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<\/h5>\nWe met Dr Rodrigo A. Mart\u00ednez Stenger at the recent IOC Advanced Team Physician Course in Istanbul. We invited him to present his perspective on Sport & Exercise Medicine (SEM) in his home country, Argentina.<\/p>\n
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I am an orthopaedic surgeon working at the Hospital Zubizarreta (Buenos Aires). In addition, I have my private practice as a Sports Physician. I am also a doctor for the Argentinian female wheelchair basketball team, a co-founder and member of the executive board of AMDARG<\/strong><\/a> (Argentinian Sports Physicians Association) and a member of the World Skate Sports Medicine Commission (Switzerland, Lausanne).<\/p>\n I have always wanted to take care of athletes and was lucky enough to start on the pitch during the Evita\u015b National Games in<\/em>\u00a02016. In 2018, I acted as a staff orthopaedic surgeon at the Youth Olympic Games – Buenos Aires<\/em>. One year later, I was asked to lead the medical operations in the framework of the XVIII Pan-American Games \u2013 Lima 2019<\/em>. Finally, during the Covid 19 pandemic, I realized how sedentary behaviour affected athletes\u2019 performance, which motivated me to write articles regarding safe return to physical activity following COVID-19 isolation (1-7).<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n After the medical degree, there are different options to earn the Sports Medicine specialty and become a sports physician. The most recommended and prestigious Sports Medicine degree involves a two-year path at UBA (Buenos Aires University, click here<\/strong><\/a>). This is the home of the first Sports Medicine department in Argentina, led by Dr Luis V. Parrilla, who has more than 25 years of experience training Sports Physicians. The main objectives of this training are to train physicians in injury & illness prevention and to promote and encourage a healthy and physically active lifestyle.<\/p>\n This training includes classes at CeNARD (National Center for High-Performance Sports), where students might have contact with elite athletes. Indeed, most athletes train and get tested (strength, speed, coordination, balance, VO2<\/sub>max) in CeNARD.<\/p>\n There are 20-hour of classes per week during the entire training (45 weeks a year), divided into four modules: 1-\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 introduction to sports medicine, 2-\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 human performance, 3-\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 physical activity in health & sports and 4-\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 special situations\/conditions. During the second year, students will carry out internships at various institutions, clubs, medical services and national or international competitions.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n We do not have solid institutes which combine multidisciplinary work in amateur practice. CeNARD is the only place where you can find these collaborative interactions for high-performance athletes. Some National Federations aim to implement more interdisciplinary work, but they do not have enough financial resources to support it. Obviously, some sports, like soccer, do not have these financial issues. Indeed, most known soccer teams (e.g. River Plate & Boca Juniors) have a well-organized Sports Medicine Department.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n These kinds of services are not included in our healthcare system. They are to be found in private clinics only. Amateur athletes are usually excluded from Sports Medicine Departments and do not have the same opportunities that high-performance athletes do.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Almost all sports physicians are encouraging Argentinian Schools of Medicine to include SEM in their curricula. Medical students need to be taught topics such as healthy habits and exercise counselling. They should be familiar with the American College of Sports Medicine guidelines on physical activity for health. It\u2019s a matter of public health.<\/p>\n Recently, the Covid 19 pandemic put topics such as sedentary lifestyles under the spotlight.<\/p>\n Sedentary behaviour is a real health problem in Argentina. In 2009, 54.9% of the population did not exercise, and 61.6% of the Argentinian population was overweight or obese. In 2018, Argentina still had the most sedentary behaviour in Latin America. However, in September 2021, the National Institute of Statistics and Census reported that sedentary behaviour is now decreasing for the first time. Unfortunately, noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) are still responsible for 73.4% of deaths in this country.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n I would surely let medical students know that there is a \u201cmagic pill\u201d called exercise, which does not have any adverse effects and can be prescribed broadly to prevent and treat NCDs. Finally, I wish that the entire population could have access to SEM physicians to achieve the latter. Promoting and encouraging a healthy and physically active lifestyle is indeed our duty!<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" We met Dr Rodrigo A. Mart\u00ednez Stenger at the recent IOC Advanced Team Physician Course in Istanbul. We invited him to present his perspective on Sport & Exercise Medicine (SEM) in his home country, Argentina. […]<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"http:\/\/blogs.bmj.com\/bmjopensem\/files\/2021\/12\/Rodrigo-A.-Martinez-Stenger.jpg\")
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<\/p>\nWhat is the path to becoming a sport and exercise physician in Argentina, and what are the main hurdles on this path?<\/strong><\/h5>\n
How developed is collaborative work in SEM in Argentina?<\/strong><\/h5>\n
Are exercise physiologists\/scientists integrated into your healthcare system, and does health insurance cover their services?<\/strong><\/h5>\n
What is done in Argentina to promote SEM among students and young professionals regarding research and clinical opportunities?<\/strong><\/h5>\n
Finally, if you were Harry Potter, what would you change to SEM in Argentina?<\/strong><\/h5>\n
References<\/strong><\/h5>\n
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