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

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.
 
Transcript: "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."
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How soon after a mono diagnosis should an athlete return to activities?

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

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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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?

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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Should I wear ankle braces when playing volleyball?

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

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

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.