Club Education Workshops

A player who has sustained a head trauma during training or match play needs to be screened for a concussion. In this course we look at the response to a head injury and what the procedure is after this. We give you advice on literature and how your club/school etc can document the procedure for the benefit and safety of all. 

(10 part course)

It has been shown that physical activity can be an effective treatment for a variety of neurological conditions. After completion of this course, the student will have a better understanding of the effects of exercise on the brain and neurological system, be able to conduct a clinical assessment of players presenting with neurological symptoms and more. 

(12 part course)

In international championships, approximately 13% of all injuries were classified as head and neck injuries. This is because in rare cases, these injuries are potentially serious and can lead to a prolonged course of treatment or have catastrophic consequences. Football is generally not considered to be a high-risk sport. In international championships (1998 to 2012), approximately 13% of all injuries were classified as head and neck injuries. 

(12 part course)

We all have mental health, like we all have physical health. Both change throughout our lives.The WHO defines mental health as “a state of well-being in which every individual realises his or her own potential, can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively and fruitfully, and is able to make a contribution to her or his community”. Rather than being viewed as a “disorder”, mental health should be regarded as a continuum with mental well-being at the one end and severe mental disorders at the other. 

(13 part course)

There are a variety of infectious diseases which commonly occur in a football setting. Playing football, and physical activity in general, has an effect on a player’s immune status. This effect is directly related to the amount and intensity of training. This must be considered when developing a team’s training programme. Too much load may compromise immunity and lead to illness.

(16 part course)

Physical inactivity is a very significant public health problem. We are becoming increasingly sedentary and more obese. This has obvious health implications. Physical activity is an important health intervention. Playing football for 45-60 minutes two or three times a week has been shown to markedly improve cardiovascular and musculoskeletal function. It is also associated with improved psychological well-being and mental health. These changes occur irrespective of the level of training, experience of the game, gender and age. 

(6 part course)

In this module, we will discuss some of the most common respiratory conditions seen in football players It is well established that various medical conditions and illnesses, especially respiratory tract symptoms, affect elite athletes while they are travelling to and competing in international competitions. 1-3 These medical conditions most commonly affect the ear, nose and throat, respiratory tract, dermatological system, central nervous system and gastrointestinal system. 

(11 part course)

Athletes suffering from diabetes mellitus range from recreational athletes to competitive athletes. Diabetes mellitus is a chronic endocrine disorder characterised by hyperglycaemia resulting from either defects in insulin secretion, insulin action, or both. Regular physical activity and participation in team sports from a young age have been associated with reduced macrovascular complications in type-1 diabetes and a delay in the onset of type-2 diabetes.

(13 part course)

While sports participation, including football, is a safe and enjoyable activity for the vast majority of individuals it can be potentially harmful for some people. There are a number of cardiac conditions that can predispose people to sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) and sudden cardiac death (SCD). These are frequently asymptomatic and as a result not identified in the athlete. In addition, secondary factors associated with sports activity such as electrolyte disturbances (particularly hypokalaemia and hypomagnesaemia), drug abuse, (over) activity of the autonomic nervous system and psychosocial factors which may trigger sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) or even sudden cardiac death (SCD) need to be considered.

(16 part course)

The majority of athletes presenting to a sports medicine clinic have a musculoskeletal condition. While this is typically related to trauma, a reasonable percentage of these patients have pain that is related to either an inflammatory condition or another medical problem. It is not uncommon for patients to relate their pain to an injury.

(10 part course)

Sudden Cardiac Arrest (SCA) is the leading cause of sudden death in footballers on the field-of-play (FoP). It is typically the result of an undiagnosed structural or electrical cardiovascular disease. The infrequent yet regular occurrence of SCA during football can often be prevented through cardiovascular screening, and if necessary, effectively treated by immediate cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and automated external defibrillator (AED) use.  

(13 part course)

There are a variety of relatively minor complaints that commonly occur on the touchline – or present in the dressing room – which are not considered in the other modules in this course. These conditions include the management of blisters, muscle cramps and minor bleeding. While quite minor, each of these problems can cause significant morbidity and prevent a player from reaching their potential or participating in the game they love.

(11 part course)

Significant medical and orthopaedic emergencies are relatively rare in a football environment. They do, however, occur and clinicians and event organisers must be prepared to manage these conditions. An awareness of the more common conditions and a plan to manage these appropriately is essential.

(11 part course)

Football is a global game. As a result, it is played in a wide range of environmental conditions. These factors can both affect a player’s performance and make them more likely to become unwell. This module will focus on four common environmental factors and how they may impact on football. These factors relate to extremes of temperature (both hot and cold), altitude and lightning.

(11 part course)

Radiology plays an important role in the investigation of many sports medicine injuries. The most widely ordered studies include X-rays and ultrasound scans. X-rays are the simplest modality for defining bony injuries, while ultrasound enables assessment of many soft-tissue structures including muscles, tendons and ligaments. In general terms, these investigations are complementary and an ultrasound scan should not be ordered in isolation. 

(11 part course)

Football is the most widely played sport in the world, with over 265 million men and women participating in the sport. Injuries in football are unfortunately exceedingly common. They occur more frequently in younger players, with 80% of injuries occurring in players under the age of 24 and 44% of injuries occurring in players under the age of 15.

(13 part course)

The foods and drinks that a player chooses in training and competition will affect performance. All players need to be aware of their personal nutritional goals and of how they can select an eating strategy to meet those goals. Every player is different, and there is no single diet that meets the needs of all players at all times. Individual needs also change across the season and players must be flexible to accommodate this.

(11 part course)

Medical support staff (usually doctors, physiotherapists and athletic trainers) at all levels of the game of football need to be prepared to manage a range of medical and musculoskeletal complaints. To do this they need to be equipped with adequate equipment including diagnostic, treatment and communication aides. These need to be readily accessible to allow the identification and management of medical conditions that may arise on or around the football field or when travelling with a team.

(13 part course)

All football tournaments, like the FIFA World Cup™, require a large amount of planning and preparation. In addition to the hundreds of elite athletes involved in these events, there are also hundreds of support staff and thousands of supporters. Each of these groups present unique challenges regarding the effective and efficient provision of medical services.

(15 part course)

One of the challenges of modern football and the international game is the need to play in different cities and countries around the world and in different time zones. There is also the matter of providing medical care for athletes in a new and foreign environment. To be able to do this effectively requires careful planning.

(12 part course)

Before players start participating in any sport, they should be medically examined to ensure that they are sufficiently healthy to cope with the demands of training and playing. Therefore, medical assessments aimed at risk factor and disease detection are generally advocated by physicians and sports organisations. The aims of the pre-competition assessment are to prevent harm and to identify potentially significant medical conditions that might make playing football dangerous. 

(11 part course)

FIFA has zero tolerance to doping and is committed to ensuring that football is clean. FIFA wants to uphold the values of fair play, to protect the health of players and the image of the sport as well as comply with the domestic laws of the host country during the transportation of medical supplies across borders. In football, approximately 30,000 tests are conducted annually with only 0.3% of them being positive cases. More than 85% of these cases are due to ingestion of supplements tainted with banned substances or party drugs. 

(14 part course)