LSU "Cans" the Bulldogs!

Recently the LSU Athletic Training Student Organization, Alpha Tau Sigma, was challenged by the University of Georgia’s Sports Medicine Club to a Food Drive Competition. The rules were to collect non-perishable food items in any manner that each organization chooses and then to donate what was collected to each school’s local food bank. LSU would donate to the Greater Baton Rouge Food Bank and UGA would donate to the Northeast Georgia Food Bank. The winner would be decided based on the weight, in pounds, of food items collected, as this is how the food banks operate. Both schools were to collect for two weeks (September 13-27) and the winner would be announced at the LSU vs. UGA football game in Athens, October 3.

In an effort to “Can” the Bulldogs, the LSU Athletic Training Students came up with many different ideas on how to collect the most food items possible. In addition to collecting in our own Athletic Training Room, we teamed up with the CHAMPS/LifeSkills program at LSU and their annual food drive, and we also invited many local high schools that have Certified Athletic Trainers to participate as well. With a total of 11 high schools collecting, we would like to offer a HUGE thank you to Denham Springs High School for collecting the most food!!

The final result…LSU WINS! With the combined efforts of all the LSU Athletic Training Students and Staff, the CHAMPS/LifeSkills Program, and the 11 local high schools, LSU was able to collect 7,417 pounds of food items! The Greater Baton Rouge Food Bank has informed us that this is equivalent to 9,889 meals! Georgia was able to collect 844 pounds, making LSU the winner of the 1st Annual LSU vs. UGA Food Drive Competition.

The LSU Athletic Training Student Organization would like to offer a big thank you to the following organizations that participated in this competition: The Greater Baton Rouge Food Bank, Jade Jenkins and all who helped with CHAMPS, Denham Springs High School, Parkview Baptist High School, Ascension Catholic High School, Central High School of Baton Rouge, The Dunham School, East Ascension High School, Istrouma High School, Plaquemine High School, St. Amant High School, St. Joseph’s High School, University Lab School, Walker High School, and White Castle High School.

We would also like to thank Troy Prevot and LUBA Workers Comp for their support as well as generous donation to the Greater Baton Rouge Food Bank.

Please read articles before and after the competition from LSU's Daily Reveille.

LSU Athletic Training Student of the Month

Congratulations to Danielle Davis! Danielle was voted on by the LSU Athletic Training Staff and Certified Graduate Assistants to be the Athletic Training Student of the Month for exemplifying great work ethic and willingness to help others in the Athletic Training Rooms. Danielle is a very hard worker that is always willing to go above and beyond her required duties. Her role as one of the Athletic Training Students that assists with the Football team definitely helps the Athletic Training Room in the Football Operations Building run smoothly on a daily basis. Danielle has previously worked with the Woman’s Basketball team, as she is in her second year in the LSU Athletic Training Education Program.

"Danielle has continued to establish herself as an up-incoming athletic trainer in terms of her level of commitment and her eagerness to learn while at Football. She has shown an interest in the rehabilitation protocols that are being created for our most recent surgery: ACL Reconstruction. The staff and Graduate Assistant Athletic Trainers have appreciated her efforts and look forward to her continuing along this path." - Shelly Mullenix, Senior Associate Athletic Trainer / Director of Wellness

The Hivamat

The Hivamat is one of the newer modalities on the market that is gaining in popularity. This modality was initially designed in Germany for lymph edema patients. The Hivamat was and continues to be very successful in treating lymph edema patients. However, in the early 1990’s the modality began to be used on orthopedic patients.

Hivamat is an acronym for the following: Histological Variable Manual Technique. It is a deep oscillation modality that promotes muscle relaxation, alleviates pain, decreases swelling, and improves range-of-motion through a direct effect on the lymphatic system. This is the only modality on the market that focuses on the micro-circulatory system in interstitial tissue. The Hivamat produces a biphasic pulsed electrostatic field with mechanical vibration. The by- products of the injury process will accumulate and block the lymph channels which causes excess edema and predispose healthy tissue in the surrounding area to secondary cell death. This unique modality helps free lymphatic blockages allowing injured tissue to flourish in a more optimal environment for healing. The biphasic electrostatic field also helps in normalizing the pH of the tissue which also helps increase the healing rate of the injured tissue.

The Hivamat has become a valuable tool for treatment and rehabilitation of our athletes. All injuries are going to present with varying problems, but a modality that has a direct effect on the lymphatic system is invaluable. The hands-on treatment approach allows the clinician to keep the valuable “touch” component to quality care. With all the benefits the Hivamat has to offer, there are still some contraindications to the use of this modality. Patients with acute infections, malignant disease states, deep vein thrombosis, pregnancy, cardiac pacemakers, and electronic implants should not be treated with this modality.*

*Physiomed

Beau Lowery, MS, PT, ATC, SCS
Associate Athletic Trainer/Physical Therapist

Louisiana State University