We’ve all seen players fall over. But what happens if they don’t get up?

Sudden collapse is often the first sign of sudden cardiac arrest (SCA). Unfortunately, understanding and awareness of this medical emergency is poor – which can lead to misdiagnosis, incorrect treatment and, ultimately, death.

In the UK alone, 12 young people die from SCA every week.

The cause? An underlying heart condition. A common misconception is that cardiac issues only affect the elderly or overweight. However, in sport, those most at risk are under 35 and appear healthy.

Football has been particularly affected by SCA.

In part, this is due to the scale of engagement: as the nation’s favourite sport, millions of young people participate every year. During 2017 alone, at least six individuals experienced an SCA whilst training for or playing football.

Whether you play, work or volunteer in the game, you need to be prepared. 

If you want to know more, check out the digital module ‘Sudden cardiac arrest: recognise and respond’. This learning takes around 45 minutes to complete and will accredit you with one hour of CPD. To get started, click here – you can then either register or use your FA number to login.