Abstract

The specialized field of treating athletes is not new. Herodicus of Selymbria, credited with being the father of sports medicine, practiced his craft more than 2000 years ago. As a medical and surgical subspecialty, sports medicine has gained credibility in the last decade, but the term sports medicine is, all too often, overused and abused. Sports medicine has many definitions. We at The Hughston Clinic believe that sports medicine involves education, treatment, and care, not just of the injury, but of the athlete. lt involves understanding the sport and the climate of competition that motivates every athlete. Combining this understanding with a complete history and physical examination of the athlete enables the physician to reach a correct diagnosis and to determine the proper treatment, be it early rehabilitation and return to sport or surgical intervention, which might delay return to competition but might make it possible. The sports medicine physicians who have contributed to this book, both men and women, orthopedic surgeons and family physicians, have left The Hughston Clinic with knowledge they now share with others through seminars, presentations, and the written word. This book is a compilation of the thoughts and experiences of more than 100 members of the Hughston Society. It includes an administrative section that details some of the obligations of the team physician, the athletic trainer, and the physical therapist. The majority of the book covers clinical aspects of medical problems common in athletes and the injuries that may result from competitive play. This is not intended to be a surgical text but is to serve as a reminder for orthopedists who take care of teams and want information on treatment of common medical problems. For family physicians who serve as team physicians, this book gives more information on diagnosing and treating common injuries. The concept of a team approach to sports medicine is not new; it has been practiced at The Hughston Clinic for many years. The combined experiences of physicians from these two disciplines should help the reader care for injured athletes. aus dem Vorwort