Acute injuries and specific problems in adult athletes

Special considerations need to be given to specific groups of adult athletes. The most common problems and needs of female and older athletes are discussed in the first section of this article. The second section reviews the diagnosis and management of certain acute injuries most frequently encountered in adult athletes. The last section discusses the differentiation between tarsal tunnel syndrome and plantar fasciitis, chronic compartmental pressure syndrome and medial tibial stress syndrome (''shin splints''), and pelvic stress fractures and osteitis pubis, some commonly encountered difficult diagnoses.