Sports Medicine is a Health and PE elective offered here at THS. The focus of this particular class is the care, treatment, and prevention of athletic injuries. Though in many cases the class goes well beyond that basic description. Students will not only learn anatomy, and proper techniques for treating injuries sustained during physical activity, but they also receive their First Aid certification and they have even partnered with Frederick Health services to become certified in the administration of Narcan (a treatment for people who have overdosed on narcotics).

There is no prerequisite for the course and any students in grades 10-12 may sign up for the class. The class is considered a college level course based on the workload and the higher level material covered in the class, though college credit is not yet available. The class is a mixture of traditional classroom learning as well as a lot of hands-on activities as well. One such activity requires the students to sculpt the bones and ligaments of the human foot. 

This activity allows the students to do more than just look at a diagram in a book. As students sculpt the different parts of the foot, they gain a deeper knowledge of how the bones and tendons work together and they develop a greater understanding of the physical structures of the foot. Such knowledge is crucial to diagnose and treat injuries that commonly occur in this region as a result of impact, twisting, or other sorts of trauma. As you can see the students not only learned a great deal, they also made some pretty impressive sculptures!

If you are have an interest in sports medicine, as a career or just as an interest, consider signing up for Sports Medicine next year. You will learn a lot, you will have fun, and you just may save a life someday because of your experiences in this class!