Blunt Visual Trauma

Sideline Management of Nonmusculoskeletal Injuries by the Orthopaedic Team Physician

Although recognized as the most well-trained providers to address musculoskeletal injuries, many orthopaedic surgeons do not routinely treat patients with nonmusculoskeletal issues in their clinical practice. Nonetheless, when serving as a team physician, an orthopaedic surgeon may need to initiate management of or manage many nonmusculoskeletal issues. Knowing how to accurately diagnose and initiate management of sports-related medical and surgical conditions is an important facet of being an orthopaedic team physician. Common systems that may be involved include the cerebral/neurologic, ocular, dental, respiratory/pulmonary, cardiac, abdominal, and genitourinary systems. Each of these systems has specific pathologic processes and risks related to athletic or sporting participation. Orthopaedic team physicians must have a baseline familiarity with the most common nonmusculoskeletal issues to provide comprehensive quality care to athletes and patients.

A practical approach to ocular pain for the non-ophthalmologist

Pain involving the eye has numerous etiologies and is a feared challenge of many clinicians. Between a fear of the patient losing vision and a lack of familiarity with the ophthalmic equipment necessary to diagnose the problem, working up eye pain can be a daunting task. While the ophthalmologist can be indispensable in challenging cases of eye pain, this article will help clarify the unique clinical features of each etiology that can help clinicians narrow down the differential and arrive at a diagnosis.