ABSTRACT
Fueling the rugby athlete requires a sports nutrition plan that balances energy intake with energy output while providing the athlete with adequate fuel for recovery. The content and timing of meals are fundamental parts of a successful regimen and often require the athlete to participate in extensive planning and preparation to succeed. Carbohydrates, protein, and fat are the primary fuel of the rugby athlete's diet, and proper hydration is imperative to optimize performance. The use of dietary supplements such as energy drinks and caffeine are controversial, and the supplementation of vitamins and minerals is generally not recommended. The use of creatine monohydrate as a supplement to a well-balanced diet has been shown to be safe and effective. With the help of sports nutritionists, team physicians, educated athletes, and coaches, a multifactorial all-encompassing plan is required generally to maximize optimal performance on and off the rugby pitch.
Subject(s)
Athletic Performance/physiology , Dietary Carbohydrates/metabolism , Dietary Fats/metabolism , Dietary Proteins/metabolism , Dietary Supplements , Football/physiology , Performance-Enhancing Substances/administration & dosage , Evidence-Based Medicine , HumansABSTRACT
The purpose of this article is to familiarize sports medicine physicians with evaluation, initial management, and treatment of athletes with closed liver trauma. Ten percent of abdominal injuries are caused during sports-related activities. The liver is the most commonly injured organ in blunt abdominal trauma. Physical examination findings may be subtle or absent in patients with underlying liver injury. A paradigm shift toward nonoperative management in hemodynamically stable patients has led to a decrease in mortality. Return-to-play guidelines do not exist for closed liver injuries. These decisions are usually made on a case-by-case basis using basic return to play principles.
Subject(s)
Liver/injuries , Wounds, Nonpenetrating , Adult , Athletic Injuries/classification , Athletic Injuries/diagnosis , Athletic Injuries/mortality , Athletic Injuries/surgery , Humans , Liver/diagnostic imaging , Radiography , United States/epidemiology , Wounds, Nonpenetrating/classification , Wounds, Nonpenetrating/diagnosis , Wounds, Nonpenetrating/mortality , Wounds, Nonpenetrating/surgery , Young AdultABSTRACT
Eating disorders (anorexia nervosa and bulimia) are associated with the highest mortality rate of any psychiatric disorder. Much of this mortality and morbidity stem from cardiovascular complications such as arrhythmia related to a prolonged QTc interval and/or electrolyte disorders, hypotension, and bradycardia. Structurally, the heart in patients with eating disorders is atrophic, which may relate to longstanding hypovolemia. These patients have low cardiac output and demonstrate increased peripheral vascular resistance despite the presence of hypotension. The treatment of eating disorders is incremental caloric feeding, which can have its own intrinsic cardiovascular risk (refeeding syndrome) manifested by arrhythmia, tachycardia, congestive heart failure, and sudden cardiac death. Patients will require close monitoring and slower refeedings to minimize the risk of these complications.
