Sports Medicine Advisory Committee

Minutes
September 4, 2002 • 7 p.m.
FHSAA Headquarters
Gainesville, Florida


The SMAC met on Wednesday, September 4, 2002, at 7 PM in the FHSAA Office, Gainesville. Members present: Dr. Jeff Matilsky, Gainesville; Dr. Douglas McDonald, Gainesville; Dr. Michael T. Reilly, St. Petersburg; Dr. Chris Stowers, Tallahassee; Mrs. Mary B. Walker, Fernandina Beach; and Mr. David Wilson, Lincoln High School, Tallahassee. Those unable to attend were Dr. James W. Berk, Gainesville and Dr. George Caldwell, Fort Lauderdale. Also in attendance were Ron Allen and Denarvise Thornton, representing the FHSAA. Leonard Ireland, General Counsel to FHSAA and Dr. Juhan Mixon, FHSAA Tallahassee Lobbyist.

After welcome and housekeeping announcements were made, the Committee’s attention was focused on following up recommendations of the last meeting of January 8, 2002. Specifically, the Committee addressed recommendations related to the state statute addressing the pre-participation evaluation form.

Recommendation #1 from January 2002, addressed whether or not a pre-participation evaluation should be conducted annually. The Committee felt that this was not a burning issue at this time and tabled this recommendation for later discussion.

Recommendation #2: Dealt with the verbiage of “minimal standards” as depicted in the state statutes. Dr. Mixon will be forwarding to the FHSAA Office recommended changes in verbiage addressing “minimal standards”.

Recommendation #3 of the January 2002 meeting addressed verbiage dealing with “someone under the direct supervision of the practitioner”, being allowed to sign the pre-participation evaluation form. Since the January 2002, meeting, this issue is no longer a problem as the proper signees have been identified in subsequent documents; specifically, MD’s, DA’s, MA’s, DO’s and DC’s.

Recommendation #4 from the January 2002 meeting is no longer an issue as the verbiage calling for a referral form to a specialist has been removed from the Statutes’ latest edition.

Recommendation #5 from the January 2002 meeting addressed verbiage, “subsequent EKG”. Counselor Ireland is reviewing this verbiage, and he will submit to the FHSAA Office recommended verbiage, hopefully to correct misleading and nebulous wording. Mr. Ireland will also submit recommended changes to Senate Bill 15558, addressing “assessment indicates that an abnormality will not place a student at risk during participation”.

The Committee felt that the above referenced changes are paramount by the fact that many physicians around the state are becoming more and more reluctant to become involved in conducting pre-participation evaluations upon reading the current state statutes. Many physicians, according to committee members, feel they are placing themselves at risk by the verbiage now in place.

It was understood by all that the state law is in place and that the FHSAA is obligated to meet the mandates of the law as now written, and that the next session will not occur until March, 2003, It is hopeful that through the efforts of Dr. Mixon and the Committee, changes could be brought about for the March, 2003 session that are more palatable to the Sports Medicine Advisory Committee and the physicians of Florida.

The specific recommendation to the Board of Directors is that the above addressed recommended changes be made in the verbiage of the State Statute Senate Bill 15558.

Other topics discussed with no action taken:

a) Weight management for the sport of wrestling

b) Definition of team physician

c) The use of mouth guards

d) Nutritional supplements

e) Participation in athletics by persons who suffer from asthma; the recent publication of the second annual Sports Medicine Handbook and the three additions to the handbook dealing with asthma; a female athlete triad and fluid replacement

f) Concern for eating disorders among athletes

g) The use of inhalers and dispensing medications, the report provided by Dr. Fred Mueller, University of North Carolina and specifically eye injuries, heat related injuries, swimming and pole vault injuries were identified as areas of concern

h) The new rules pertaining to the pole vault event in Track and Field. The required new rules in 2002-2003, specifically, increasing the size of the landing pit, requiring a common pit cover for individual bales comprising the landing pit and a box collar for the vaulting box

i) The topic of pole vaulters wearing helmets was also a topic of future concern and interest

j) Concern expressed nationwide about the added risk and liability created by non-traditional football seasons, i.e. spring football

k) Topic of energy or sport drinks and problems related to these drinks due to the fact there is no FDA or TFC regulations, which has produced a “buyer beware” situation.

l) Unconscious athletic participants returning to competition also is a topic for future review.

m) The overuse of softball pitchers appears to be a national concern and there is increased concern within the medical community relating to an apparent increase in injuries to pitchers caused by overuse and the pitching mechanics.

The meeting adjourned at 9:05 p.m.