1. Sports Medicine Introduction
By:
Mrs. Heinz, MS, ATC, M.Ed

2. The History of SportsMedicine
A. The historical development of SportsMedicine
1. The origins lie in Ancient Greece and Rome, where physical education was valued and an integral part of an adolescent’s life.
2. The care of athletes was done by “specialists”. These people were thought to have special knowledge in diet, physical therapy, and sport-specific techniques.

3. History (continued)
3. In the 2nd century AD, the first team doctor was Galen, who was appointed to the Gladiators.

4. History (continued)
4. This marked the beginning practice of having a doctor involved all of the time, not just when an injury occurs.
5. It is also evident that “SportsMedicine” has always been multidisciplinary, including the preparation of athletes for their sport as well as the treatment of injuries.

5. B. What is SportsMedicine?
1. It is an umbrella term that includes all professionals concerned with enhancing the performance and health care of physically active individuals (sport, exercise, or recreational activity).

6. The Umbrella

7. Sports Medicine
2. As interests and participation in athletics has increased , SportsMedicine has grown.
3. It encompasses all phases of medical concerns relating to athletic activity
-biomechanical, psychological, nutritional, environmental, pathological, and physiological

8. The Umbrella
4. Under the SportsMedicine umbrella falls: Physical educator, Nurse, Athletic Director, Emergency Medical Technician (EMT), Podiatrist, Chiropractor, Ophthalmologist, Dentist, Exercise Physiologist, Orthopedic Surgeon, Coach, Physical Therapist, Nutritionist, Psychologist, Primary Care Physician, Athletic Trainer, Kinesiologist

9. Growth of Sports Medicine
5. The SportsMedicine field has been growing rapidly, especially in the last 30 years:
-Increase in the number of professional associations designating SportsMedicine as a subspecialty
-Increase in literature, research, and educational experiences
-Increase in number of professional journals (peer-reviewed)
-Increase in the number of medical clinics specializing in SportsMedicine

10. Growth (continued)
6. Article: 30 years of sports medicine-and sportsmedicine, Physician and Sportsmedicine, January 2003
a. In the 1970’s, Jack Taylor, an orthopedic surgeon, says that “the subject matter (sportsmedicine) was primarily ‘locker-room medicine’”.
b. At the end of the 1970’s, the ‘science’ became evident in Sports Medicine…..key issues were safety, mechanism of injury, and biomechanics, as research began to explode.
c. Sports Medicine Certfication added to family practice and postgraduate programs.
d. Initially focused on competitive athletes, but began to be applied to all populations.

11. Growth (continued)
e. Women’s Health, with addition of Title IX in 1972, has increased the most. Common topics include ACL injuries, exercise during pregnancy, and the female athlete triad.
f. Sports Medicine philosophy evolved to show how important exercise is to prevent many chronic diseases such as diabetes, heart disease, and osteoporosis…….“Exercise is medicine”!

12. g. ACL injuries no longer end a career, surgery and rehab process became more aggressive, and return an athlete to their sport in 6 months
h. The future: continue to promote “Exercise is medicine”, tissue engineering and cell manipulation to speed healing and for soft-tissue replacement, genetic engineering used for ergogenic aid

13. C. The SportsMedicine Team
1. To ensure a safe environment for maximal sport performance, a collaboration of professionals are needed – medical, paramedical, and professional personnel.
2. The primary SportsMedicine team includes the team physician (if applicable), the primary care physician (PCP), the Certified Athletic Trainer (ATC), and the Coaching Staff.

14. Responsibilities
-They are responsible for the series of events to provide the immediate care of an injured athlete, getting more advanced care if needed, notifying the parents/guardians, rehabilitation (if needed), and the safe return to activity.
3. Others to complement the SportsMedicine Team include equipment managers, facility administrators (such as Athletic Director Cruickshank), physical therapists, and other allied health care professionals.

15. Athletic Trainer and Coach
First Responders
Follows guidelines, standards of care
Stabilize until further help arrives if needed
ATC assesses injury, lead through rehabilitation
ATC decides return to play
Refer if needed!

16. Resources
Anderson, M. K, & Hall, S. J. (1995). Sports Injury Management. Williams and Wilkins, Baltimore.
Booher, J. M, & Thibodeau, G. A. (1994). Athletic Injury Assessment (3rd edition). Mosby Publishing, Chicago.
Wappes, J.R. (2003). 30 years of sports medicine – and SportsMedicine. Physician and Sportsmedicine. 31 (1),