How I Manage Abdominal Injuries

In brief: Abdominal injuries make up only about 10% of sports injuries, but they can sideline athletes for long periods or be life threatening. Any athlete who sustains a severe blow to the abdomen should be judged to have a serious injury until examination proves otherwise. In sports, abdominal injuries occur most often in cycling, horseback riding, and skiing, and they involve children more often than adults. Organs injured most often are the spleen, kidneys, and liver. Two typical case histories are offered, followed by a brief review of abdominal anatomy. Guidelines are provided for recognizing and treating injuries to the abdominal muscles, kidneys, spleen, and liver and related organs.