This course is designed as an exploration of career pathways in sports medicine. In this course students explore basic concepts in the broad areas within the National Career Clusters® Framework, as well as career options in various clusters. Students study the concepts of body organization, muscles, movement, injury assessment, soft tissue injuries, neck pain, chest and abdomen issues, and upper and lower extremity issues. Students complete projects to develop a deeper understanding of the roles these career functions play.

Course Outline

Unit 1: Body Organization

During this unit, you will learn about the following concepts:

· Anatomical position, body planes, and directional terms to describe body locations

· Joint types

· Joint actions

· Muscle locations based on origins and insertions

· How to improve movement abilities and reduce the risk of injury

Unit 2: From Muscle to Movement

During this unit, you will learn about the following concepts:

· Structural components of muscle

· Muscle contractions to joint actions

· The muscle action spectrum

· Everyday actions and specific actions in sports

· The growth of muscle fibers due to exercise

· How to increase the effectiveness of workouts

· Workout pain

· Types of joint component injuries that may lead to unhealthy pain

Unit 3: Injury Assessment

During this unit, you will learn about the following concepts:

· Contributing factors to injury

· Prevention of Injuries

· Signs and symptoms of distress in cardiovascular, respiratory, and lymph systems

· Nervous system function

· Balance and proprioception aid

· Referencing patient injuries to other professionals

· Treating patient injuries on site

Unit 4: Soft Tissue Injuries

During this unit, you will learn about the following concepts:

· Soft tissue

· Closed wounds and open wounds

· Types of maladies that involve skin, such as infections and skin conditions

· The healing process of soft tissue

· Best treatment protocols for soft tissue injuries

Unit 5: A Pain in the Neck

During this unit, you will learn about the following concepts:

· Bones of the face, head, and spine

· Actions of the muscles of face, head, and spine

· Types of injuries that occur to the face, head, and spine

· A path to recovery for injuries related to the face, head, and spine

Unit 6: Chest and Abdomen Injuries

During this unit, you will learn about the following concepts:

· Bones and ligaments of the chest and abdomen

· How to ascertain fractures and sprains in the chest and abdomen

· The location of muscles and tendons of the chest and abdomen

· The organs and their locations in the chest and abdomen

· Types of musculoskeletal injuries common in the chest and abdomen

· Types and severity of injuries to the chest and abdomen

· Assessment of the chest and abdomen

· Effective treatments based on the assessment of the chest and abdomen

Unit 7: Upper Extremity Injuries

During this unit, you will learn about the following concepts:

· Bones and landmarks of the upper extremity

· Actions of muscles on the upper extremity

· Nerves and blood vessels of the upper extremity

· Potential injuries of each of the joints of the upper extremity

· The best treatments for injuries in each of the joints of the upper extremity

Unit 8: The Lower Extremity

During this unit, you will learn about the following concepts:

· Bones, landmarks, and ligaments in the joints of the lower extremity

· Muscles and tendons that move the joints in the lower extremity

· Nerves that innervate the muscles and the blood vessels that serve the tissues of the lower limb

· Sports injuries that are common to the joints of the lower extremity

· Procedures for determining tissue injuries

· Best treatments for lower extremity injured tissues