Myocarditis Raises Concern for Athletes

Myocarditis Raises Concern for Athletes

ALSO BRINGSCONCERNS OVERCOVID-19, AND ANOTHERHEALTH ISSUE THAT MAYBE TRIGGERED BY THEVIRUS OR COULD BE ACASE WHERE THE VIRUSWORSENS IT."MYOCARDITIS IS AESSENTIALLY APATHOLOGIC DIAGNOSISOF INFLAMMATION OFTHE OF THE HEART." ARECENT TREND OFMYOCARDITIS ISSOMETHING MEDICALEXPERTS ARE KEEPINGAN EYE ON AFTER SOMECOLLEGE FOOTBALLPLAYERS TESTEDPOSITIVE FOR COVID-19,THEN MRI SCANS OFTHEIR CHEST SHOWEDSIGNS OF THATCONDITION."IT HAS THE POTENTIALTO PROGRESS TOSCARRING ANDFIBROSIS, WHICH LEADSTO HEART FAILURE ANDRHYTHM PROBLEMSDOWN THE ROAD." ONEWORRY DOCTOR DANANDERSON WITH UNMCHAS ARE THOSE WHOHAD COVID-19 AND HAVEMYOCARDITIS, AND NOTEVEN KNOW THEY HADCOVID-19."THERE MAY BEMYOCARDIAL DAMAGE,AND YOU DON'T EVENKNOW YOU HAD THEINFECTION, AND YOUDIDN'T EVEN HAVE ANYSYMPTOMS, AND DOESTHAT PUT YOU AT RISK,WE DON'T KNOW." SOWHAT DOES THIS MEANFOR ATHLETES?

DR.ROSS MATHIASEN, WHOSPECIALIZES IN SPORTSMEDICINE AT NEBRASKAMED, SAYS IT'S A CASEBY CASE BASIS."AS LONG AS THESTUDENT-ATHLETES, ASLONG AS THE COACHES,THE PARENTS,ADMINISTRATORS, ASLONG AS THEY KNOWTHIS, THEY CAN MAKETHAT DECISION TO GOAHEAD AND IF THEIRRISK TOLERANCE IS ATTHAT LEVEL." IFATHLETES TESTPOSITIVE FOR THEVIRUS, THEY MUST PAYATTENTION TO HOWTHEY FEEL ONCE THEYTRAIN OR PLAY AGAIN."IF THERE IS A CHANGEIN YOUR EXERCISETOLERANCE, IF YOU'RESHORT OF BREATH IFYOU WOULDN'T HAVEBEEN SHORT OF BREATHBEFORE, IF YOU'REHAVING ABNORMALCHEST PAINS, ANY OFTHOSE SORTS OFTHINGS ARE RED FLAGSTO GO AND GET SOMEMORE EVALUATION."ANDERSON SAYS IN ANOPTIMAL WORLD, ANATHLETE WHO TESTSPOSITIVE FOR THEVIRUS SHOULD STOPEXERCISE FOR AT LEAST90 DAYS, WHICH CANPUT THOSE WHO TAKETHE FIELD OR COURT INA TOUGH SPOT."WHEN WE HAVEDAMAGE MYOCARDIUMEITHER BECAUSE OF AHEART ATTACK ORMYOCARDITIS, WEOFTEN THINK IT TAKES90 DAYS TO HEAL ANDRECOVER TO THE POINTWHERE YOU'RE BACK TOA NEW BASELINE SOTHAT'S A DIFFICULTWINDOW BECAUSESOME WOULD SAYTHAT'S ALMOST THEENTIRE FOOTBALLIS TO TAKE STEPS TOPREVENT YOURSELFFROM GETTING COVID-19 BY SOCIALDISTANCING ANDWEARING MASKS.NEBR