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Epilepsy and Seizures

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The Sports Medicine Physician

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Abstract

Epilepsy is a brain disorder which has caused stigma for long, especially in group activities.

In the last decade, however, a number of studies have shown that epilepsy patients must be socially integrated. They recommend sports practice as greatly beneficial, not only for its social integration but also for its help in crisis management.

Through the development of new medications, which enhanced crisis management significantly, the participation of epilepsy patients in sports practice has increased.

However, it is clear that some sports, especially with strong physical contact, must be avoided. And even sports with possible contacts, though allowed, must follow monitoring standards with specialists following the recommended protocols, so that they can practice sports more safely. Also, it should be considered that seizures are nonspecific manifestations of pre-existing brain damage and they can occur with metabolic and traumatic changes, which does not mean a state of epileptic disease.

For high-performance sports, control through specific medications is a safety factor and can be widely used, since the antiepileptic drugs are not included in the forbidden list by WADA (World Anti-Doping Agency).

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Neurosurgery, ABC Medical School—FMABC, Santo André, Brazil

    Jorge Roberto Pagura

  2. Brazilian Neurosurgical Society, Paraíso, Brazil

    Jorge Roberto Pagura

  3. Medical and Antidoping control-Brazilian Soccer Confederation (CBF), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

    Jorge Roberto Pagura

  4. Neuroscience Department, ABC Medical School—FMABC, Santo André, Brazil

    Rudá Alessi

  5. Laboratory of Clinical Neurophysiology, Institute and Department of Psychiatry, University of Sao Paulo—USP, São Paulo, Brazil

    Rudá Alessi

Authors
  1. Jorge Roberto Pagura
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  2. Rudá Alessi
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Jorge Roberto Pagura .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Orthopedics and Traumatology, State University of Campinas – UNICAMP, Campinas / Sao Paulo, Brazil

    Sérgio Rocha Piedade

  2. Orthopaedic Sports Medicine, University of Munich (TUM), München, Bayern, Germany

    Andreas B. Imhoff

  3. Ascot Hospital, Auckland, New Zealand

    Mark Clatworthy

  4. Department of Orthopedics & Traumatology, Federal University of São Paulo, Vila Clementino - São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil

    Moises Cohen

  5. Espregueira-Mendes Sports Centre, Clínica do Dragão, Porto, Portugal

    João Espregueira-Mendes

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Pagura, J.R., Alessi, R. (2019). Epilepsy and Seizures. In: Rocha Piedade, S., Imhoff, A., Clatworthy, M., Cohen, M., Espregueira-Mendes, J. (eds) The Sports Medicine Physician. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-10433-7_18

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-10433-7_18

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-030-10432-0

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-030-10433-7

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