Sports Med
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The athlete projects the ultimate image of well-being in the health status spectrum. Nevertheless, exercise-related sudden cardiac death (SCD) is an uncommon, yet tragic, occurrence. Exercise-related SCD is defined by symptoms that arise within 1 hour of participation in sport. ⋯ The variation from normal cardiac physiology found within the athletic population and the rarity of SCD in athletes means that elaborate screening to determine individuals at risk is neither practical nor cost effective. A thorough assessment of pertinent family and medical histories, cardiac auscultation of young athletes, evaluation of exercise-induced symptoms and education of older athletes to the symptoms of cardiac ischaemia are all essential to primary prevention of SCD in the athletic population. Until reliable methods can accurately identify those athletes at risk for SCD, broad recommendations are available to help guide the management and participation in sports of athletes with cardiovascular disease.
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Axillary nerve injuries are some of the most common peripheral nerve injuries in athletes who participate in contact sports. Resulting deltoid muscle paralysis is secondary to nerve trauma which occurs following shoulder dislocation or a direct blow to the deltoid muscle. Compression neuropathy has been reported to occur in quadrilateral space syndrome as the axillary nerve exits this anatomic compartment. ⋯ If no axillary nerve recovery is observed by 3 to 4 months following injury, surgical exploration is indicated. Athletes who sustain injury to the axillary nerve have a variable prognosis for nerve recovery, although the return of function of the involved shoulder is typically good to excellent. We recommend that athletes who sustain axillary nerve injury may return to contact sport participation when they achieve full active range of motion of the shoulder and when shoulder strength is documented to be good to excellent by isometric or manual muscle testing.