Abstract

One field for health practitioners and specialists that is becoming of increasing importance is sports medicine. Many of the techniques have been used in the treatment of diseases or injuries such as broken bones or sprains, but an element in this practice is the speed with which the injury is treated and rehabilitated. The literature is diffused throughout the biomedical and biological science fields. As this is a growing specialty, it opens a challenge and an opportunity for the health science librarian. Availability of the literature is enhanced by on-line access to computerised bibliographic material and data such as MEDLINE; Toxicology Data Bank; Biosis Previews (Biological Abstracts/Bioresearch Index); Excerpta Medica; AVLINE; CATLINE; Health Planning and Administration and their corresponding reviews.

The 1980 Olympics have increased the number of reviews and discussions in the literature. This paper is a review of the demand and supply for sports medicine information in the English language in Purdue University. Emphasis is given to the physical, social, and psychological rehabilitation of the athlete patient and the impact on the medical librarian in the provision of information demanded by the sports medicine specialist. Computerised access to the literature sources is discussed as an introduction to their use in this field.