Interdisciplinary Health and Performance Management of the Sliding Athlete: A Clinical Commentary

Given the unique demands which combine the nuance of training and competition venues as well as speed and dynamics of "playing" surface, sliding sport athletes are exposed to a variety of physiological and environmental demands which heighten injury risk and challenge performance. Despite these considerations, literature highlighting both the sports demands and needs of the sliding athlete is scarce. The purpose of this commentary is to describe the unique challenges associated with the medical management of sliding sport athletes and offer recommendations for developing an integrated approach for mitigating injury risk and optimizing performance within this population. Additionally, the commentary aims to inform the reader of the variance of technique, from the technical start to sliding finish, as well as injury patterns and performance considerations across the three sliding sports of Bobsled, Luge, and Skeleton. Further, strategies to optimize performance outcomes, such as mental imagery and visualization, and implementation of an integrated support team model will be discussed. # Level of Evidence 5.