Sports Health is proud to announce a new, FREE online education event! This recorded webinar, original air date July 16, 2020, features a panel-based question-and-answer discussion surrounding returning our high school athletes to play in the COVID era. Sports Health Associate Editor and moderator Irfan Asif, MD, and panelists Cindy Chang, MD; Alex B. Diamond, DO, MPH; Neha Raukar, MD; and Jason Zaremski, MD, CAQSM, discuss recommendations to keep in mind as athletes return to both the classroom and playing field.
With local and national guidelines constantly changing, it is important to be prepared as we help our athletes remain safe and healthy while enjoying the activities they love. Items discussed include:
• PPE considerations
• Training programs for getting athletes back on the field safely
• How to plan for COVID-19 prevention for your team
• Cardiopulmonary considerations and testing after COVID infection
• Length of time athletes should remain out of play if they test positive or are in close contact with someone who has tested positive for COVID-19, and how these recommendations can be enforced
• How to handle athletes also playing on club teams that may not be following the same recommendations
The moderator and panelists include:
Irfan M. Asif, MD
Dr. Irfan Asif is Professor and Chair of the Department of Family and Community at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) and an Associate Editor for Sports Health: A Multidisciplinary Approach. Dr. Asif has served as a team physician for all levels of athletics, including high school, collegiate, and professional sports programs, in additional to several leadership roles within the American Medical Society for Sports Medicine. He currently serves as a team physician for UAB athletics and the Birmingham Legion professional soccer team. His research explores several domains within sports cardiology with an emphasis on combating physical inactivity for the prevention of cardiometabolic disease.
Cindy Chang, MD
Dr. Cindy Chang is a Clinical Professor at University of California–San Francisco (UCSF) and program director of UCSF's Primary Care Sports Medicine Fellowship. A specialist in primary care sports medicine, Dr. Chang was the head team physician at the University of California–Berkeley for all 27 intercollegiate sports for 13 years. She also served as chief medical officer for Team USA during the 2008 Beijing Paralympic and 2012 London Olympic Games. She has held leadership roles within the American Medical Society for Sports Medicine as well as the American College of Sports Medicine and National Federation of State High School Associations.
Alex B. Diamond, DO, MPH, FAAP, FAMSSM
Dr. Alex Diamond is an Associate Professor in the Departments of Orthopaedics and Pediatrics at Vanderbilt University Medical Center. He serves as a team physician for Vanderbilt University (NCAA) and the Nashville Predators (NHL). Dr. Diamond is an elected member to the executive committee of the American Academy of Pediatrics’ Council on Sports Medicine and Fitness and is an active member of the American Medical Society for Sports Medicine, including serving as the first-ever chair of the Community Advocacy Subcommittee. He is a member of the sports medicine advisory committee for both the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) as well as the Tennessee Secondary School Athletic Association (TSSAA). Dr. Diamond has over 35 publications and his research focuses on injury prevention and health promotion in youth sports.
Neha Raukar, MD, MS
Dr. Neha Raukar joined the Department of Emergency Medicine at the Mayo Clinic after over a decade at Brown University. As a practicing physician in both sports medicine and emergency medicine for 15 years, she offers a unique perspective towards education, clinical medicine, legislation, and research. She was a member of the Institute of Medicine/National Academy of Science Committee on Sports-Related Concussion in Youth and serves on the Sports Medicine Advisory Committee for the National Federation of State High School Associations. She was the former chair of the sports medicine groups for the American College of Emergency Physicians and the Society for Academic Emergency Medicine. An Associate Professor at the Mayo Clinic, her research interests include injuries and life-threatening diseases in athletes and is dedicated to educating fellow physicians and the public as it relates to these topics.
Jason L. Zaremski, MD, CAQSM, FACSM, FAAPMR
Dr. Jason Zaremski is board certified in physical medicine and rehabilitation and sports medicine. He currently assumes the role of Clinical Associate Professor at the University of Florida Department of Orthopaedics & Rehabilitation. He is the Co-Medical Director of the University of Florida Adolescent and High School Sports Medicine Outreach Program, which encompasses 27 high schools and numerous youth sports organizations. Dr. Zaremski also serves as a team physician for 5 high schools in the Greater Gainesville area. He is an active member of several professional organizations and has served in leadership roles within the American Medical Society for Sports Medicine.