ABSTRACT
Competitive sports are well-established worldwide. Some respiratory diseases are more prevalent and troublesome in athletes than the general population. The physiological, environmental, and intrinsic medical mechanisms giving rise to this are complex. Hence, it is important for clinicians to understand and for athletes and their coaches to be appraised of these conditions and for teams to be proactive in identifying and controlling them. Otherwise, training, performance, and quality of life of athletes will be compromised. Preventative strategies may be important, especially in certain sports, to achieve optimal success ‘on the field’ and any treatments must not breech regulations that apply in the competitive arena.
