Sports Medicine: The School-Age Athlete

Abstract

This book, prepared predominantly by team physicians, is a useful reference for physicians in all specialties who care for young athletes. It is divided into 3 parts. In "The Foundations of Sports Medicine," the basics of exercise physiology are discussed: training, physical rehabilitation modalities, and nutrition. Most of these chapters, appropriately, are not written by physicians but by physical and occupational therapists, physical educators, and others. These chapters provide important background but are of less practical importance to a physician than the rest of the book. However, the chapters on performance enhancers and the preparticipation physical examination stand out. The performance enhancers discussed include anabolic corticosteroids, growth hormone, stimulants ranging from cocaine to caffeine, μ-blockers, blood doping, and erythropoietin. The risks, benefits, and detection methods are discussed in detail. The preparticipation examination chapter discusses the goals and focus of the examination. For the primary care provider who is uncertain about