HealthCare

How soon after a mono diagnosis should an athlete return to activities?

Returning to Activities After Mono: The Key Takeaway

That is a great question. It depends about the type of activity. For one thing, if it's a contact sport versus a non-contact sport, that makes a difference. And the other thing is mono affects everyone differently. With one person, it could just be a low grade fever and a sore throat for a couple of days, and then they feel fine. With others, they could be in bed with a high fever, a really swollen sore throat, hard to eat, and extremely fatigued. So it really varies depending on how the model has affected that athlete. In terms of resuming light exercise, once the athlete doesn't have any fever, is not taking any medication to help with keeping the fever down or to help with sore muscles, and their baseline, they're back to normal. They don't feel tired, their sleep pattern is normal. Then they can resume some light exercise, like jogging, bike riding, and see how they feel. If they do OK from there, then they can gradually progress their activity. But keep in mind is what's really affected is the spleen enlarges during mono. And the architecture of the spleen gets inflamed. That virus can affect the spleen as well, and there's a risk of rupture. If it's put under too much pressure with exercise and/or there's a blow to the abdomen, and the spleen is big, the spleen normally is covered by the ribs. But when the spleen enlarges, it'll get larger than the rib cage. And that increases its likelihood of getting injured during a contact sport. So the rule of thumb is four weeks. No contact sports until four weeks after the diagnosis or the onset of symptoms of mono. You can sometimes fudge that a little bit, and it can't be early as three weeks. But that's a decision that's made by the athlete's physician and a sports medicine physician that really understands the athlete's demands and their sport, and can determine what the risk is of the athlete returning back to sport. So rule of thumb, four weeks for contact sport. But if they're feeling good, they can start some light exercise at around two weeks. I hope that helps. If you have any more questions, please ask or go see your physician. Take care.

It depends on the type of activity and how mono has affected the athlete. For contact sports, it is typically recommended to wait four weeks after the diagnosis or onset of symptoms before resuming. For light exercise such as jogging or biking, this can be done two weeks after the diagnosis or onset of symptoms.

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Returning to activities after a mono diagnosis depends on various factors. The type of activity, whether it's contact or non-contact, plays a role. Additionally, mono affects individuals differently, with symptoms ranging from mild to severe.

Once an athlete no longer has a fever, isn't taking medication for fever or sore muscles, and has returned to their baseline energy levels and sleep pattern, they can consider resuming light exercise like jogging or bike riding. If they tolerate this well, they can gradually increase their activity level.

However, it's important to note that mono can cause the spleen to enlarge and become inflamed. This increases the risk of spleen injury during contact sports or if there's a blow to the abdomen. As a general rule, athletes should wait four weeks after the diagnosis or onset of symptoms before participating in contact sports. In some cases, this timeline can be adjusted to three weeks, but it should be determined by the athlete's physician and a sports medicine specialist who understands the demands of the sport and can assess the risk.

To summarize, athletes can start light exercise around two weeks after mono if they're feeling well. However, contact sports should be avoided for at least four weeks to minimize the risk of spleen injury. It's always best to consult with a physician for personalized advice.

What is the role of a team physician and what do you find are best and the worst parts of that job?

Team Physician: Addressing Athlete Health from Head to Toe

To be as succinct as I can, the role of a team physician is to address all aspects of health care of your athlete, and that starts with from head to toe. I'm a primary care sports medicine physician. So with my primary care training, addressing all the illnesses and injuries that can affect an athlete from head to toe. Concussions, spine injuries, rashes, eye injuries, abdominal pain, knee sprains, you name it. It's also the mental health. Addressing the mental health and psychological health of an athlete is also paramount for a team physician. It's also coordinating care. So if there's something that is outside of my scope of practice, then it's referring to my trusted colleagues, whether or not that's my athletic trainer, physical therapist, sports psychologists, mental health care workers, my cardiologist. It's really forming together a team to be able to optimize the health and the performance of our athletes. That is the role of a team physician. It's also understanding the communication with the coaches and sometimes the front office, and being able to relate to parents, for example, if you're dealing with minors. Wow! It's a great job. I love being a team physician. I don't know the worst part. I'll start with the best part. The best part of my job is working with my athletes and seeing that we're helping to help them reach their goals, help them reach their personal goals, the team goals, and weighing the harms and benefits of certain types of aspects of training or anything in order to be able to help them. That's the best part. The worst part of my job as a team physician-- I wish I had 30 hours in a day. There's a lot of things that need to be done. And sometimes it's a challenge to juggle everything, but I honestly can't think of a worst part of my job. I love it so much thanks.

