Medical Kit Bag

Medical kit bag or "Physio Kit bag" plays a vital role when it comes to a Sports Physio without which the therapist is considered incomplete during On-field Physio.


So what’s is it with this bag??

A Kit bag is the first thing that comes into your mind when you see any On- field Physio. Any injury during the game, the Physio runs in with the kit and it contains all the necessary first aid materials required for the management of the injury. Since it’s usually an emergency situation that the Physio enters to handle the player or athlete it’s an absolute necessity that the bag is well organized so that the therapist finds it easy to access.
 It should be big and durable, it should withstand all the wear and tear. The Physio should make sure that the bag is refilled then and there, for example if a tape is over it has to be replaced with a new one immediately.

A Physio bag should be well equipped for all the first aid management for any injury for the player on and off field. The Physio bag should be easy to carry, should be well organized, and should contain many compartments, durable for all the wear and tear.

 

( Pictures courtesy Mr.Ralph - sports physio)

The basic contents of a physio bag are:

Sprays
lotions
ointments and creams.
cotton roll
plasters
 tapes
moisturizer
petroleum jelly
absorbent gauze
Triangular bandage
crepe bandage
ice bag
hot bag
Scissors
oils etc,.

Let us see them in detail,

• Adhesive bandages (band-aids, sticking plasters) - can include ones shaped for particular body parts, such as knuckles.
• Dressings (sterile, applied directly to the wound)
• Sterile eye pads
• Sterile gauze pads
• Sterile non-adherent pads, containing a non-stick teflon layer
• Petrolatum gauze pads, used as an occlusive ( air-tight) dressing for sucking chest wounds, as well as a non-stick dressing
• Bandages (for securing dressings, not necessarily sterile)
• Gauze roller bandages - absorbent, breathable, and often elastic
• Elastic bandages - used for sprains, and pressure bandages
• Adhesive, elastic roller bandages (commonly called 'Vet wrap') - very effective pressure bandages and durable, waterproof bandaging
• Triangular bandages - used as slings, tourniquets, to tie splints, and many other uses
• Butterfly closure strips - used like stitches to close wounds, usually only included for higher level response as can seal in infection in uncleaned wounds.
• Saline-used for cleaning wounds or washing out foreign bodies from eyes
• soap - used with water to clean superficial wounds once bleeding is stopped
• Antiseptic wipes or sprays for reducing the risk of infection in abrasions or around wounds. Dirty wounds must be cleaned for antiseptics to be effective.
• Burn dressing, which is usually a sterile pad soaked in a cooling gel
• Adhesive tape, hypoallergenic
• Hemostatic agents may be included in first aid kits, especially military or tactical kits, to promote clotting for severe bleeding.
• Trauma shears for cutting clothing and general use
• Scissors are less useful but often included
• Tweezers, for removing splinters amongst others.
• Lighter for sanitizing tweezers or pliers etc.
• Alcohol pads for sanitizing equipment, or unbroken skin. This is sometimes used to debride wounds, however some training authorities advise against this as it may kill cells which bacteria can then feed on
• Irrigation syringe - with catheter tip for cleaning wounds with sterile water, saline solution, or a weak iodine solution. The stream of liquid flushes out particles of dirt and debris.
• Torch (also known as a flashlight)
• Instant-acting chemical cold packs
• Alcohol rub (hand sanitizer) or antiseptic hand wipes
• Thermometer
• Space blanket (lightweight plastic foil blanket, also known as "emergency blanket")
• Penlight
• Cotton swab
• Cotton wool, for applying antiseptic lotions.
• Safety pins, for pinning bandages.

Some tablets under doctor prescription.

• Paracetamol (also known as Acetaminophen) is one of the most common pain killing medication, as either tablet or syrup
• Anti-inflammatory painkillers such as Ibuprofen, Naproxen or other NSAIDs can be used as part of treating sprains and strain