 |  Essentials of Athletic Training, 5/e Daniel Arnheim
William Prentice,
University of North Carolina
Additional Health Concerns
Chapter Overview- The most common skin infections in athletes are caused by viruses, bacteria, and fungi. Viral infections include herpes simplex (e.g., the cold sore) and herpes zoster. The two most common types of bacterial infections are streptococcus and staphyloccus. Ringworm, or tinea, is the fungus infection commonly attacking all areas of the body; tinea pedis (athlete's foot) is the most common.
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The common cold, sinusitis, sore throat, hay fever, and asthma are respiratory tract illnesses that can adversely affect the athlete. Asthma can be chronic (e.g., bronchial) or induced by physical activity. Care of the athlete who is having an acute asthmatic attack requires understanding the early symptoms and signs and responding accordingly.
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A number of conditions of the digestive system, such as diarrhea, vomiting, constipation, and gastroenteritis, commonly affect the athletic population.
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Anemia is a problem for some athletes. Iron-deficiency anemia is a condition found most often in women. In an athlete with iron-deficiency anemia, the red blood cells are either too small or too large and hemoglobin is decreased. The athlete with sickle-cell anemia may have an adverse reaction at high altitudes at which the sickle-shaped red blood cell is unable to transport oxygen adequately.
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Diabetes mellitus is a complex hereditary or developmental disease of carbohydrate metabolism. Decreased effectiveness of insulin or an insufficient amount of insulin is responsible for most cases of diabetes. The diabetic athlete must carefully monitor his or her energy output to ensure a balance of food intake and the burning of sugars via insulin. If this balance is not maintained, diabetic coma or insulin shock may result.
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Epilepsy is defined as "a recurrent paroxysmal disorder of cerebral function characterized by sudden, brief attacks of altered consciousness, motor activity, sensory phenomena, or inappropriate behavior." A coach must recognize that an athlete is going into seizure and be able to provide proper immediate care.
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The athlete with high blood pressure may have to be carefully monitored by the physician. Hypertension may require the avoidance of heavy resistive activities.
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Because communicable viral diseases such as German measles, mumps, and infectious mononucleosis can infect many athletes on a team, early recognition is necessary. When such a disease is suspected, the athlete should be isolated from other athletes and immediately referred to a physician for diagnosis.
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Sexually transmitted disease has its highest incidence among younger, sexually active persons. Because most athletes are in this high-risk age group, coaches should be concerned about the spread of these diseases. Suggestions to avoid these infections are safe sex, which involves the use of a condom or the elimination of multiple partners, and complete abstinence from sexual intercourse.
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A major problem in sports participation is the extensive use of performance aids, consisting of drugs and blood doping. Certain performance-enhancing drugs, including stimulants, narcotic analgesics, diuretics, anabolic steroids, and human growth hormone, have been banned. Blood doping has also been placed in the banned category.
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Another area of concern is recreational drug abuse. This abuse is worldwide. It leads to serious psychological and physical health problems. The most prevalent substances that are abused are alcohol, nicotine, cocaine, and marijuana.
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The highly active female may have menstrual irregularities, including dysmenorrhea, amenorrhea, or oligomenorrhea. Female athlete triad is a combination of amenorrhea, disordered eating, and osteoporosis.
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Many female athletes compete during pregnancy with no ill effects. There is no indication that mild to moderate exercise during pregnancy is harmful to fetal development.
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The sexually transmitted infections with the highest incidence among the young athletic population are chlamydia, genital herpes, trichomoniasis, genital candidiasis, condyloma acuminata, gonorrhea, and syphilis.
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2002 McGraw-Hill Higher Education