WEB ALERT

Abstract

High Altitude Medicine Guide: www.high-altitude-medicine.com/AMS-medical.html Description: This Web site of high altitude medicine contains quick reference material for climbers, sports medicine physicians, and lay people alike. The information was compiled by a single physician with collaboration by the International Society for Mountain Medicine. Applicable physiology and standard definitions of frequently used terms, such as altered mental status, high-altitude pulmonary edema, and high-altitude cerebral edema, are outlined. There are links to the Lake Louise Criterion for these conditions, as well as a questionnaire created by the Web site's founder for the evaluation of altered mental status in the high-altitude athlete. The information reads well and is easy to navigate. The clinical guide for physicians contains relevant information with helpful links to additional Web sites, recommended readings, and clinical cases. Cost: Free. Spondylitis Association of America: www.spondylitis.org/main.aspx Description: The Spondylitis Association of America (SAA) has put together a very helpful resource and educational center for patients and providers alike with extensive information about seronegative spondyloarthropathies, including ankylosing spondylitis, reactive arthritis, enteropathic arthritis, and psoriatic arthritis. The medical and scientific advisory boards affiliated with this site comprise a group of international rheumatologists. There is ample information for newly diagnosed patients, including videos with disease information, as well as in-depth explanations of disease treatment and complications. There is even a brief section on the effects of diet in these diseases. More educational materials are available for purchase through the Web site. The SAA site also has links to support groups for patients and easy access to current advocacy efforts. There also is a reference section about becoming involved in research efforts across the country. For clinicians, there is a research archive where recent articles from SAA publications are available for reference. Cost: Free. National Ankylosing Spondylitis Society: www.nass.co.uk/index.htm Description: The National Ankylosing Spondylitis Society (NASS) is a charity operated out of the United Kingdom. This site focuses exclusively on ankylosing spondylitis. The Web site has excellent patient information resources that can be of use to patients and clinicians who care for those with ankylosing spondylitis. Perhaps the most useful section of the Web site is the description of useful exercises for those with ankylosing spondylitis. This section has animated computer models illustrating each exercise. This would be a great asset to patients working on a home exercise program or for those who do not have ready access to physical therapists accustomed to working with patients with ankylosing spondylitis. There also are helpful links to educational courses for clinicians and physical therapists as well as information about ongoing studies on ankylosing spondylitis. Cost: Free. U.S. Anti-Doping Agency: www.usada.org Description: This is a practical Web site with specific forms and instructions for sports medicine physicians to assist in treating their Olympic-level athletes. There is an easy-to-use search tool called the Drug Reference Online (DRO) that allows clinicians to look up specific medications on the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) prohibited substances list. There also is a printable wallet card for athletes to bring to their physicians that lists all of the banned substances from WADA for that year. There are very helpful forms, such as the therapeutic use exemption forms, that athletes and clinicians can print off the site. There are easy to follow instructions for their use. This is a very self-explanatory Web site with quickly accessible information for clinicians and athletes alike. Cost: Free. Fédération Internationale de Football Association: www.fifa.com Description: The Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) is an international organization based in Zurich for the advancement and improvement of the sport of soccer. This organization sets forth regulations in its constitution that form the international rules by which the sport operates. The Web site has a particularly useful section on athletes' health. It outlines the injury prevention efforts of the organization and emphasizes proper nutrition. There also is a section devoted solely to the female soccer player. The research efforts of the federation are outlined by the FIFA Medical Research and Assessment Center (F-MARC). The Web site contains an extensive list of applicable research studies for quick reference. Cost: Free.