Sport: able to cure and able to cause damage
The benefits of exercise programmes in patients with chronic diseases are well known. Children and adolescents with asthma and diabetes can improve disease control with exercise training. Their fitness levels are comparable to those of healthy people. The paediatrician should be able to offer medical information to the athlete and his or her family not only about benefits of sports, but also about the risk or “overuse” injuries and the increasing use of performance enhancing substances in young athletes.
Malattie croniche come asma e diabete riconoscono all’attività fisica una importante valenza terapeutica. Questi pazienti, se correttamente motivati, si applicano nelle attività sportive come i loro coetanei non affetti da patologia. Gli aspetti terapeutici dello sport devono essere conosciuti dal pediatra tanto quanto quelli dannosi causati dall’eccessivo allenamento e dall’uso di sostanze farmacologiche e/o integratori alimentari per migliorare le performance sportive.