The role of a team physician is to provide comprehensive health care for athletes, from head to toe. This includes addressing physical and mental health concerns, coordinating care with other medical professionals, and communicating with coaches and parents. The best part of the job is helping athletes reach their goals, while the worst part is not having enough time in the day to get everything done.

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The role of a team physician is to provide comprehensive healthcare for athletes, addressing all aspects of their well-being from head to toe. This includes treating illnesses and injuries, such as concussions, knee sprains, rashes, and abdominal pain. Mental health and psychological well-being are also crucial considerations for a team physician. Coordinating care and collaborating with other healthcare professionals, such as athletic trainers, physical therapists, and sports psychologists, is essential to optimize athletes' health and performance. Effective communication with coaches, front office staff, and parents is also important, especially when working with minors.

As for the best parts of the job, I find great satisfaction in working with athletes and helping them achieve their personal and team goals. It's rewarding to see the positive impact we can make in their lives. As for the worst part, if I had to choose, it would be the challenge of managing time effectively. There is always a lot to be done, and finding a balance can be demanding. However, overall, I genuinely love my role as a team physician and find it incredibly fulfilling.

I have osteoarthritis and had a mid-foot bone fusion after a tennis injury. It has been a year and my foot feels good, what should I consider before resuming tennis?

After Mid-Foot Bone Fusion, Tips for Returning to Tennis

Congratulations. I'm glad you're feeling good a year after your surgery. Hopefully you went to physical therapy after your surgery, so that your foot and ankle are strong. And not only that, you want to make sure that your entire body is fit to resume playing tennis. So, you want to make sure that your rotator cuff muscles are strong, your upper back and your scapula stabilizers are strong as well, all the way through your core, down to your lower extremities, and down to your feet and ankles. You also want to make sure that you have good supportive shoe wear. So, if your foot and ankle specialist, the person who did your surgery, has any recommendations, that would be great. You definitely want to make sure you're wearing a shoe that's very supportive, it's a supportive court shoe, so that you avoid too much midfoot motion or valgus heel motion at all. And you want to make sure that you have a good, not only supportive shoe for the court, but also one that has good absorption, shock absorption. Because your arch is going to be more rigid now, because it was fused. And therefore, you want a shoe that's going to have more cushioning so you can absorb some of that shock while you're on the tennis court. Hope those answers helped. If you have any more questions, please ask, or please go back to your health care provider and have them reevaluate you, and see whether or not there's any other things that you can do to make sure that you have a successful return to the court. Good luck.

You should make sure that your entire body is fit to resume playing tennis, and ensure you have supportive and cushioning shoes for the court. Consult your health care provider if you have any more questions. Good luck!

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Congratulations on feeling good a year after your mid-foot bone fusion surgery. It's important to consider a few things before resuming tennis. First, ensure that you have undergone physical therapy to strengthen your foot and ankle. Additionally, it's crucial to have overall body fitness, including strong rotator cuff muscles, upper back, scapula stabilizers, core, lower extremities, and feet and ankles.

Make sure to wear supportive court shoes recommended by your foot and ankle specialist. These shoes should limit midfoot motion and valgus heel motion. It's also important to choose shoes with good shock absorption, as your fused arch may be more rigid. Cushioning in the shoes will help absorb shock while playing tennis.

