Per diem athletic trainers must be well-equipped to handle a broad range of medical scenarios that can arise during competition coverage. When preparing for a day of per diem athletic training in any sport, an athletic trainer needs to be ready to prepare, protect, and triage athletes for the best care. Due to the range of events that an athletic trainer may cover, their medical kit needs to be prepared for a variety of different scenarios.
Competition Preparation
As a medical provider preparing athletes for competition, stability of compression taping applications will be a common request. The amount of stability or where the athlete is in their injury timeline may be factors in what type of tape application is needed for the comfort of the athlete.
When covering a competition, many injuries from training will be addressed before the competition. To help stabilize these injuries, the most restrictive tape for stability is Leukotape, this limits range of motion and stabilizes the joint with application. It may limit the athlete’s functional ability while competing and may rip due to the tensile strength of the athlete pushing through the restriction depending on the application.
The next level of supportive tape application would be kinesiology tape, such as THERABAND Kinesiology Tape. This can provide some stability but can be personalized with how much restriction is provided. It is primarily not used to fully stabilize the body part, but it provides elastic properties that interacts with the skin, which is believed to potentially enhance proprioception (the sense of body position and movement) by stimulating cutaneous mechanoreceptors and providing mechanical support. This support is helpful in providing comfort to the athlete while they are competing.
To help with application of these tape applications, preparing the skin with Tensospray or Cramer Tuf Skin Taping Base will aid in securing the tape for the full day of competition. There is a lot of shearing, friction, and sweat involved while competing in contact sports such as wrestling or jiu jitsu. The Leukotape can be abrasive or shearing to the skin due to the strong adhesive and rigidness of the tape, after application of the adhesive spray of choice, Cramer Cover-All Tape can help buffer the shearing effects of the Leukotape and help secure it and prevent ripping.
Hygiene & Prevention Rules
Many organizations mandate short, clean nails to prevent scratching and spreading infections. Having a pair of nail clippers in your medical kit is a must have! Make sure they do not walk off with the athlete.
Treatment tables and some training surfaces must be regularly disinfected to minimize contamination. For best practices Protex Ultra Disinfectant Solution effectively kills a wide range of bacteria, viruses, and fungi including: MRSA, Norovirus, VISA, HIV-1, E.coli, Herpes, VRE, Human Coronavirus, Influenza, HBV, HBV and Salmonella. This one-step disinfectant is powerful against a broad spectrum of microorganisms, yet gentle to sensitive equipment.
For larger areas, like wrestling mat management, the Portable Electrostatic Sprayer would be the best tool to quickly and effectively clean large areas.
Weight Cutting & Hydration
While not always regulated, extreme weight cutting is usually discouraged in athletics, and some athletic events may check for severe dehydration risks. Loss of consciousness due to improper management of weight loss due to nutrition and/or hydration restriction or mismanagement can put a competitor at risk of complications during exertion. Having an Economy Pulse Oximeter, Manual Blood Pressure Kit or HealthSmart Select Digital Blood Pressure Machine, Non Touch Thermometer, and/or a Digital Scale to help measure vitals of the competitor.
Supplies to Have on Hand During Activity
The best supplies to have on hand for blood management response would be:
Hand Antiseptic and Nitrile Gloves for personal protection.
Gauze Pads provides excellent absorbency, making them ideal for cleaning, dressing, and protecting wounds.
Safetec Cut & Scrape Cleaner, convenient 2 oz “no touch” spray bottle helps eliminate mess when applied and helps prevent cross-contamination during use with multiple patients. Easy to travel and keep in your personal body medical bag.
For the medical treatment area for post-treatment or evaluation management, Skintegrity Wound Cleanser, a non-cytotoxic formula, it assures that the healing environment remains free from substances harmful to cells, promoting the body's natural regenerative processes.
Cramer Skin Lube Gel to pack the wound and help seal the active bleed.
To secure the dressing Powerflex, Ecoflex Stretch Tape, or Lightplast.
Advanced Wound Management
Turfguard Silver Wound Dressing featuring SilverSeal® technology, is an OTC, FDA-cleared sterile hydrogel patch designed for effective wound care. Infused with X-Static® chopped silver-coated fibers, this advanced dressing helps protect and promote healing for minor superficial wounds, lacerations, abrasions, and first-degree burns.
DermaClip Closure allows for quick and simple closure of surface wounds without the need for suture needles, surgical staples, and skin glues.
Liquid Skin protects from the effects of friction and from moisture.
Preparation is the Best Protection
Effective athlete care begins well before the event—with proper taping techniques, hygiene protocols, and essential supplies—and continues throughout the competition with disinfectants, monitoring tools, and wound care essentials. After the event, advanced care with the proper supplies can help prevent unnecessary visits to urgent care or the emergency room.
Being well-prepared on the sideline empowers athletic trainers to enhance performance, manage injuries, and prioritize athlete safety from start to finish.
Medical Disclaimer: The information provided on this site, including text, graphics, images, and other material are for informational purposes only and are not intended to substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other healthcare professional with any questions or concerns you may have regarding your condition.
