A large number of athletes are impacted by PFPS every year, particularly young runners. Sports medicine researchers have investigated many possible therapies for patients with PFPS; however, no clear guidelines have emerged regarding the management of the syndrome. Our review analyzes recent literature on PFPS and identifies specific treatment recommendations. The most effective and strongly supported treatment modality for patients with PFPS is a combined physiotherapy program, including strength training of the quadriceps and hip abductors and stretching of the quadriceps muscle group. Adjunctive therapies, including taping, biofeedback devices, and prefabricated orthotic inserts, may provide limited additive benefits in select populations. Surgery should be avoided in all patients with PFPS.

Ensuring that schools have policies established for a student's return to learning, having specific guidelines to provide an individualized approach to return to learning based on postconcussion signs/symptoms, training school nurses in the recognition and management of concussions, and involving school nurses in the re-entry process are identified areas for improvement. Schools in the United States should be aware of these recommendations to guide a student's postconcussion graduated academic re-entry process.

Although many of the child care centers we surveyed are in compliance with the recommendations for emergency and disaster preparedness, specific areas for improvement include increasing the frequency of practice of the WEP, establishing specific written procedures for external disasters and urgent medical emergencies, maintaining the immediate availability of potentially life-saving medications, and ensuring that all child care center staff are trained in first aid and CPR.

Clarifying common misconceptions associated with energy drink consumption, especially in high-risk adolescents and frequent energy drink consumers, may decrease the frequency of symptoms experienced by adolescents, such as headache and difficulty breathing, requiring medical evaluation.

Although schools are in compliance with many of the recommendations for school-based athletic emergency preparedness, specific areas for improvement include practicing the WEP several times a year, linking all areas of the school directly with emergency medical services, increasing the presence of athletic trainers at athletic events (especially sports with a higher rate of fatalities/injuries), regulating the care of and inspection of school facilities and fields, requiring the use of safety equipment (such as mouth guards and protective eye equipment), and increasing the availability of automatic electronic defibrillator in schools.

Approximately 7.6 million high school students in the United States participate in sports. Although most sport-related injuries in adolescents are considered minor emergencies, life-threatening illnesses or injuries may occur, such as sudden cardiac arrest, heat stroke, status asthmaticus and exercise-induced asthma, catastrophic brain injuries, cervical spine injuries, heat- and cold-related illness, blunt chest/abdominal injuries, and extremity fractures resulting in compartment syndrome. Emergency preparedness in athletics involves the identification of and planning for medical services to promote the safety of the athlete, to limit injury, and to provide medical care at the site of practice or competition. Several national organizations have published guidelines for emergency preparedness in school-based athletics. Our article reviews guidelines for emergency preparedness put forth by the Sideline Preparedness collaboration (comprised of 6 major professional associations, including the American Academy of Family Physicians, American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons, American College of Sports Medicine, American Medical Society for Sports Medicine, American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine, and American Osteopathic Academy of Sports Medicine), the National Athletic Trainers' Association, the American Academy of Pediatrics' Committee on School Health, and the American Heart Association. Additionally, we review published data examining compliance of US high schools with these recommendations for emergency preparedness in school-based athletics, determine deficiencies, and provide recommendations for improvement based on these deficiencies.

Areas for improvement in the preparedness of US marathons were identified, such as including printed medical information on race bibs, increasing pre-race training and planning sessions for volunteers, ensuring the immediate availability of certain emergency equipment and medications, and developing written protocols for specific emergencies and disasters.

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