Screening of athletes: Australian experience.
OBJECTIVE
To present an overview of medical screening of athletes in Australia


METHODS
Data was obtained from Australian sports physicians involved in elite national and professional programs.


METHODS
The status in Australia of medical screening and in particular the Pre-participation Examination (PPE) was reviewed.


RESULTS
The PPE as practised in North America is not performed in Australia. However medical screening of elite national level and professional athletes is widely practised. A variety of screening methods is used. The medical screening protocol recently developed on behalf of the Australasian College of Sports Physicians (ACSP) is presented.


CONCLUSIONS
Medical screening of high performance athletes takes place regularly in Australia. Valuable information may be obtained from this process. The extent of the screening is limited by financial and time constraints. The proposed protocol is a basis for a comprehensive medical screening, but can be adapted depending on the individual and the sport played.
Brukner
Peter
P
Centre for Health, Exercise and Sports Medicine, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia. p.brukner@unimelb.edu.au
White
Susan
S
Shawdon
Anik
A
Holzer
Karen
K
D001315:Australia; D006801:Humans; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000379:methods*; D008487:Medical History Taking; D010808:Physical Examination / Q000379:methods*; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D013178:Sports Medicine