Breathing with adequate ventilation

The next priority is to assess the player’s breathing. It is important to determine the respiratory rate and to check for equal expansion of the chest wall. A brief palpation of the chest wall at this time will reveal any areas of crepitus or tenderness. It is unlikely that a player will sustain an immediately life-threatening injury on the pitch but if respiratory distress is identified a further assessment is required.

The more detailed assessment of breathing will normally take place in the medical room or ambulance where inspection of the thorax, respiratory rate, expansion, percussion, auscultation, and examination for tracheal deviation or cyanosis are undertaken.

Life threatening conditions should be identified, and appropriate immediate treatment delivered if trained to do so, appropriate help is summoned urgently or the player is taken at the earliest opportunity to the appropriate secondary care facility/hospital. This is discussed in detail in the Breathing and Chest Trauma chapter. All players with critical injury or illness should be provided with oxygen in the pre hospital environment using a non-rebreathe (trauma) mask with high flow oxygen (10-15L/min).