Athletic activity may cause or aggravate skin disorders, which in turn may diminish athletic performance. Since many sporting activities necessitate prolonged exposure to the sun, athletes must avoid painful
sunburn which will adversely affect their performance. Drugs and chemicals also may cause photoallergic and/or phototoxic reactions, including polymorphous light eruption and athletes should thus avoid photosensitising drugs and chemicals. The effects of chronic ultraviolet exposure include ageing, pigmentation and
skin cancers. The most effective protection against excessive exposure to sunlight is the use of
sunscreens, although inadequate application and poor protection in the UVA spectrum may diminish their effectiveness and contact
allergies may create other problems. Viral, bacterial and
fungal infections are common in athletes due to heat, friction and contact with others.
Herpes simplex may be treated with any
drying agents (e.g. alcohol) as they are as effective as more expensive topical agents such as
acyclovir.
Molluscum contagiosum may be spread by close contact or water contact and is treated by superficial incision,
cryotherapy or standard
wart varnishes. Plantar
wart infection is transmitted by swimming pool decks, changing rooms and hand-to-hand from weights in gymnasiums. Plantar
warts presenting with
pain may be aggressively treated, by blunt dissection, but painless ones are best treated conservatively.
Impetigo and
folliculitis often develop after
trauma.
Antibiotics are effective against mild
infections while abrasions and
lacerations should be cleansed and dressed with
occlusive dressings. Diphtheroid bacteria in moist footwear may produce pitted keratolysis and
erythrasma.
Tinea pedis is common in athletes and probably originates in swimming pools, gymnasium floors and locker rooms. Interdigital, dry-moccasin and pustular-midsole forms can be distinguished. The latter two forms respond to topical
antifungal agents, while the interdigital form, a mixed fungal/
bacterial infection, is treated with
debridement,
antibiotics and drying routine similar to the
therapy of
otitis externa. Nail
infections by a variety of organisms may appear as
onycholysis with or without
paronychia and should be treated with the appropriate
antibiotics.
Tinea versicolor occurs in heat and humidity. Since Pityrosporum orbiculare is part of the normal flora it often recurs, necessitating regular treatment. Acute
trauma injuries include
contusions, black heel or petichiae of the heel, black toe (
bleeding under the nail), 'jogger's nipple' caused by chafing, and foot
blisters. Chronic
trauma may result in calluses,
corns and
paronychia. Plantar
corns can be disabling and may be caused by overly tight shoes or abnormalities in biomechanics; treatment includes restoring normal foot function and
minimal surgical procedures.
Paronychia is treated best by wedge resection.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)