First Aid for Collapse During Exercise
YOGYAKARTA – During exercise, athletes are at risk of collapse, a loss of consciousness due to various factors, including injury and heart failure. To ensure athlete safety, it's crucial to master first aid in the event of a collapse during exercise. So, what should you do? Read on for the explanation below.
First Aid for Collapse During Exercise
As reported on the official website of Airlangga University, Dr. Andrianto, a cardiologist at the Faculty of Medicine, Airlangga University, explained that there are several things that need to be done initially when an athlete collapses, as follows, quoted on Wednesday, December 10, 2025.
- Check athlete awareness
Collapse doesn't always mean heart failure. It can also be a sign of fainting or other conditions. Therefore, a consciousness check is necessary immediately after an athlete collapses. This can be done by providing stimulation, either by calling or pinching.
This can also be done by checking for a pulse and breathing. Try palpating the pulse line at the neck. Check for breaths through the nose to make it easier to detect.
- Provide basic life support
If a pulse and breathing are not detected, immediately call a medical team so they can administer basic life support to the athlete. This assistance can include maintaining the airway, for example, by pulling the tongue out to prevent it from blocking the throat. This is done by tilting the head back, lifting the head, and pushing the jaw.
The medical team will then need to perform external cardiac massage. They will also need to administer mouth-to-mouth or mouth-to-nose rescue breathing. The medical team will also need to administer an automatic electric shock if available. Electric shocks help restore the heartbeat of collapsed athletes experiencing cardiac arrest.
It is important to note that first aid for athletes in cardiac arrest can be life-saving as long as it lasts no more than 4 to 6 minutes. If first aid is not administered immediately, life can be lost.
How to Perform Cardiac Massage on a Collapsed Athlete
Cardiac massage is an attempt to "force" the heart to pump blood throughout the body again. Cardiac massage is necessary for victims with an undetectable carotid pulse. This massage is combined with rescue breathing for greater effectiveness.
The following describes how cardiac massage can be performed on a collapsed athlete, as quoted from the book "First Aid and Prevention of Sports Injury Treatment" by Pinton Setya Mustafa (2017).
- Position yourself beside the patient.
- Then, place the heel of your right hand in the center of the victim's chest, while the heel of your left hand rests on top. Interlace your fingers for a more secure hold.
- Adjust your arms so that your face and chest are facing downward.
- Press the victim's chest using the force generated from your hip joints, then release as if pumping.
- Cardiac massage is calculated per set of 30 hand compressions. The masseuse should count the number of compressions applied.
That's the information regarding first aid for a collapse during exercise. Visit VOI.id for more interesting information.