By John G. Rodwan, Jr.: In 1998, the International Labor Office (ILO) published the revised fourth edition of its Encyclopaedia of Occupational Health and Safety. The ILO is a specialized agency of the United Nations concerned with all matters related to the world of work, and its Encyclopaedia aims to provide a comprehensive compendium of ideas as part of an effort to "hasten the day in which occupational death and disease is a rarity in the world."

Expert personal trainer Thomas L. Cramer gives his informed exercise tips for using resistance equipment safely.

By Todd Chapman, MD, FACS: Recent developments in other sports, particularly baseball, have highlighted the abuse of steroids as a major league problem. It is assumed that they are a form of cheating, giving the user an unfair advantage in strength and conditioning. So why not just let everyone use them and keep the playing field level?

By Thomas L. Cramer, P.M.T. & certified personal fitness trainer: Most every boxer or martial artist will "over do it" when they are training to learn their sport. By pushing himself or herself too hard while in the gym or while doing their roadwork, or when they are sparring.

By Todd Chapman, MD, FACS: In 1968, the Olympics were held in Mexico City, 7,349 feet above sea level. In addition to popularizing the "Fosbury Flop," (Dick Fosbury's gold medal winning backwards high jump) the games were all about high altitude competition and training.

By Todd Chapman, MD, FACS Ah, the neglected body shot. While every good knock on the chin elicits cheers, the body shot just can't get any respect from fans, and sometimes from judges. How often do you hear the crowd emit a collective groan after a good, hard punch to the gut?

By: Domenic Coletta, MD When a boxer is referred to the ER after a bout by the ringside physician, it is usually for a good reason. Certainly that individual - NOT HIS OR HER MANAGER - has the right to refuse treatment, but there are several reasons why this might not be a good idea.

By Margaret Goodman, MD

Part 1: RECOGNITION AND DIAGNOSIS: It seems like we hear of more and more well-known professional boxers and other athletes being arrested for impulsive acts, suffering from depression or showing other signs of mental disorders. Riddick Bowe recently alleged boxing-related brain damage as the source for his behavior in order to avoid additional legal punishment.

By Dr. Charles P. Melone, Jr., M.D. Hand injuries constitute a sports-specific epidemic in boxing and comprise a diverse spectrum of problems. Foremost among these is the “boxer’s knuckle”, an injury to the prominent metacarpophalangeal joints of the hand, traditionally termed the knuckles.

By Margaret Goodman, MD It is funny how epiphanies happen every so often as you watch a fight. One made its way to the television screen a few weeks ago on ESPN Friday Night Fights when Luisito Espinoza was stopped. It crossed my mind, as it did the expert next to me, that more often than not

By Todd Chapman, MD, FACS I can't dance and I can't box. My job is to saw open peoples' chests and tinker with their hearts. As a boxing fan since the 1976 Olympics, and a heart surgeon since the 1980s, I have come to appreciate similarities that may come as a surprise. Boxers and heart

By Flip Homansky MD Boxing is a blood sport. It is a rare card in which no one sustains a laceration. The blood will frequently spurt not only on the affected fighter, but also on the referee. So, should everyone in the ring wear gloves? The simple answer is sure...if you as a referee are

By Flip Homansky MD I am frequently asked what is the best replacement fluid during fights. The answer is that the type of fluid is less important than actually getting your fighter to come in well hydrated and to drink enough of anything to prevent dehydration. Boxing has historically treated

By Todd Chapman, MD, FACS Pound-for-pound, a boxer's heart is the most powerful engine in the world. Consider: beating over 100,000 times a day, it pumps almost 2,000 gallons of blood every 24 hours. These are averages at rest. Studies in young boxers (1) have shown that during a non-contact

By Dr. Domenic F. Coletta All of the participants in the sport of boxing – from the fighters to the promoters to the trainers and managers – are certainly aware of the dangers of the pre-fight “crash dieting” and fluid restrictions in order to make weight. But what about the ongoing problem of

By Margaret Goodman, MD Often times I am asked by boxers and the like, “What is a concussion?” The most crucial thing for a fighter to do in the ring is not get hit. Needless to say, that is often not the case. Many boxers are taught to stand in the ring and take punishment to their bodies and

This is the first in a series of articles to explore this difficult, but important dilemma. The decision will be made when the A.I.B.A. (International Amateur Boxing Association) meets later this year. Professional boxers competing in the Olympics will change amateur (and professional) boxing

By Flip Homansky MD The cut man has now been elevated to the level of rock star. He brings magic potions and salves and his deeds are valued by all at ringside. The wondrous weapons of his trade (the Q tip and enswell) are in evidence for all to see. He even usually dresses in a way that

By Timothy Reardon, D.D.S., M.S. A well-constructed mouthguard is probably the most important piece of equipment a boxer can have throughout his career, especially at the professional level. Its purpose is not just the protection of his teeth from fracture or displacement. It should also help to

By David Feinberg, MD, MBA Boxing, like some other sports, requires participants to meet certain weight requirements. Unfortunately, our bodies don’t always co-operate with our need to achieve a desired weight. In addition to strict weight classes, coaches and trainers frequently comment on how

By Dr. Flip Homansky: I constantly hear, “steroids don’t work, and even if they did.....they wouldn’t be used in boxing.” We think of the weight lifter or the interior lineman in football as the typical user. They need the extra bulk and necessarily speed. Some think that only a boxer moving

By Margaret Goodman, MD PART I: Why do some boxers get knocked out? Is it their chin? Is it their heart? Or, is it something else, something we can’t define. Sometimes a boxer seems invincible, nothing can touch them. All of a sudden some of the household names with a great heart/great chin find

How can you prevent a knockout? By Margaret Goodman, MD The same factors that prevent a knockout are really the same factors that can produce one. We will deal with these one by one. ANATOMY/HEREDITY. This could easily be listed as “good luck.” To be fair, some people are predisposed to

By Margaret Goodman, MD The word “honesty” or the lack thereof can be life-threatening in the sport of boxing. The term “omission” often caries a less onerous tone than dishonesty. Whichever way you choose to put it, not coming forward to a boxing commission, your cornermen, trainers, or family