Gives information about opportunities, job tasks, and educational requirements of sports-related jobs in high school, college, and professional athletics: coaches, sports medicine specialists, managers, public relations specialists, and trainers. (SK)

Strength training is considered a male activity, but physicians are recommending it to women who want to keep their musculoskeletal systems strong and flexible as they age. This article discusses goals and problems of strength training for women and suggests it as an adjunct to cardiovascular fitness exercises. (SM)

Many active athletes do not consume enough zinc or iron, which are important for oxygen activation, electron transport, and injury healing. Subclinical deficiencies may impair performance and impair healing times. People who exercise regularly need counseling about the importance of adequate dietary intake of iron and zinc. (SM)

Professional boxers provided information about their careers and training practices and completed neuropsychological testing. Test performance did not relate to age, boxing record, career length, or knockout history. The amount of sparring inversely related to performance on several of the tests, with impairment in the areas of attention,…

Coaches, regardless of their level, should be certified in basic first aid, CPR, and the use of automated external defibrillators. They need to be trained regarding liability and those laws that apply to the field of coaching. There is a certification known as "First Responder," whereby the trainee earns a level of expertise just below that of a…

Although cheerleading carries a relatively low injury risk, injuries that do occur can be severe, commonly affecting the ankle, head, and neck. Two case reports are presented that illustrate acute injuries typical of cheerleading. Prevention recommendations are offered related to supervising, screening, limiting stunts, optimizing the environment…

Explores the rapid growth of academic examinations in physical education (PE) and sports studies. Considers if such growth represents a new orthodoxy rather than merely a consensus of thought and practice among PE teachers. Concludes that the increase results from the academicization and professionalism of PE and qualifies as an orthodoxy. (PAL)

Summarizes results from the Olympic Exercise Asthma Summit Conference, offering the latest on identifying and managing exercise-induced asthma (EIA). Concludes that effective pharmacologic and nonpharmacologic treatment is available, but EIA is underrecognized and underdiagnosed. Physicians should look for it in all patients, including school…

High school coaches and athletic trainers should know proper first aid techniques, have special knowledge about particular sports injuries, have a good understanding of safety precautions for playing equipment and skill techniques, and understand environmental factors that may affect athletes. (JD)

Provides practical guidelines for a strength training program for cardiac patients which may be modified to fit a particular program. The recommendations include criteria for admission, procedures for orientation and instruction, and techniques for supervision. (SM)

The training phase of a rehabilitation program for football players who have sustained lower back injuries proceeds after the pain-control phase, and seeks to minimize risk of reinjury. This phase emphasizes movement training and exercise for strengthening abdominal muscles to stabilize the lumbar spine. A removable exercise guide is included.…

Summarizes recommendations from the 1992 National Conference on Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) and Emergency Cardiac Care. Because team physicians may have to provide basic life support for athletes or spectators, knowing current (CPR) protocol is essential in developing emergency response plans and training personnel. Practice removing…

Examines current guidelines for physical fitness, noting issues that may influence the updating of the American College of Sports Medicine exercise statement. Differences between exercise prescription for fitness and physical activity for health are discussed, noting the importance of designing individualized programs with appropriate levels of…

Children are especially vulnerable to solar injury and heat illness. Physicians can lower children's risk through education about short-term and long-term sequelae and through various prevention efforts. The paper discusses how to screen for risk factors and how to prevent and treat heat illness and solar injury. (SM)

Reviews possible mechanisms by which exercise lowers blood pressure and discusses research which indicates exercise is an effective therapy for hypertension. The article presents information to help physicians counsel hypertensive patients wanting to start an exercise program and examines the use of exercise testing to predict the onset of…