ABSTRACT
This chapter reviews general concepts for the fieldside assessment of an injured athlete. Physicians who cover the sidelines understand that anything can happen in sport. The medical team covering the event should be familiar with the injuries that may occur in that sport and must be prepared to manage an athlete with a serious injury or medical emergency until the player can be transferred to a medical facility. If the injury does not require transfer, the team physician can manage the problems and decide on return to play. Typically, the physician will triage the athlete to a medical facility for more definitive care, withhold the athlete from play with further follow-up arranged, observe the athlete with potential return to sport in mind, or clear the athlete to go back to competition.
