18/08/2020- Plymouth Albion Training- 3 hrs

First hour:

During the first hour of the session, the usual protocol occurred ensuring that all participants at the training session were checked for symptoms of covid and full PPE was worn throughout the staff while testing everyone.

The treatment room:

During the treatment part of the training session, I massaged the same player that turned up to the last treatment session to help reduce the scar tissue in the calf and increase flexibility/reduces tension. Over the 2 sessions, the tension has reduced largely and the player had noticed a difference. The size of the scar tissue had reduced visibly. This is positive as the player is responding well to treatment and therefore with the continued treatment, they will have a full recovery shortly.

The next player came in for ankle taping on both ankles to help provide stability and support while training, this player has this treatment before every training and game, and to be able to perform the taping the player wanted I was able to use the videos that we recorded last week to know how to apply the taping.

The training session:

For the final part of the session, we headed to the top pitch where the majority of the training session went smoothly. Then we had a shoulder dislocation in one of the players during the final 15 minutes of the session where the players went into a touch game.

This risk of this injury occurring may have been reduced if we didn’t have certain restrictions as a result of COVID-19. These restrictions have made it difficult to do certain training sessions like strength and conditioning due to the environment of the session. If the players had an opportunity to do specific strength and conditioning the likelihood of this injury occurred would have been reduced.

At the point of noticing the injury occur the player came over to the sidelines where the head therapist took over treatment. The next steps would be to help with the rehabilitation of the shoulder and ensure the player is at full strength and fitness before returning to play and before the season starts.

I feel like this would have been a good learning experience had one of the interns being able to take over the immediate treatment of this player however, as the head therapist did it was more of a watch and learn situation which I did not feel was beneficial to us. I hope to be involved in the rehabilitation of this player to help improve my knowledge around the subject in the coming weeks.

In this situation, I don’t believe I was given any opportunities to develop and improve, and therefore for the next session, I will try and create these opportunities more. Putting myself in situations that allow me to develop my skills with the help of those that are more experienced than I will help me to benefit more from this experience.

Next time there is an injury or incidence that ti can help with I will make sure I keep myself involved with he treatment and be part of the solution rather than just let another take over the control as I can in fact treat players for a variety of different things including initial first aid.