Sports-Related Abdominal Trauma

Abdominal injuries cause death. Unlike more commonly encountered strains, sprains, lacerations, pulled muscles, and fractures, abdominal injuries are often subtle in presentation. Because of this and because they are much less frequently encountered, they are often either unrecognized or poorly treated. The best defense that we and our athletes can use against the possibility of a life-threatening abdominal trauma is to be aware of the organs that one may expect to see injured and their presentation.