athlete – SEMS-journal

exercise is medicine

The Athlete’s ECG

Sudden cardiac death (SCD) is the leading non-traumatic cause of mortality in athletes under 35, most often due to inherited cardiomyopathies or primary electrical disorders that may remain silent until a fatal event. The 12-lead electrocardiogram (ECG) is the most accessible and cost-effective screening tool, yet its early use was hampered by poor specificity and high false-positive rates, mainly due to non-standardized interpretation and limited awareness of physiological adaptations.

safeguarding harassment and abuse sports psychiatry

When Athletes Become Victims: The Prevalence, Risk Factors, and Psychopathological Consequences of Interpersonal Violence in Sports

The “Magglingen protocols” and other cases of abuse in sports have attracted public attention to the problem of interpersonal violence against athletes. This article summarizes the scientific literature on the prevalence of different forms of interpersonal violence in sports, on personal, organizational, and cultural risk factors for victimization, and on psychopathological consequences of athlete abuse. In conclusion, recommendations for trauma-informed interdisciplinary prevention and intervention programs are outlined.

elite sports Mental health safeguarding testimony

Comment j’ai souffert en tant qu’athlète et ce dont j’aurais eu besoin

J’ai été athlète de haut niveau durant 6 ans entre mes 12 et mes 18 ans. Je pratiquais la gymnastique rythmique en équipe, et en apparence tout semblait bien se passer. Nous avons réalisé des championnats du monde et nous avons obtenu de bons résultats. Mon état s’est dégradé au fur et à mesure des années jusqu’à devenir insoutenable provoquant ainsi l’arrêt définitif de ma pratique. S’en sont suivi de lourdes conséquences et de longues années de reconstruction que je détaillerai plus bas. Ainsi, ces années dans le sport de haut niveau m’ont beaucoup abimées, et je vous partage ici les quelques facteurs qui selon moi, m’ont prédisposé à des fragilités.

coaching elite sports performance sports and society sports and technology innovation sports and youth abuse education overuse physical education concussion PA promotion recovery

Health prevention in youth sports: innovative and interdisciplinary experiences at the Lausanne 2020 Youth Olympic Games

The Youth Olympic Games were introduced in 2010 with the aim to bring young athletes not only an experience of competition on the world stage, but also to help them learn about the Olympic values, explore other cultures and develop the skills to become true ambassadors. The Lausanne 2020 Games provided an excellent opportunity to develop innovative concepts for health promotion and sports-related prevention. The enthusiasm across various sectors of society (political, academic and economy) empowered us to bring together multiple skills to materialize the IOC’s pledge.

sports medicine cardiology team management preparticipation

Regional differences of sudden cardiac death in sports. Experiences from German and Swiss registries

Sudden death of an athlete is the most devastating medical event in sports. While accidents account for more than 50% of these cases, sudden cardiac deaths (SCD) are less frequent (approx. 15%), but the leading medical cause of deaths. The risk depends on age, sex, ethnicity, type of sport and sport level. There are large variations in the methods of registration of SCD in recreational and competitive sports. This must be taken into account when interpreting reported incidences and causes. High data quality in registries is a prerequisite for meaningful preventive strategies (e.g. ECG screening and safety at sports facilities).

sports medicine cardiology team management preparticipation

Recommendations for cardiovascular evaluation in athletes – a viewpoint

Traditionally, cardiovascular screening has been recommended mostly for competitive athletes younger than 35 years. The perception that only young competitive athletes at top level are at increased risk, has changed in the last years. Theoretically, we advocate a voluntary cardiovascular screening for all athletes who exercise vigorously, independent of their competitive status, and age. Although, this should be based on an individual estimation of the athlete’s risk. Physical examination, medical history and an ECG should be the baseline investigations for all athletes.

exercise is medicine cardiology sports medicine cardiology

Cardiopulmonary Exercise Testing in Sports Cardiology

Leisure-time and elite athletes often seek sports medical advice for inadequate exertional dyspnea and loss of performance. The work-up has to rule-out underlying cardiac pathologies that are associated with sudden cardiac death, although commonly the symptoms are training- and not disease-related. Cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET) helps to differentiate between cardiac and pulmonary causes and guides further diagnostic and therapy. This article illustrates the potential of CPET in three clinical cases.

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Return to sport following hip arthroscopy for femoroacetabular impingement syndrome: return to sport rates and methodological considerations

Research studies on “Return to sport” (or return to play) have been recently published also in the field of hip arthroscopy for femoroacetabular impingement (FAI) in athletes. While most published papers discuss cases series (low level of evidence), Lasse Ishoi and the group of K. Thorborg and P. Hölmich (Copenhagen, Denmark) conducted one of the first prospective cohort studies on this topic. The paper has already been published in AJSM and the results were presented at the #SportSuisse2018 conference. One of the key methodological points is the definition of “Return to sport” when conducting studies: is it return to any sport at any level, or return to preinjury sport at preinjury level?