Skin Conditions in the Athlete

Abstract

Dermatologic conditions are a common presenting complaint in the athletic training room. There are many different causes for rashes, and treatment options vary depending on the condition and the severity. Bacterial infections of the skin have a variety of different appearances and can spread rapidly among individuals. Healthcare providers need to be aware of the increasing prevalence of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus when making the choice of antibiotics. Other infectious rashes, including tinea and herpes, are well-described conditions in wrestlers; however, these rashes can be seen in any athlete, especially those engaged in contact sports. Early recognition and appropriate treatment are important to clear the rash and reduce the spread to others. In addition to infectious rashes, athletes are prone to mechanical rashes and skin conditions due to friction and tight-fitting equipment. Sports medicine providers must not only diagnose and treat these conditions but also be aware of the return-to-play guidelines set forth by the governing bodies under which he or she operates.

Hair Care Practices as a Barrier to Physical Activity in African American Women

“…Many patients believe that exercise and associated sweating may exacerbate common dermatologic conditions, including acne, [8][9][10][11][12][13][14] atopic dermatitis, 15,16 and folliculitis. 14,17 An additional and minimally explored dermatologic barrier to exercise cited by African American women is hairstyle management. 6,18 Hair care and hairstyle maintenance in the African American female population can be a tediousandtime-consumingprocess.…”

Lesões desportivas e cutâneas em adeptos de corrida de rua

“…Entretanto, as lesões cutâneas no atleta podem ocorrer em conjunto com os danos ortopédicos, geralmente resultantes de traumas, infecções, exacerbações de condições pré-existentes e fatores ambientais, como a exposição à luz solar, a constante fricção da pele contra os materiais de treino (calçados e vestuário) e o impacto no solo 12 . Nos praticantes de esporte ao ar livre tem sido relatados hematomas, escoriações, eritema, edema, bolhas e queimaduras na pele decorrente da exposição ambiental desprotegida e aos microtraumas causados pelo atrito dos calçados, roupas e demais equipamentos 7,[13][14][15] . O ar frio, névoas, garoa, chuva e a poluição ambiental, além da radiação ultravioleta, podem isolados ou simultaneamente provocar reações cutâneas irritativas, inflamatórias e neoplásicas 9,16 .…”

Addressing skin abrasions on artificial turfs with zwitterionic polymer brushes

“…Excessive friction may lead to the removal of superficial epidermal cells 5 and/or lesion of the epidermis to expose underlying tissue. 1,4,53 In addition to discomfort and bleeding, the abrasion wounds act as points of entry for bacterial infection 6 , leading to further complications. pSBMA brushes were hence grafted with the intention to modify the frictional properties of PP.…”

“…Overlooking this may result in undesirable skin conditions such as friction blisters, 1 diaper rash, 2 airbag lesions, 3 turf burns 1,4,5 and dermatological infections. 6,7 This research is part of a larger aim to address the issue of turf burns, where high injury rates of skin abrasion [8][9][10] ( Figure 1) have been reported from the use of artificial turf surfaces for sports such as football and rugby. Despite half a decade-worth of product development and innovation since its first introduction in the 1960s, there has been little advances to address the higher rates of skin abrasions recorded on artificial turf surfaces, apart from the adoption of softer polyolefins (polyethylene and polypropylene) for turf yarn manufacturing in the 1970s to replace the stiff, abrasive polyamide fibres.…”

“…In addition, the presence of abrasions or open wounds act as a point of entry for bacteria 6 where independent studies by Begier et al 14 and Kazakova et al 15 have related cases of bacterial-infection in players to turf burns resulting from abrasive artificial turf surfaces. Therefore, development of materials with integrated properties of improved friction and antibacterial-adhesion can be of great potential in improving the skin-turf interface for a truly "skinfriendly" product.…”