Vitamin D deficiency and will have contact with susceptible Vitamin D deficient populations. Athletic trainers work with patient populations of various ethnicities and they need to recognize that darker skin individuals are more susceptible to Vitamin D deficiency. In addition, females and indoor athletes are also more susceptible. An athletic trainer can very likely deal with a patient who is female, involved in an indoor activity and is African American. This person may complain of fatigue or sustain a bone injury that is not healing at the expected rate. This individual should be recognized for a possible Vitamin D deficiency and referred to a physician for follow-up testing and treatment. Athletic trainers should also serve as a resource for those individuals in need of Vitamin D supplementation. Patients will often have questions regarding supplementation or the best sources for Vitamin D. Athletic trainers are an excellent resource to answer these questions and must have the prerequisite knowledge to guide their patients.
Practice Domains: Injury and Illness Prevention and Wellness Promotion, Examination, Assessment and Diagnosis
Category: EBP
Difficulty Level: Advanced
Current Concepts in the Office-Based Treatment of the Concussed Athlete
William Gallagher, MD
Educational Objectives:
1. Participants will be able to develop an appropriate assessment and plan in the care and treatment of the concussed athlete
2. Participants will be able to recognize how to use the members of the concussion care team to assist in the care and treatment of
the concussed athletes
Educational Need/Practice Gap: This lecture will discuss the diagnosis and treatment of the athlete with a suspected concussion from entry into the clinic on his/her first day through the Return to Learn and Return to Play processes. This lecture will be given using evidenced based peer reviewed literature. It will not focus on the on-field assessment and treatment of an athlete suspected of having a concussion.
Practice Domains: Injury and Illness Prevention and Wellness Promotion, Examination, Assessment and Diagnosis, Therapeutic Intervention
Category: A
Difficulty Level: Advanced
Clinical Efficacy of Intra-Articular Mesenchymal Stem Cell for the Treatment of Knee Osteoarthritis: A Double-Blinded, Prospective, Randomized, Controlled Clinical Trial
Braford Tucker, MD
Educational Objectives:
1. Participants will be able to define key components of stromal vascular fraction stem cell therapy (SVF) and its role with treating
knee osteoarthritis (OA)
2. Participants will be able to explain the efficacy of intra-articular injections SVF for treating OA
Educational Need/Practice Gap: Stem cell-based therapies have emerged as promising non-operative treatments for knee OA. Various stem cell mediums have been investigated, but there are limited prospective, randomized controlled trials for any of these therapies. During this presentation we still discuss the results of a study aimed to investigate the 6 month and 1-year efficacy of intra-articular injections of autologous stromal vascular fraction stem cell therapy (SVF) in a double blinded, prospective, randomized, placebo controlled trial.
Practice Domains: Examination, Assessment and Diagnosis
Category: A
Difficulty Level: Essential
STUDENT PROGRAM
What You Need to Know as Your First Year as an Athletic Trainer Steven Barandica, MEd, ATC, EMT; Doug Stringham, MS, LAT
Educational Objectives:
1. Examine and discuss a young professional’s first year post graduation in the workforce
2. To discuss common obstacles and strategies to overcome those obstacles as a young professional
Practice Domains:
