Sports Medicine & Athletic Training

All students participating in TVS Athletics (including cheer, dance, and PE) in grades 7-12 are required to have a pre-participation physical exam performed by a physician to determine if they are physically capable of participating. To better align with preventative healthcare and best practices, a new physical exam is required every year.

In addition to the pre-participation physical exam, each parent and student should complete the Student Health Tracker in Magnus which can be accessed through the TVS Parent Portal. The tracker is accessible through the TVS Parent Portal via Facts Family Portal > Student > Medical. The required information will give the TVS medical staff a more detailed and complete picture of your child’s health history. The Student Health Tracker includes the following: Conditional Questions, Vital Health Record, General Release, Concussion Risk Acknowledgement, Pre-Participation Physical Exam, OTC Medication Administration, Prescription Medication Administration, Immunization Requirement, and if necessary an action plan for diabetes, asthma, seizures, and allergies. The Student Health Tracker requires annual review/updates of the Conditional Questions, Vital Health Record, Pre-participation Physical Exam, and OTC Medication Administration. 

All information must be uploaded or entered into the Magnus Student Health Tracker prior to the start of your child’s sport season or activity. Students will be given a small grace period at the beginning of each sport season for expired physicals. (TVS understands most insurance companies will not approve the annual physical exam within 365 days of the previous exam.)

 

 

Trinity Valley School Concussion Policy

Based on current standards of care and in compliance with Texas state law, Trinity Valley School has an established concussion policy. All athletic trainers, coaches, student-athletes, faculty, and parents shall follow these procedures and policies stated from here forth concerning the care and diagnosis of concussions. Upon enrollment, each parent/guardian along with their student must read and sign the Concussion Risk Acknowledgement form in Magnus prior to athletic participation. All TVS coaches are required to complete annual training regarding concussions.

Definition – a concussion is a complex pathophysiological process affecting the brain caused by a traumatic physical force or impact to the head or body, which may include temporary or prolonged altered brain function resulting in physical, cognitive, or emotional symptoms or altered sleep patterns; and/or involve loss of consciousness. The TVS Medical Team consists of the TVS Athletic Trainers, TVS nurses, and concussion-specific referral physicians.

Diagnosis – A concussion is diagnosed clinically on the basis of history, physical exam findings, and certain screening and diagnostics tests. Any student-athlete suspected of a concussion shall be removed from practice or competition for further evaluation by an athletic trainer or physician. Concussion evaluations may be performed on the sideline, practice field, court, or in a controlled environment. The athletic training staff will use peer-reviewed, research-based methods to evaluate and diagnose the injury. Evaluation will consist of verbal communication, functional testing, and symptom scoring. The SWAY medical platform will be used to give quantitative data on balance and reaction time at time of evaluation and throughout follow-up care. If a concussion is still suspected and/or diagnosed, the student shall not return to activity that day, will be referred to the appropriate physician, and the procedures below must be followed. Due to the fact that some symptoms may not present immediately, a student-athlete may be monitored and evaluated for a concussion by the TVS medical staff for up to 48 hours following a suspected incident.

Emergency Management of Concussion / Head Injury - If there is a presentation of any “red flags” (post-impact seizure, delayed seizure, loss of consciousness, recurrent vomiting, severe uncontrolled headache, altered mental status, con-commitment major distracting injury, or hard neurologic findings), a higher level of care will be sought out immediately. This may include, but is not limited to, calling the parents for immediate referral to the student’s primary medical provider, immediate referral to an emergency room (i.e., Harris Southwest, Harris Fort Worth, Cook Children’s) via parent/ guardian transportation, and/or activating the appropriate Emergency Action Plan (calling 911). The mode of transportation to higher level of care may be based on the discretion of the athletic trainers, sideline coaches (when AT is not available), school nursing staff (non-sports related head injury), or other responsible party at the time.

Cognitive Rest – A student diagnosed with a concussion will need cognitive as well as physical rest to allow the brain to heal. According to the CDC, cognitive activity includes heavy concentration or focus, visual stress, memory activities, reasoning, reading or writing. No two concussions are the same and do not present with the same symptoms or timeline for recovery. Each patient’s case will be handled individually based upon his or her initial symptoms. The athletic trainers will communicate with the appropriate faculty, division heads, academic advisors, counselors, and school nurses to make academic accommodations as needed based on the student's symptoms. Accommodations can be as simple as limited use of electronic devices and extended time for assignments, to no tests or quizzes while symptomatic, or the student may need to stay at home while symptoms are present. Patients will be granted academic accommodations for the first 48 hours, but will need documentation from a physician for further accommodations. Once the student reports to be symptom free for two full days of school, the athletic trainer will inform his or her division head that the student is back to normal cognitive function and no longer needs academic accommodations as a result of his or her recent brain injury.

Recovery Process - Each patient will be treated on an individual basis, as it relates to his/her individual symptoms, recovery process, and physician directions. While a student is symptomatic, s/he will be monitored by the TVS medical staff. Patients will need to track their symptom scores using the SWAY app periodically until symptom free. The patient's balance and reaction time will be tracked using the SWAY app throughout the recovery process. Students will progress through from cognitive rest to a gradual return-to-learn progression, based on their individual recovery process. Once symptoms have normalized, a patient may begin light submaximal (heart rate less than 50%) stationary-bike riding or walking for no more than 10 minutes per day. If parents allow the student to take supplements, s/he may take up to the following amounts of Omega 3: 9000mg for the first week, 6000mg for the second week, and 3000mg for the third week. Studies support that cognitive rest, light physical activity, and Omega 3 supplements help in the recovery process.

Treatment and Return to Play – Every student-athlete diagnosed with a concussion must be evaluated and cleared by a physician and must complete the TVS concussion return-to-play protocol (“RTP”). Once the student-athlete is asymptomatic for one full day of school, s/he may begin the RTP process.

Return to Play (“RTP”) Protocol

• Step 1 - Follow recovery process recommendations; patient will monitor symptoms and SWAY balance progression.
• Step 2 - Once asymptomatic for a full day of school and back to within 2% of his/her average combined SWAY score
• Step 3 - Begin the RTP protocol:
  • RTP occurs over a minimum of five steps. Must wait 24 hours between each step.
    • RTP 1 - Light Aerobic Activity - 15 minutes. Stationary Bike - HR Below 70%
    • RTP 2 - Weight lifting & aerobic activity - 45 minutes. Re-test SWAY and symptoms prior to activity. Balance, light resistive training & bike, or jogging
    • RTP 3 - Sport-specific functional drills. Non-contact practice or second weightlifting day up to one hour
    • RTP 4 - Full-contact activity
  • Must be in a full day of practice with contact prior to participating in contact game.
  • Non-contact sports may participate in a game
  • If symptoms return during any step, the student-athlete must go back to the previous step and start over after 24 hours.
  • Total days missed will vary and are determined by how long it takes for symptoms to resolve, and /or if any steps have to be repeated.

All other students will be treated and monitored while symptomatic and through the recovery process. Once asymptomatic for a full day in school, recommendations will be made for a gradual return to a normal activity workload or participation in off campus activities. AT will monitor in a return-to-play progression if recommended by physician.

 

Parent Concussion Guide

TVS Return to Play Form

Any student-athlete who sees a physician, physician assistant, nurse, physical therapist, or chiropractor for any injury or illness must present a written note to a TVS AT documenting that he/she is cleared for further participation in athletics. Without proper documentation, the student-athlete will not be allowed to participate in any athletic practice or event until proper documentation is submitted.

The athletic trainers’ primary responsibilities are prevention, recognition, and rehabilitation of musculoskeletal injuries. Any injury that is a result of activities associated with TVS Athletics, PE, or Dance needs to be reported as soon as possible to an athletic trainer, coach, or instructor. Students: if you suspect that you have sustained an injury that may require additional treatment or result in lost playing time, make arrangements to meet the with the athletic trainers during your free period for further evaluation and to develop a proper treatment plan. The small window of time after school before athletics begins is usually not sufficient time to evaluate, treat, and communicate your injury status to your coach prior to the beginning of practice. Failure to appear at designated treatment times is not an acceptable excuse to miss a practice, as all athletes will be expected to be present for team practices.

The TVS athletic trainers offer a wide variety of therapeutic modalities to provide the best and latest treatment options for your child. Each year, we attend continuing-education courses and review the latest articles to provide an evidence-based treatment approach. Both TVS ATs hold additional certifications in Instrument Assisted Soft Tissue Mobilization, Myofascial Decompression, and Dry Needling. All student-athletes are informed of the treatment plan and anticipated results prior to application of any modality. Here is a link for a list of modalities provided here on campus.

 

Prevention of Heat-Related Illness is a major goal at TVS.  However, the majority of fall sports in North Texas are played during the hottest time of the year, it would not be prudent for us to cancel practices frequently and still expect our athletes to perform at a high level of competition.  As a result, Trinity Valley School has reviewed the latest research and leading position statements to establish a “Hot Weather Policy” with the goal of keeping our student-athletes safe while also preparing them for competition.  

Student-athletes who participate in an outdoor sport during the fall season are recommended to participate in a summer conditioning program.  Students who continue to work and train in a hot environment are better prepared to participate in sports under similar conditions. All student-athletes will go through an acclimation period during the fall sports season which is appropriate to their specific sport season.  TVS will continue to follow the Southwest Preparatory Conference heat acclimation policy in regards to pre-season practices.  

Student-athletes are encouraged to consume proper amounts of water or electrolyte based drinks throughout the day prior to participating in outdoor activities.   In general, 17-20 fl oz two hours before athletic participation and at least 7-10 fl oz 10-20 minutes before practice or games. 

While in a practice or game environment it is recommended that athletes drink 3-5 ounces of water for every 15-20 minutes of activities.  The best piece of advice is to drink to thirst.  Once one is thirsty they are already dehydrated setting them up for performance deficits and can be prone to heat illness.  There will be ample amounts of hydration stations and a cooling location available for all student-athletes at TVS, during all practices and games.  All students are encouraged to drink water throughout the course of practice outside of the scheduled water breaks.   For more information specific to your child’s hydration needs, you can read more information on the Korey Stringer Institute website https://ksi.uconn.edu/prevention/hydration/.  A well-balanced diet filled with a variety of fruits, vegetables, carbohydrates, fats and proteins throughout the day is also an essential part of preventing heat-related illnesses.  Meals prior to and between workouts help the body maintain a steady level of energy and can better adapt to exercising in a hot environment.  

TVS has a weather station on campus that monitors ambient temperature, relative humidity, wind speed, and direct solar radiation from the sun, giving us a WBGT reading.  The WBGT reading is a well-accepted measure of monitoring environmental conditions during exercise.  Established WBGT guidelines dictate modification of outdoor activity (work:rest ratio, hydration breaks, level of equipment worn and length of exposure) which play a huge role in helping prevent heat-related illness.  All official readings will come from the Perry Weather Station located on the practice fields west of the stadium press box.  The following guidelines will be monitored and followed by all TVS Athletics and PE Classes.   

This policy was created from the Korey Stringer Institute for Heat-Illness and position statements from the National Athletic Trainers Association. 

WBGT Reading	Practice Conditions		Game Conditions
Green Zone    <82.0	Normal Activities Make water available to all participants.  Provide 3 breaks per hour of activity		No Modifications Recommended
Yellow Zone  82.1 - 86.9	Be advised of conditions Make water available to all participants Minimum 3 breaks per hour at least 4 min long		No Modifications Recommended
Orange Zone 87.1-90.0	Maximum practice time is 2 hours Minimum 4 breaks per hour, 5 min long 1 break per hour in the shade Football - Shells only, if WBGT rises to this level during a practice may keep full pads on		Advise water breaks during the game as the sport allows.
Red Zone 90.1-91.9	Maximum practice time 1 hour 2:1 work/rest ratio – i.e. 10 min work, 5 min break;  Minimum two breaks per hour in the shade Football - Helmets only		MS - Additional water breaks or shorten halves as sport allows   US - Advise water breaks during the game as the sport allows.
Black Zone >92.0	Walkthrough activities only allowed; no running, no protective gear. Maximum time 1 hour Should move indoors or to shaded area as available.		MS - Play at AD discretion    US - Require water breaks or shorten halves

*Modifications can be made to practice plans at AT & AD Discretion 

Trinity Valley School uses Perry Weather Services for detection of lightning and other life-threatening weather. TVS has an outdoor warning system which will alert the School of impending danger of lightning strikes by an audible horn and flashing light. It is recommended that all individuals who plan to be outside during the school day track and watch the weather for potential dangerous storms.

Common sense should prevail; don’t wait to be notified. The below catchphrases should be used to improve safety:
“When Thunder Roars, Head Indoors" or “If You See It, Flee It”

Lightning Information – Lightning can strike and kill a victim as far as six miles away. To decrease the chance of a lightning injury here on campus, we have set up a 10-mile radius to notify and advise all individuals to seek shelter. Due to the risk that lightning can strike in any direction, a 30-minute all clear countdown clock will start when there are no detectable strikes within the 10-mile radius of TVS. All of this information will be tracked and notified to you through the Perry Weather Services.

Ultimately, if you see it, flee it; don’t wait to be notified.

Appropriate Shelter – In the event that lightning strikes within the 10-mile radius of campus, all individuals should seek out a safe shelter location. Safe shelters areas have four walls and a roof and are plumbed and wired for electricity. A school bus or car is also an appropriate safe shelter as long as the occupant stays away from the windows. Un-safe shelters include the TVS Athletics Pavilion, TVS dugouts, or under freestanding objects.

Notification of Campus – There are three ways in which the campus will be notified of potentially dangerous storms:

1)Outdoor warning siren with flashing light – An audible horn will blow one 3-second burst to announce that a lightning strike has occurred within 10 miles of campus.
2)Text notification – When strikes are detected within 20, 15, and 10 miles, texts will be sent to the athletic director, athletic trainers, outdoor coaches, and Security.
3)Email – All division directors, administrative assistants, Athletics staff, Security and Xplore director will receive an email when strikes are detected within 10 miles of campus.

These notifications will alert appropriate TVS personnel that lightning has struck within the 10-mile radius of campus, and it is no longer safe to be outside.

Alerting Faculty, Staff & Students During Regular School Hours – Once the campus is alerted that there has been a strike with in the 10-mile radius, the following actions should be taken:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Alerting Spectators of Sporting or Other Outdoor Events – When outdoor events are scheduled and there is a possibility of storms, event organizers should be cognizant of the weather and monitor it closely. In the event a lighting strike is detected within the 10-mile radius of campus when an outdoors event is taking place, the following actions should occur:

Athletic Event	School Fair, Concert, etc.	TOE Activity
Once the audible horn is detected, the TVS athletic trainer or athletic director will notify the appropriate coaches and officials of the impending danger and suspend play until the all-clear is given. This person will advise all players and spectators to seek appropriate shelter in one of the gyms or their school bus. TVS Security will help clear the stands and parking lots of spectators.	Once the audible horn is detected, TVS Security will alert the event organizer of the impending danger as well as make announcements to the participants of the outdoor event. Security will advise all participants to seek appropriate shelter until the all-clear is given.	Once the audible horn is detected, TOE leaders will notify their group of the impeding danger and seek appropriate shelter. TOE will monitor weather appropriate to the location.

 

All Clear – Perry Weather Service will monitor the storm and lightning strikes. Once there are no strikes detected with in the 10-mile radius for 30 minutes, a second “All Clear” email or text will be sent to the appropriate individuals. At this time is safe for students to participate in outside activities.

An announcement will be made over the intercom system to event organizers or athletic participants: “It is now safe to resume outside activities.”

Common sense should prevail to improve safety.
“When Thunder Roars, Head Indoors”

Cold exposure can be uncomfortable, impair performance, and even become life threatening. Conditions created by cold exposure include frostbite, chilblains, and hypothermia. Wind chill can make activity uncomfortable and can impair performance when muscle temperature declines. Frostbite is the freezing of superficial tissues, usually of the face, ears, fingers, and toes. Chilblains are painful inflammation of skin blood vessels as a response to repeated exposure to wet environments. Hypothermia, a significant drop in body temperature, occurs with rapid cooling, exhaustion, and energy depletion. The resulting failure to the temperature‐regulating mechanisms constitutes a medical emergency. Exposure to cold air can also exacerbate conditions for those persons with asthma.

Clothing is one of the most important parts of keeping the athlete’s body warm. Athletes should dress in layers and try to stay dry. Layers can be added or removed depending on temperature, activity, and wind chill. Athletes should layer themselves with wicking fabric next to the body, followed by lightweight pile or wool layers for warmth. Athletes should use a wind-block garment to avoid wind chill during workouts. Heat loss from the head and hands are a major concern in cold conditions; therefore the head and hands should be covered while outside in this environment.

Cold Exposure:

• Breathing of cold air can trigger asthma attack (bronchospasm)

• Coughing, chest tightness, burning sensation in throat and nasal passage

• Reduction of strength, power, endurance, and aerobic activity

• Core body temperature reduction, causing reduction of motor output

Cold Recognition:

• Shivering, a means for the body to generate heat

• Excessive shivering contributes to fatigue, loss of motor skills

• Numbness and pain in fingers, toes, ears, and exposed facial tissue

• Drop in core temperature; athlete exhibits sluggishness, slowed speech, disoriented

The TVS Athletic Trainers have set up a cold-weather policy to determine when we should and should not allow our students and staff to be exposed to the cold weather. When considering whether it is reasonable and prudent to have our community out in the cold for practices and games, we will consider the following four factors:

1) Ambient temperature (Temp)

2) Wind chill (W.C.)

3) Precipitation and/or wet conditions (Wet)

4) Age and/or level of competition (Var, JV, MS)

TVS will use the Perry Weather Station located on campus to determine the current weather conditions.

For the safety of our community, the following modifications will be made under these conditions:

Weather Conditions	US Practice	MS Practice
> 33 Temp or W.C. & Dry	Advised of conditions, layered clothing recommended; jackets, hats & gloves as needed	Advised of conditions, layered clothing recommended; jackets, hats & gloves as needed
32-26 Temp or W.C. & Dry	Limited Practice Times 1 hour layers of clothing needed; jackets, hats & gloves strongly advised	Limited Practice Times 45 min; layers of clothing needed; jackets, hats & gloves strongly advised
<25 Temp or W.C. & Dry	No Outside Exposure	No Outside Exposure
31-35 Temp or W.C. & Precipitation	Practice limited to 45 min, layered clothing required, rain jacket or coat preferred	No Outside Exposure
< 30 Temp or W.C. & Precipitation	No Outside Exposure	No Outside Exposure
Weather Conditions	Varsity Games	Sub-Varsity Games
>30 Temp or W.C & Dry	No Changes Advised of conditions, layered clothing, jackets, hats & gloves as needed	No Changes Advised of conditions, layered clothing, jackets hats & gloves as needed
30-25 Temp or W.C. & Dry	Games played at Athletic Director’s discretion Clothing layered, jackets, hats & gloves recommended	Shorten halves (5 min less), decrease overall exposure rate Advised of conditions, jackets hats & gloves strongly advised
<25 Temp or W.C. & Dry	Games played at Athletic Director’s discretion	No Outside Exposure
>30 Temp or W.C. & Precipitation	No Changes Advised of conditions, layered clothing, rain jackets, hats & gloves recommended when appropriate **	Shorten halves(5 min less), decrease overall exposure rate Advised of conditions, layered clothing, jackets, hats & gloves strongly advised**
<30 Temp or W.C. & Precipitation or <15 Temp or W.C. & Dry	Only Conference games played at Athletic Director’s discretion - Additional layered clothing strongly advised	No Outside Exposure

**Supplemental Heat provided on benches under advised temperature.**

Over-the-counter medication will only be distributed to student athletes at the time of an injury or when the athletic trainer deems appropriate. Students seeking daily dosage of any over-the-counter medications should consult their physician.

Taping and bracing can be used for preventative measures, for acute injury, and during post-injury rehabilitation. Taping is usually done at the discretion of the TVS athletic trainers, or by written request from a physician treating the injury. Injuries should not be expected to be alleviated by taping alone. Appropriate treatment and rehabilitation should be done under the direction of the athletic trainers.

Taping or the use of ankle braces is not required for participation in an TVS sport. However, it is recommended during participation for athletes that have previous history of ankle injuries of chonic ankle instability. There are many options for supportive ankle braces on the market. Each athlete may choose to buy their own, or ankle braces are available from the TVS athletic training department for $30 per pair.

For sports in which mouth guards are required (football, field hockey, lacrosse), the TVS athletic trainers will provide each athlete one at the beginning of the season. Replacement mouth guards will be provided thereafter for $1.00 each.