Topics covered in this text correspond to the National Athletic Trainers’ Association’s secondary-level sports medicine course description. While each unit in the text can stand alone, the topics are progressive in nature. Students will first obtain a knowledge of human anatomy and the physiology of injury and tissue healing before learning about various types of injuries, conditions, and illnesses. The text then addresses the fundamentals of rehabilitation, injury prevention, and return-to-play criteria, including psychological aspects.

The fifth edition covers the latest developments in athletic training regarding treatment, care, and prevention of injuries; administration; and certification. Updated and expanded content includes information on head injury diagnosis and management, new treatment modalities, new taping techniques, and the effects of therapeutic, recreational, and performance-enhancing drug use.

Other learning-friendly features in this edition include the following:
Red Flags, which warn of potentially hazardous situations
What Would You Do If . . . features, which present students with complex scenarios to test their decision making in life-threatening situations
The Real World features, which share actual experiences from practicing sports medicine professionals
A robust teacher guide with activities, assignments, and tests to support classroom instruction
A student web resource with 28 step-by-step worksheets for performing specific tasks, activities that provide hands-on experience, and a semester-long project for building practical skills