Today Americans participate in sports more than ever before, and with increased activity follows an increased chance of injury. Sports medicine is therefore no longer relevant only to college and professional athletes, but also parents, amateur athletes, leisure sportsmen, and aging people maintaining a fitness regime everywhere. Orthopedic surgeons, nutritionists, physical therapists, sports psychologists, athletic trainers, and exercise physiologists are just a few of the various professionals whose work with patients and clients may cross over into the field of sports medicine. Common to all these people is an interest in athletic performance and a desire to prevent injuries or properly treat them when they occur.
The Encyclopedia of Sports Medicine delivers more than 150 in-depth, A-to-Z entries that define and explain the many fields of specialization within sports medicine while providing broad coverage of the terms relevant to each discipline. Using everyday language, basic descriptions of various sports medicine terms introduce the reader to many important topics and provide an at-home reference that can supplement and accompany the information received from sports medicine professionals. Entries on individual sports detail their most common injuries and how to prevent them. Appendixes offer additional resources and directories of relevant organizations, as well as detailing safety tips by sport, common injuries by body part or area, nutrition information by sport, and five commonly misdiagnosed sports injuries.

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Excerpted from The Encyclopedia of Sports Medicine by Elizabeth H. Oakes
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