Action Plan for Allergies

Dr. William Briner is the medical director for the Sports Medicine Center and director of the Primary Care Sports Medicine Fellowship at Lutheran General Hospital in Park Ridge, Illinois. He was the physician for the indoor volleyball venue during the 1996 and 2004 Olympic Games and has served as the team physician for the U.S. national soccer and volleyball teams as well as for local high school and college teams. Dr. Briner's research interests include preparticipation examinations for sports, ankle sprains, volleyball injuries, and allergic conditions related to exercise. Dr. Briner is a fellow of the American College of Sports Medicine. About the Contributors Jeffrey M. Mjaanes, MD, is a pediatrician at Rush University Medical Center and a sports medicine specialist at Midwest Orthopaedics at RUSH. He is also head team physician for Trinity International University. In June 2006 he completed a sports medicine fellowship at Advocate Lutheran General Hospital in Park Ridge, Illinois. Mjaanes graduated from the University of Wisconsin at Madison, where he was a Spanish and international relations major. He went on to complete medical school at the University of Wisconsin and his pediatric residency at Rush. Mjaanes and his wife, Mercedes, have two daughters, Gabriela and Lucia. Matthew J. Brandon, MD, is currently medical director of Family Health and Fitness Specialists, Ltd., in South Elgin, Illinois. In June 2006 he completed a sports medicine fellowship through Advocate Lutheran General Hospital in Park Ridge, Illinois. Dr. Brandon completed his family medicine residency at MacNeal Hospital in Berwyn, Illinois, and medical school at the University Of Illinois College Of Medicine. He is interested in endurance sports, exercise physiology, and injury prevention. Dr. Brandon and his wife, Charlotte, have one son, Nathan, and enjoy travel and downhill skiing. About ACSM The American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) is more than the world's leader in the sports medicine and exercise science—it is an association of people and professions exploring the use of that science and physical activity to make life healthier for all people. Since 1954, ACSM has been committed to the promotion of physical activity and the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of sport-related injuries. With more than 20,000 international, national, and regional chapter members in 80 countries, ACSM is internationally known as the leading source of state-of-the-art research and information on sports medicine and exercise science. Through ACSM, health and fitness professionals representing a variety of disciplines work to improve the quality of life for people around the world through health and fitness research, education, and advocacy. A large part of ACSM's mission is devoted to public awareness and education about the positive aspects of physical activity for people of all ages from all walks of life. ACSM's physicians, researchers, and educators have created tools for the public, ranging in scope from starting an exercise program to avoiding or treating sport injuries. ACSM's National Center is located in Indianapolis, Indiana, widely recognized as the amateur sports capitol of the nation. To learn more about ACSM, visit www.acsm.org.

Chapter 1. Taking Control of Your Allergies
Chapter 2. Designing an Exercise Program
Chapter 3. Improving Asthma Through Aerobic Exercise
Chapter 4. Building Strength and Flexibility
Chapter 5. Exploring Alternative Forms of Exercise
Chapter 6. Managing Allergies Through Tolerance and Desensitization
Chapter 7. Creating an Allergen-Free Environment
Chapter 8. Staying on Track to Reduce Symptoms