Within the next 48 hours, most of us Year 3 fencers would be boiling in tekong, and the rest of the team should be asleep, with visions of Novices dancing in their heads haha...
Am not going to write some inspiring posts cos actions speak louder than words, as the much-used cliche goes, and we've seen some pretty inspiring performances by people both within our team as well as those from other schools etc...
Rather, lets talk about hmmm battlefield first aid haha...
Now what can go wrong during competition with the body? Besides, of course, getting heavily corps-a-corpsed and landing on the nearby extension cord on the unplastroned side of the body? (Such things only happen once in a millenia, and since it already happened last year, it shouldn't happen this year)
Firstly, cramps, usually a result of not stretching. How can these be cured?
1. DO NOT apply ice cos it makes the muscle contract further and its becomes more painful.
2. Straightening the limb IS NOT the cure for cramp. Straightening the MUSCLE is. This especially applies to cramps to the calf and the upper thigh. At least some of us would probably have seen the effect of misguided cramp treatment during competitions in 2006. Suffice to say, the effect can be devastating.
3. The treatment is, straighten the muscle then massage upwards towards the heart. If one has the deep heat rub thingy, it helps too of course.
SO note: Do a proper warmup before the comp. And drink isotonic drinks etcetcetc during the comp. That's just about the best you can do.
Secondly, sprains and strains, usually a result of the joint being bent in a position which God did not intend our joints to go. This one, just use the RICE treatment
Rest
Ice
Compression
Elevation
Of course, usually only ice and compression is available during comp, so play it by ear.
Well these two are the usual two that plague me during comps haha... Of course, the list of possible injuries are endless... ranging from cuts to penetrating chest injury (say, if one trips and falls while running about holding a broken blade looking for a spare). For those, I guess you could ask our other resident first aider Atikah...
Anyway just to end off, this is a small slide show which I made of the 2005-2006 season... Just some memories yea...
So cheers all, be you NSF or student. Have a good term ahead!
Jon C
