These sections summarize international consensus for managing musculoskeletal injuries. The guidelines herein are intended for use by physicians everywhere, including team physicians in developing countries, who are the primary audience for whom this text was conceived. Appropriate management depends on a proper diagnosis, which in most cases starts with a proper history and a thorough clinical examination. As a team physician your specialty and competence may vary. If you are not an orthopedic specialist but feel confident to handle these injuries by yourself, your main task is to handle the acute situation, distinguish “emergencies” from “benign” conditions and to determine where, when, and to whom the athlete should be referred.
