First ever IOC Manual of Sports Injuries
The IOC’s Medical Commission has recently worked with an international cast of the world’s leading experts on the creation of a must-have tool for all those involved in assessing and treating athletes with injuries sustained in sport. The new publication, entitled “The IOC Manual of Sports Injuries: An Illustrated Guide to the Management of Injuries in Physical Activity”, is targeted at primary care and A&E physicians, general physical therapists, coaches, nurses and physicians' assistants.
The editor, Roald Bahr, a Professor at the Oslo Sports Trauma Research Centre and a member of the IOC Medical Commission’s Medical & Science group, explains: “This book is really meant to be a handy, practical tool, for the office or for your bag when accompanying your athletes in training or competition. It is about taking care of your athletes in the best way possible.”
The book embraces a problem-oriented approach to lead the reader through the assessment and management of injuries in sport and physical activity. Covering the various body regions and distinguishing between common and rarer injuries, the manual follows a trajectory from history-taking and physical examination to diagnosis and treatment, providing clear and actionable guidance on managing the most common injuries and disorders.
Arne Ljungqvist, Chairman of the IOC’s Medical Commission and an IOC Honorary Member said: “The level of illustrations, over 500 in total, is unique and enables an easier understanding of the different injury types, treatments and latest insights. It is a first-of-its-kind publication and will surely benefit many athletes and their medical support groups around the world.”
Background information
Whilst there are many health benefits of sport, there is also an inherent risk of injury, especially in high-level sport. Through its Medical Commission, the IOC has initiated and supported research on various topics related to athletes’ health, with the ultimate goal of improving injury and illness prevention. The IOC also records and analyses all athlete injuries and illnesses that occur in competition and/or training at the Olympic Games to gain further knowledge about the effectiveness and weaknesses of existing programmes.