CIC Safety & Injury Prevention 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What does the acronym PRICE stand for in initial management of acute musculoskeletal injuries?
- Prevention, Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation
- Protection, Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation (Correct answer)
- Prevention, Recovery, Icing, Circulation, Exercise
- Protection, Reduction, Immobilization, Circulation, Elevation
Correct answer: Protection, Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation
PRICE (Protection, Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation) is the standard first-aid protocol for acute soft-tissue injuries to reduce swelling and pain.
Question 2: Under NFHS guidelines, which of the following constitutes an absolute contraindication for an athlete to participate with a single paired organ (e.g., one kidney)?
- Participation is never allowed under any circumstance
- The athlete must receive written clearance from a physician and may still be disqualified by the physician (Correct answer)
- The coach has final authority to allow participation after parental consent
- Only contact sports are restricted; non-contact sports are fully permitted
Correct answer: The athlete must receive written clearance from a physician and may still be disqualified by the physician
Athletes with a single paired organ require physician clearance, and the physician may still advise against participation depending on the sport's contact level and risk.
Question 3: A basketball player rolls her ankle and experiences immediate swelling and inability to bear weight. The Ottawa Ankle Rules suggest she should:
- Apply ice and resume practice after 20 minutes if pain subsides
- Be evaluated by a medical professional to rule out fracture (Correct answer)
- Tape the ankle and continue with modified activity
- Perform range-of-motion exercises to reduce swelling
Correct answer: Be evaluated by a medical professional to rule out fracture
The Ottawa Ankle Rules indicate that inability to bear weight and swelling near bony prominences are criteria suggesting possible fracture, requiring radiographic evaluation.
Question 4: When designing conditioning programs to prevent overuse injuries in youth athletes, coaches should prioritize:
- Maximizing training volume year-round to build fitness
- Periodization with scheduled rest periods and progressive overload (Correct answer)
- Specializing in sport-specific skills from an early age
- Competing in as many events as possible to improve performance
Correct answer: Periodization with scheduled rest periods and progressive overload
Periodization structures training with planned rest and progressive load increases, reducing overuse injury risk by allowing adequate recovery between training phases.
Question 5: A coach suspects a javelin has struck the ground and rebounded toward spectators. This scenario highlights which safety principle?
- Facility inspection protocols
- Restricted zones and spectator placement during throwing events (Correct answer)
- Equipment certification standards
- Athlete supervision ratios
Correct answer: Restricted zones and spectator placement during throwing events
Adequate restricted zones and proper spectator placement are essential safety measures during throwing events to protect non-participants from rebounding or misdirected implements.
Question 6: Which condition requires a coach to immediately stop practice and seek emergency medical care, regardless of the athlete's insistence on continuing?
- Mild muscle cramps in the calf
- An athlete displaying signs of exertional heat stroke (Correct answer)
- A minor contusion with localized swelling
- Delayed-onset muscle soreness from previous practice
Correct answer: An athlete displaying signs of exertional heat stroke
Exertional heat stroke is a life-threatening emergency requiring immediate whole-body cooling and emergency medical care; athletes cannot self-assess this condition reliably.
Question 7: What is the primary role of a coach during a medical emergency before EMS arrives?
- Diagnosing the athlete's medical condition
- Providing basic first aid within their training level and coordinating with medical staff (Correct answer)
- Administering prescription medications from the athletic trainer's kit
- Deciding whether to transport the athlete personally to the hospital
Correct answer: Providing basic first aid within their training level and coordinating with medical staff
Coaches should provide first aid within their scope of training, maintain calm, keep bystanders clear, and ensure EMS has access to the athlete.
CIC Safety & Injury Prevention 3
What does the acronym PRICE stand for in initial management of acute musculoskeletal injuries?