Abstract

A community-based approach to sports medicine has important advantages relative to the traditional hospital laboratory investigation when assessing the impact of common medical conditions upon exercise tolerance and responses to aschool training program. Use of the technique is illustrated by the experienceof the Trois Rivieres regional study of primary schoolchildren. Current results show that tonsillar enlargement, functional murmurs, previous rheumatic fever, and anaemia exert only a minor influence on stature, sub-cutaneous fat, muscle strength or aerobic power. However, asthma leads to some stunting growth and consistent reductions of strength and aerobic power, with a below average response to physical education. Obesity is associated with reduced muscular strength and an above average absolute aerobic power; the enourmous skinfold readings are not modified by additional physical education. In order to extend the community approach to the study of less common diseases, interlaboratory cooperation becomes necessary. Verf.-Referat