If you have any further questions, feel free to ask or consult your healthcare provider for a reevaluation and additional guidance to ensure a successful return to the court. Good luck!

Should I wear ankle braces when playing volleyball?

Ankle braces in volleyball: To wear or not to wear?

Hi. It depends on who I is, meaning, are you a recreational player, where the play is more chaotic at the net, meaning, most of the ankle sprains are happening at the net, in the blockers and the hitters? And you come down on someone's ankle from across the net. And if that's the case, then, wearing ankle braces can prevent ankle sprains. But what's more important is making sure that you're also strong. Your balance is good. You're working on your balance of each leg. And you're working on what we call proprioception or balance training, and also, strength of your ankles all the way up to your core. That's really important in terms of making sure that your landing is good. And then you're not going to be landing just on one leg off balance because that will increase your risk of not only an ankle sprain, but also a knee injury. Ankle braces are also beneficial for even at a higher level of competition. And that would include high school club volleyball. When you get to the collegiate and the professional rings, it really-- that type of play is definitely more controlled, more elite level play. And those athletes will choose whether or not they want to wear an ankle brace, depending on whether or not they've had previous ankle sprains, whether or not they psychologically feel like the braces will help protect them during net play. And it depends on whether or not they already undergone a good strength program as I discussed previously. And so it's very individualized in terms of whether or not you feel that you should wear an ankle braces. But again, it's a question that you can pose to your physician and see what they think. Your sports medicine physician can do a good exam of your ankle strength and your flexibility as well as your functional abilities and can recommend a good physical therapy program or a good home program that you can do and then recommend whether or not they think ankle braces would be helpful for you. I hope that helped. Take care.

It depends on who you are and your level of play. Generally, wearing ankle braces can help prevent ankle sprains if you also make sure to have good balance and strength. Your sports medicine physician can help determine if ankle braces would be beneficial for you.

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Whether or not you should wear ankle braces when playing volleyball depends on various factors. If you are a recreational player and most ankle sprains occur during chaotic play at the net, wearing ankle braces can help prevent sprains. However, it's important to focus on overall strength, balance, and proprioception (balance training) to reduce the risk of injury. Strengthening your ankles and core is crucial for proper landing and avoiding imbalanced landings that can lead to ankle and knee injuries.

Even at higher levels of competition like high school club volleyball, ankle braces can still be beneficial. Collegiate and professional players often make individual choices based on previous ankle sprains, psychological factors, and whether they have undergone a comprehensive strength program.

Ultimately, the decision to wear ankle braces should be based on individual circumstances. Consulting with a sports medicine physician is recommended. They can assess your ankle strength, flexibility, and functional abilities, and provide guidance on whether ankle braces would be helpful. They may also recommend a physical therapy program or a home exercise regimen.

What advice do you have for parents looking to find the right sports and activities for their children?

Choosing the Right Sports: Advice for Parents

What advice do you have for parents looking to find the right sports and activities for their children? It's important for parents to remember the developmental stages of their children. So, for example, they know-- when they're ready to catch a ball, right, when they're ready to walk, and run, and kick a ball. And so we sometimes see these soccer leagues for toddlers which are really a little bit crazy because you have these swarm of kids running after a ball. So while they can run and while they can kick, they don't understand the concept of soccer. Cognitively, they don't understand the rules, where their positions are, et cetera. So rather than being in that type of activity, parents can run with their kids. They can kick a ball with their kids. They can throw a ball with their kids. It's important for kids to see their parents be active, as well. And in terms of choosing the right activities for your child, really, it's going to be the activity that they have an interest towards. It's also going to be an activity that you can fit into your family life, your work schedule, your family schedule. You don't want your child's activities to, kind of, take over, that causes undue stress. And, again, remember, a lot of important things are important for your child's development, it's not just a sport. It can be any type of physical activity. And the last thing I want to say is encourage your child to play in a multitude of different activities because that will help their physical development, as well as their social and emotional development, too.

