As a coach, you�re likely the first on the scene when one of your athletes falls ill or suffers an injury on the field of play. Are you prepared to respond? What exactly is expected of you�by your athletes, their parents, and the law?

Newly revised and updated to reflect the latest research and best practices put forth by the American Heart Association and the American Safety and Health Institute, this fourth edition of Sport First Aid provides high school, collegiate, and club sport coaches with detailed action steps for the care and prevention of more than 110 athletic injuries and illnesses.

Organized for quick reference, Sport First Aid covers protocols for conducting emergency action steps and providing life support; performing the physical assessment; administering first aid for bleeding, tissue damage, and unstable injuries; moving an injured athlete; and returning athletes to play.

Also featured are the most recent guidelines for using cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), the Heimlich maneuver, and automated external defibrillators (AED) as well as the latest information on controlling bleeding, treating concussions, and preventing and recognizing methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus infections (MRSA).

An expanded section on anabolic steroids and performance-enhancing drugs assists coaches in recognizing the effects of performance enhancers and in educating their athletes on the dangers of steroid use. To prevent injuries from occurring in the first place, strategies for reducing athletes� risk of injury or illness are also featured, such as implementing preseason conditioning programs, creating safe playing environments, planning for weather emergencies, ensuring proper fitting and use of protective equipment, enforcing proper sport skills and safety rules, and developing a medical emergency plan.

Sport First Aid is a potentially lifesaving resource that you and your coaching staff can rely on to make smart decisions when encountering emergency situations with your athletes.