MRSA

With the spring sports season beginning, here are fifteen ways sports parents can help their young athlete be safe and injury-free.

MRSA skin infections are hard to spot, often misdiagnosed as heat rash, razor burn, spider bites, ingrown hair or pimples.  Don't think MRSA skin infections are serious? Ask former wrestler, Chris Bettinski, who almost lost his leg - and his life- to MRSA.

 

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Of the estimated 715,000 high school sports-related injuries which are sustained by youth athletes each year, many, such as sprains, strains, fractures and concussions, are hard to prevent.  Some sports injuries, however, including bacterial skin infections like Community-Acquired Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus (CA-MRSA), impetigo and folliculitis, are preventable if athletes, coaches, and parents take certain precautions, including hand washing with antibacterial gel or wipes containing CHG.

With spring sports beginning for over 40 million young athletes,  the National Athletic Trainers' Association (NATA) has ten tips for parents, coaches, and administrators to help prevent injuries and ensure a safe and successful season.

Given the apparent rise in the number of outbreaks in the nation's schools of communicable skin conditions, such as methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus and with the 2014-2015 wrestling season beginning, parents, coaches and wrestlers need to remember the relatively simple steps that can be taken to avoid the spread of such diseases.