Orthopaedic sports medicine and the adult male athlete: a review of common exercise-related injuries.

Prevention is the key to healthy long-term participation in sports and requires the education and cooperation of the athlete to minimize these risks and maximize the intended benefits of fitness programs. With careful understanding of the needs of our patients with respect to their physical and emotional well-being, we can be an important source of information to help them make intelligent, realistic choices about their active lifestyles and sports. The highly motivated athlete requires special consideration of the psychologic aspects of coping with injuries or medically-imposed limitations on their activity level. Every effort should be made by physicians to take an active role as advocates for exercise and fitness participation that is appropriate to the needs of each individual. Despite the foregoing review of the more common sports injuries in the spectrum of orthopaedics and the frequency of these conditions, one must remain convinced of the greater good to our population when regular participatory sporting activity is embraced by our patients and ourselves.