Injuries are an unfortunate part of the game, but when they happen football first aid keeps your fellow players safe and puts them back on the road to recovery. There’s more to football first aid than just having a first aid kit ready on the sidelines, proper football first aid means knowing what to do as well as how to use the items in your kit.
Beyond Football: Common Sports Injuries in Australia
Australian football consistently ranks among the most injury-prone sports in the country. According to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, there were approximately 5,400 injury hospitalisations from Australian football in 2023 to 2024. The different types of football (Australian rules, rugby, touch football, and soccer) collectively contributed to 18% of all sports injury hospitalisations, totalling around 11,100 cases.
Young people between 15 and 19 years old had the highest number of football injury hospitalisations, making on-field injury protocol particularly vital for youth and community sport settings. Males aged 15 to 19 participating in Australian rules football had the highest hospitalisation rate of any demographic, at 136 hospitalisations per 100,000 people.
Minor Injuries: First Aid for Bruises and Muscle Cramps
While bruises and cramps are harmless, these common injuries in Australian football are still a nuisance and are easily treated with football first aid. Bruises happen when blood vessels under the skin break from impact, causing discolouration and tenderness. Most bruises heal on their own within one to two weeks.
Muscle cramps are painful, involuntary contractions caused by heat, dehydration, and fatigue. To provide basic first aid for a muscle cramp, have the player stop activity and rest in a cool place, drink plenty of water, and gently stretch to ease the pain and restore normal muscle function.
Sprain and Strain Treatment
A sprain is an injury to a ligament, while a strain is an injury to a muscle or tendon. Both are common in athletic injury care and both are easily treated with the same football first aid principles.
The RICE method (Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation), was the go to treatment for these injuries for sports trainers for many years, but new research has shown that ice can slow down the body’s natural healing processes. Sports medicine now recommends PEACE and LOVE as the standard for soft tissue injury management, with PEACE detailing the immediate football first aid steps, while LOVE relates to the steps for long term rehabilitation and physiotherapy.
PEACE stands for:
-
Protect: Rest the area and keep it still for the first one to three days. Avoid complete immobility or resting for longer as prolonged inactivity can a return to movement is a part of the healing process
-
Elevate: Raise the injured limb higher than the heart to minimise swelling.
-
Avoid anti-inflammatory medications: Like ice, these medications can actually slow the healing process, stick with over-the-counter painkillers instead.
-
Compression: Use compression wraps, taping, or a bandage to support the joint.
-
Educate: Speak with your doctor for advice on the next steps for your particular injury.
First Aid for Fractures and Wounds
A fracture can be anything from a small crack to a complete break of the bone. An open fracture is when the bone is visible, but suspect an invisible fracture if the player shows signs of severe pain, visible deformity, swelling, or cannot move the injured area.
Treat fractures with immobilisation and do not attempt to straighten or realign the bone yourself. Instead, keep the injured area still with a splint or a sling for arm fractures. Call an ambulance immediately for suspected fractures, especially those involving the head, neck, spine, pelvis, or thigh.
Concussion First Aid
Concussions are a traumatic brain injury caused by a bump, blow, or jolt to the head that causes the brain to rapidly bounce or twist inside the skull, causing brain damage. 96% of intracranial injury hospitalisations from Australian rules football are concussions. Symptoms of a concussion include:
-
Confusion or disorientation
-
Headache or pressure in the head
-
Dizziness or balance problems
-
Nausea or vomiting
-
Memory problems (asking the same questions repeatedly)
-
Sensitivity to light or noise
-
Feeling like they are “in a fog”
When it comes to football first aid for concussion, the first and most important step is “when in doubt, sit them out.” If you even suspect a concussion, remove the player from the field until they’ve been assessed and cleared by a doctor. Call emergency service immediately, and stay with the person while waiting to monitor their symptoms.
Heat Exhaustion & Heatstroke
Heat-related illnesses are a risk in football and any outdoor sport, but especially in Australia. Heat exhaustion is when the body loses too much fluid and salt through sweating; signs include heavy sweating, pale and clammy skin, weakness, dizziness, headache, nausea, and muscle cramps. Heatstroke is when the body can no longer regulate its temperature, and the internal temperature rises dangerously high, usually above 40 degrees Celsius; signs include hot, dry skin (sweating may have stopped), confusion, rapid pulse, seizures, and loss of consciousness.
To provide first aid for heat exhaustion:
-
Call 000 for an ambulance immediately.
-
Move the person to a cool or shady area.
-
Have them lie down and loosen any tight clothing.
-
Cool their skin by fanning and moistening with wet clothes or towels.
-
If the person is fully alert and responsive, give frequent small sips of water.
In instances of heatstroke follow the above steps, but also immerse the person in cold water up to their neck in a bath or in a cold shower if possible.
Treat injuries with a First Aid Kit
Every football club should have a well-stocked football first aid kit readily available at training and games. The right first aid items can make the difference between a minor setback and a serious problem. Make sure your football first aid kit includes:
-
Disposable gloves
-
Sterile gauze pads
-
Antiseptic wipes for cleaning cuts and abrasions
-
Adhesive bandages
-
Compression wraps and elastic bandages for sprains and strains
-
Triangular bandages for slings and support
-
Ice packs to reduce swelling
-
Scissors for cutting tape and clothing
-
Tape including sports strapping tape and microporous tape
Keep your first aid kit in an accessible location that everyone knows about. Check its contents every six months or after each use to replace any used or expired items.
Emergency Sports First Aid Course
The best way to learn football first aid skills is by completing an accredited first aid course. A first aid course teaches you not just what to do, but how to remain calm and act effectively in a real emergency. By investing in proper training, you help ensure that your club is prepared to treat injuries effectively and protect the wellbeing of everyone on your team.
FAQs
What are the Steps for CPR?
Begin CPR with 30 chest compressions followed by 2 rescue breaths at a rate of 100 to 120 compressions per minute. Continue CPR until the person responds, professional help arrives, or you are physically unable to continue.
What Should I Do For a Suspected Spinal Injury?
Keep the person still and support their head in a neutral position to its limit movement. Only move the person if they are in immediate danger, and if you must move them minimise any twisting or bending of their spine.
Does a Provide First Aid Course Include CPR Training?
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Ut elit tellus, luctus nec ullamcorper mattis, pulvinar dapibus leo.
