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BSc Sports Therapy students and lecturers from the University of Central Lancashire (UCLan) recently provided medical cover at the 2019 NatWest Gibraltar Island Games. The UCLan students and staff covered a wide variety of sports throughout the seven day event, putting their knowledge and skills to the test.
We had spoken previously to Society Member and Principal Lecturer in the School of Sport and Health Sciences at UCLan, Andy Cunningham, before the therapy team left for Gibraltar. Andy played an important role in developing the link between UCLan and the Gibraltar Island Games, as well as leading the team during the event. You can read about how the opportunity came about here.
We caught up with Andy again, along with Sheena Davis, a Society Member and UCLan Graduate Sports Therapist, now working at Therapists on the High Street as a Senior Sports Therapist and lecturing at Peter Symonds College, and who provided support throughout the week, to hear more about the experience.
In total, 23 BSc Sports Therapy students travelled to Gibraltar, along with seven Postgraduate Sports Medicine students, who are either qualified Sports Therapists or Physiotherapists. Andy also invited three UCLan Sports Journalism students and their Lecturer, who produced copy for the Games, as well as filming the Sports Therapy students in action.
Andy decided to organise the therapy team by putting each Postgraduate student in charge of a small group of Sports Therapy students, who then covered the Games in their teams. The student groups were rotated each day, which meant they could experience covering a wide variety of sports at the Games.
Sheena, who acted as a Venue Medical Manager and as the lead medical for a team of students, explained what an average day for the therapy team was like:
‘As Sports Therapists, we would always get to the venue early to set up massage tables and risk assess, usually finding a place in the shade. Organisation was key as we had to find equipment such as ice, the AED and to see if there were any other emergency services on hand.
‘We always took our first aid supplies with us and had a protocol to follow should anything occur. This was a rarity but I did have to call Andy to transport a swimmer back to the polyclinic as she had passed out after her event.
‘Throughout the day, we offered massage and emergency first aid if it was needed at the venue, which differed depending on whether it was an individual (athletics/swimming) or team sport (basketball). If it was a team sport we had students on each of the games, as these were more likely to have injuries. Otherwise we set up a hub and made it known throughout the venue and among the athletes where we were.’
Andy’s main roles were to oversee and co-ordinate the smooth running of the medical cover and manage any issues that arose. Moving from sports to sport across the island, he saw the students in action and some of the injuries and conditions they had to deal with, some different to what the students had previously seen. He said:
‘It was a brilliant experience for the students. They were all over the island looking at different sports. The cycling race finished at the top of the rock and the half marathon was on the same day. It was very hot so we had to provide a lot of medical support dealing with heatstroke. Our students were ice packing people and one or two of the athletes were quite unwell, which is something you don’t really see in the UK as it doesn’t usually get so hot.
‘There were a couple of serious injuries too, like a dislocated shoulder during a judo event, which we dealt with.’
The UCLan team also staffed a polyclinic based at the University of Gibraltar, which was used by the athletes. The Games as a whole was a useful learning tool for the students too, as they got to experience what being a Sports Therapist at a multi-sport event is really like. Andy explains:
‘The polyclinic was staffed by Medical Officers from the Gibraltar Health Authority who were Sports Medicine Doctors. Our students staffed the polyclinic alongside them and each spent a day there, so they dealt with people coming in with medical issues, as well as people needing soft tissue work and others coming in with MSK injuries.’
Reflecting on the overall experience for the students, Andy said:
‘On the whole, what the students learned was not so much clinical, like how to assess a knee or a shoulder, although that was part of it. It was more about dealing with other agencies like officials, physios from other islands, paramedics, getting to the right place, making sure they have their kit, making sure the protocols were followed. I think they learned about teamwork within multi-disciplinary teams because that’s what happens at events like the Island Games.’
Sheena added:
‘The students have gained valuable experience in working with competitive athletes and the pressure we are under to get things right in a short period of time, as well as working with parents and coaches who want the athletes to win medals.
‘The students got to practise their taping, first aid and massage skills with a qualified medical manager to guide them. My students progressed throughout the week, their communication skills improved and I saw them using different techniques they had seen from me and other staff.’
And for Sheena personally, the event proved a great experience:
‘The highlight for me personally was working in different sports. I loved working in athletics and swimming. Facing the challenge of being the only one fully qualified to deal with a medical situation has boosted my confidence, as well as the staff allowing me to lead my team at polyclinic with no other staff present.’
Feedback from the athletes and from the Games organisers about UCLan’s work during the event has been incredibly positive. Previous Island Games had not had medical cover on the scale that UCLan was able to provide and it was a welcome addition to the event. Andy said:
‘This is the first time that the Games has had a polyclinic and all this medical support too, as they’ve previously had to rely on what was available at the time. The next Games are in Guernsey and, while it’s still to be formalised, they have already approached UCLan about providing similar cover because now the bar has been set quite high.’
Editor’s Note
Congratulations to you Andy, UCLan, Sports Therapy staff, students and graduates. This was a ground-breaking venture which we hope will be a great example to other multi-sport event organisers, as to the skills and capabilities of our Graduate and Student Sports Therapists.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]