IC 10-2025 Sideline Decision Making One Makes in the Heat of Battle on Game Day: Times are Changing! What Every Team Physician Should Know Now (CME)-IC 10-2025 Sideline Decision Making One Makes in the Heat of Battle on Game Day: Times are Changing! What Every Team Physician Should Know Now (CME)

IC 10-2025 Sideline Decision Making One Makes in the Heat of Battle on Game Day: Times are Changing! What Every Team Physician Should Know Now (CME)

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Video Summary

This comprehensive discussion among experienced team physicians emphasizes the complex role of sports medicine professionals in managing athlete health, return-to-play decisions, and the evolving challenges posed by factors like Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) agreements. Key points include the critical importance of building trust-based relationships with athletes, athletic trainers, and coaches to ensure effective communication and athlete safety. The physicians highlight that trust is developed over time through consistent engagement beyond injury situations.<br /><br />Return-to-play decisions are portrayed as a delicate balance of art and science, particularly on game day, where pressure from athletes, coaches, families, and legal concerns converge. Physicians must weigh short- and long-term health risks against performance goals, often navigating ambiguous standards of care. Clear documentation and established chain-of-command protocols are vital.<br /><br />Clinically, the discussion focuses on lower and upper extremity injuries common in sports such as football and basketball. Detailed analysis is provided on foot and ankle conditions including ankle sprains, high ankle sprains, various stress fractures, midfoot injuries like Lisfranc sprains, and turf toe, with emphasis on injury stability, imaging, treatment options (surgical vs. conservative), and criteria for safe return to play. The use of NSAIDs and Toradol for pain and inflammation management is addressed cautiously, advising minimal effective dosing and thorough athlete education to mitigate risks.<br /><br />Upper extremity topics include acute shoulder injuries (dislocations, AC and SC joint issues), elbow and wrist injuries (triceps tears, scaphoid fractures, thumb UCL tears), local anesthetic injections for pain relief, and the importance of sport-specific functional assessments. Surgical interventions are sometimes necessary for optimal return timelines.<br /><br />Overall, the dialogue underscores the evolving nature of sports medicine, the need for multidisciplinary collaboration, ongoing education, and meticulous risk-benefit discussions tailored to the athlete’s career stage and goals. The integration of new challenges like NIL and transfer portals requires adaptability and proactive communication to uphold athlete well-being and ethical medical practice.

Keywords

sports medicine

athlete health management

return-to-play decisions

Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL)

trust-based relationships

athletic trainers

injury assessment

foot and ankle injuries

upper extremity injuries

pain management

multidisciplinary collaboration