Timberline High School Athletics

The philosophy for working with the injured or ill athlete is that their general health and safety is of primary importance.  This does not mean that if an athlete is injured it does not excuse them from being a vital member of their team.  The athlete will be expected to follow the rehabilitation plan and return to play criteria designed for them by the athletic trainer and/or attending physician.   In consideration of the ill athlete, return to play criteria will be determined by the parent, team physicians or guidelines established by the individual physician.

Parents and Coaches will be notified when an athlete has been injured or sent home ill.  They will be informed of the nature of the injury or illness, return to play criteria, the ongoing status of the athlete and when an athlete is allowed to return to play.

INJURED ATHLETES

All Injured Athletes Will Fall Under One Of Three Injury Status Levels:

OUT 

The athlete is UNABLE TO PRACTICE!

• The injury is in the ACUTE STAGE or a REOCCURRING CHRONIC INJURY
• Athletes will be spending their time in the training room for the duration of practice
• Athletes will be undergoing treatment - Modalities and Early Stages of Rehabilitation
• Coaches and Athletes will be given guidelines for return to play

LIMITED

The athlete is RECOVERING but not physically ready to return to practice due to excessive swelling, lingering strength deficits, limited range of motion and/or persistence of acute pain

• Athletes will be present during TEAM/INDIVIDUAL MEETINGS
• Athletes will dress in Shorts/T-shirts or Sweats, and if in football, their Helmet
• Athletes will accompany the TEAM and participate in TEAM STRETCHING
• Athletes are EXPECTED TO OBSERVE PERTINENT SEGMENTS OF PRACTICE
• It is EXPECTED that athletes be DISMISSED to RETURN to the training room to continue rehabilitation during appropriate practice times
• UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES ARE ATHLETES ALLOWED TO PRACTICE!

NO CONTACT

The athlete is at a recovery stage that allows for increased physical activity

• Athletes will dress and attend practice
• Athletes will go through “Shadow Drills” (Bags, Running an offense/defense against “air”, NO CONTACT)
• Athletes WILL BE EXPECTED TO RUN/CONDITION with the team BUT at a LOWER INTENSITY
• REMEMBER THAT PAIN IS ALWAYS THE INDICATOR FOR THE ATHLETE
• Athletes ARE EXPECTED TO REHAB AFTER PRACTICE or during some other pre-arranged time with the athletic trainer

FULL RETURN

No Practice Restrictions

• Prior to returning to practice, the athlete will be tested against ESTABLISHED Return To Play Criteria
• Athlete must have EQUAL STRENGTH AND HAS PAIN FREE RANGE OF MOTION

ILL ATHLETES

Athletes will be RELEASED from practice and SENT HOME to parents with the following conditions:

A minimum temperature of 100.4 degrees

If the athlete is visibly ill: 

     Runny nose

     Red eyes

     Coughing

     Swollen tonsils

     Signs of strep throat

     If the athlete has been vomiting during the day

If the athlete shows any signs of:

     Ringworm

     Impetigo

     Herpes

In the event that the parents are not available or can not be reached, the athlete will remain in the training room under the supervision of the licensed athletic trainer until the parents have been notified and arrangements made.