During this session, I spent 1.5 hours in the training clinic before the training session providing treatment to any players that required it. This session, a player game in for an assessment of the knee, they had been hit in a tackle which had resulted in swelling and inflammation of the knee. Due to the swelling and inflammation and the injury having just occurred it was difficult to determine what the injury was, although tests for menisci, ligament damage, joint line tenderness, and potential bursa inflammation, the results could be false due to the pain, tenderness, and swelling that has occurred. The best option for this situation was to apply ice and heat at 15-minute intervals to create the hunting response of vasoconstriction and vasodilation.  However, the player was asked to return for a proper assessment when the swelling had gone down and if the pain increases, the swelling and inflammation doesn’t go away and they are still unable to walk normally, to go to the hospital and get it checked. 

Areas for improvement:

During this session, I don’t feel as though I had any areas for improvement. I knew what signs the player was displaying and why I could not trust the results of the tests that had been done due to the injury being acute, swelling and inflammation that was occurring. I got the player to use principles of P.O.L.I.C.E by adding ice to the injury and advised them to seek further medical attention if the symptoms did not improve. I also asked the player to return to the training clinic when the symptoms had decreased and the tests could be performed getting more reliable results.

Returning to reflection:

The player returned to the training clinic at a later date and informed us that the bursa has been inflamed to help protect the joint during further injury. The subjective and objective assessment was performed again and all special tests were repeated to ensure that no other injuries were being presented and all tests were negative showing no signs or symptoms of any other injuries.