ABIM Sports Medicine case studies
ABIM Sports Medicine · Put your knowledge to work in context.
The ABIM Sports Medicine certification exam is a subspecialty examination for physicians who have completed training in a primary specialty (typically internal medicine, family medicine, pediatrics, or physical medicine and rehabilitation) and additional sports medicine training, and who want formal recognition of their competence in caring for active patients and athletes. It assesses the knowledge and judgment needed to evaluate and manage exercise-related medical conditions, musculoskeletal injuries across the body, concussion and head/neck trauma, on-field emergencies, rehabilitation and return-to-play decisions, and the needs of special populations such as pediatric, female, older, and adaptive athletes. The ABIM Sports Medicine case studies are 5 cases and about 3,099 words.
1Collapse at the Finish Line of a Summer Half-Marathon
A 24-year-old recreational runner collapses 20 m past the finish line of a half-marathon started at 8:00 AM on a day with a heat index of 95°F (35°C) and 70% humidity. On-field staff find him confused, combative, and unable to answer questions.
595 words, about 3 min2Sideline Collapse in a 17-Year-Old Basketball Player
During a high school basketball game, a 17-year-old center takes an elbow to the chest during a rebound, then walks two steps and collapses. He is unresponsive, apneic, and pulseless.
662 words, about 3 min3Knee Pain in a 15-Year-Old Sprinter With Open Growth Plates
A 15-year-old club sprinter presents with 6 weeks of anterior knee pain that began insidiously during a period of increased training (from 3 to 6 days/week) and a growth spurt of 6 cm in the past year. Pain is worse with running, jumping, and going down stairs; it is relieved by rest.
629 words, about 3 min4Exertional Collapse and Sickle Cell Trait in a College Football Player
A 19-year-old college linebacker with known sickle cell trait (SCT) collapses during the first preseason practice in August (heat index 92°F, high humidity). He had been doing conditioning drills and complained of leg cramps and "feeling winded" before going down.
583 words, about 3 min5Return-to-Play After Concussion in a 16-Year-Old With a History of Migraine
A 16-year-old soccer player sustains a head-to-head collision during a header duel. She has no loss of consciousness, but she is slow to get up, has a headache, and is unsteady.
630 words, about 3 min