Parents should keep their children's developmental stages in mind when choosing activities for them. Encourage your child to play a variety of activities and make sure that it fits into your family life. Let your child take the lead in terms of what sports and activities they are interested in.

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When it comes to finding the right sports and activities for children, my advice for parents is to consider their developmental stages. It's crucial to recognize when they're ready to catch a ball, walk, run, or kick a ball. Sometimes, we see toddlers in soccer leagues where they're just chasing after a ball without understanding the concept of soccer. They may be physically capable of running and kicking, but they lack the cognitive understanding of the rules and positions. Instead, parents can engage in activities like running, kicking a ball, or throwing a ball with their kids. It's important for children to see their parents being active too.

Choosing the right activity for your child should be based on their interest and something that fits into your family's schedule without causing undue stress. Remember that important aspects of your child's development go beyond just sports; any form of physical activity can contribute positively. Lastly, encourage your child to participate in various activities as it promotes not only physical development but also social and emotional growth.

What health factors should parents consider if their child is a competitive athlete?

Key Health Factors for Competitive Athlete Kids: Rest, Recovery, Mental Wellness

What health factors should parents consider if their child is a competitive athlete? First and foremost, please make sure that your child is getting adequate rest and recovery time. You want to make sure that they're not being overtrained and that they actually have time in their lives, besides training for their sport, to also have time to spend with friends, family, and especially school as well. The other thing is check in on their mental health because people, adults around them, have expectations and demands. Make sure that your child who is competing at a high level in their sport is feeling secure, is feeling like they have a voice in their own activity level, have a voice in expressing whether or not they are tired, whether or not they feel that they're comfortable participating in that activity. People who have expectations on them, especially children, may start to feel symptoms of burnout. And from stress, they may start to have anxiety, performance anxiety, which can be helpful. But too much of it can definitely lead to depression, anxiety, difficulty sleeping, and then difficulty in school and in the relationships with others. So check in with your kids and make sure that they're good Thank you.

Make sure your child gets adequate rest and recovery time and check in with them to make sure they are mentally healthy and not feeling overwhelmed by expectations.

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When considering the health factors for a child who is a competitive athlete, there are a few important aspects for parents to keep in mind. Firstly, ensure that your child is getting sufficient rest and recovery time. It's crucial to avoid overtraining and allow them to have a balanced life that includes spending time with friends, family, and focusing on their education.

Additionally, pay attention to your child's mental health. The expectations and demands placed on them by adults can be significant. It's important to ensure that your child feels secure and has a voice in their own activity level. They should be able to express if they are tired or uncomfortable participating in certain activities. High levels of expectations can lead to burnout, stress, anxiety, and even depression. These can manifest as difficulty sleeping, struggles in school, and strained relationships with others.

Regularly check in with your child to ensure their well-being and address any concerns they may have. By prioritizing rest, recovery, and mental health, parents can support their child's overall health and success as a competitive athlete.

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Dr. Cindy Chang, MD answers your HealthCare questions. See all the advice Dr. Cindy Chang, MD has and get answers to your own HealthCare questions.

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Dr. Cindy Chang is a specialist in primary care sports medicine with almost 3 decades of experience. She has served as head team physician at UC Berkeley, chief medical officer for Team USA in 2008 & 2012 Olympics, and assisted in the WNBA COVID "Wubble." Chang takes an individualized approach to care, seeing athletes of all ages. She is Program Director of UCSF's Primary Care Sports Medicine Fellowship, board of trustees for the American College of Sports Medicine, chairs the Sports Medicine Advisory Committee for the California Interscholastic Federation & National Federation of State High School Associations, and past president of the American Medical Society for Sports Medicine. She earned her medical degree from Ohio State Univ. College of Medicine, followed by a residency in family medicine at UCLA Medical Center & a fellowship in sports medicine at Ohio State Univ. Medical Center.