Abstract

Traditionally, sports medicine and neurology have been recognized as two distinct and unrelated subspecialities of medicine. The potential for catastrophic neurologic injury in sports, however, requires the mutual consideration of these distinct medical subspecialities. This book is designed to assist the health care professional in recognizing and managing neurologic problems encountered by the athlete. The contents will help prepare team physicians or trainers to deal with neurologic injuries and to familiarize themselves with the potential neurologic hazards of various sports. Furthermore, the book can serve as a reference for the neurologist or neurosurgeon involved with the treatment of a neurologically impaired athlete. The first section discusses some general concepts of sports neurology, including psychological and behavioral aspects of sports and the influence of drugs on the nervous system. The roles of neuroradiology and electrophysiology in diagnosing neurologic injuries and the rehabilitation of the neurologically impaired athlete are also discussed. The second section adresses the diagnosis and treatment of major neurologic disorders that may be encountered in the athlete, and the third section elaborates on the neurologic injuries that occur in specific sports. aus dem Vorwort