Sports medicine is practiced by approximately 39% of AAFP member physicians.1 Among graduating family medicine residents who plan to pursue fellowship training, sports medicine is the choice for 31%, more than any other type of fellowship.2 (The second choice is geriatrics, at 13%.2) This edition of FP Essentials provides updates on several issues in sports medicine that are potential concerns for many of our active patients. I hope you find it useful in your practice.
Section One provides an update on sports-related concussion. I found it helpful to be reminded that return to learn and return to play strategies need to be individualized and medically supervised, and that the typical recovery time for most adolescents with concussion is longer than for adults. Section Two focuses on relative energy deficiency in sport (RED-S), which typically occurs when athletes restrict caloric intake, causing low energy availability. Athletes in sports that emphasize leanness are particularly at risk. Screening for RED-S during sports preparticipation examinations can lead to early detection and better management, helping prevent its short- and long-term consequences, which extend beyond bone and reproductive health and can impair athletic performance.
Section Three covers ergogenic aids used by athletes, with an emphasis on dietary supplements and performance-enhancing substances. It also provides an overview of banned substance use and the role of drug testing programs. Section Four discusses exercise for people with diabetes, with recommendations for glucose monitoring and insulin strategies that can help optimize glycemic control for athletes and other physically active people with diabetes.
When you have finished reading this FP Essentials and are ready to submit your posttest answers, please tell us what was most useful and what we can do to improve. We look forward to hearing your ideas for topics you would like covered in future editions.
Karl T. Rew, MD, Associate Medical Editor
Associate Professor, Department of Family Medicine
University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor
