Essentials of Sports Medicine

Sports Medicine encompasses many health professions involved in both clinical medicine and exercise science. This course introduces the essential concepts and topics of sports medicine to prepare students entering the field. It is intended for students interested in athletic training, physical therapy, exercise physiology, sports medicine, kinesiology, strength & conditioning, personal training, fitness instruction and other related fields. This class focuses on core sports medicine topics with an approach to recognizing and evaluating athletic injuries. Students of this course study basic human anatomy as it relates to common sports injuries. Instruction emphasizes all major sports injuries including knee, shoulder, foot and ankle, elbow and hand, head, neck, and back. It covers the overall classification and management of sports injuries without complicated extraneous material. Students learn assessment and treatment techniques as it pertains to sports medicine and athletic injuries. This course addresses the specific needs of students who may encounter an injured athlete or exercise participant, to assist them in providing initial care without immediate access to medical services. Students learn differences between injury evaluation in emergency and non-emergency situations. Red Flags and Application Strategies are also included that further reinforce the real-world application of the material. The course provides case study questions that require students to analyze a situation and determine the best course of action. Upon completion of this class, students are well prepared to succeed in the various fields of sports medicine, including athletic training, coaching, physical therapy, fitness instruction, physical and health education, exercise science, and other health sciences careers.

This course is taught by Dr. Ken Vitale, a professor in the Department of Orthopedic Surgery at UCSD School of Medicine. He completed his PM&R residency at NYU Langone Medical Center and the Rusk Institute of Rehabilitation Medicine. He received his medical degree from NYU School of Medicine and graduated summa cum laude in Biology from Rutgers University.