This summer, Paris was not only ready for peak perfor\u00admance in terms of sport, but also in medical regard: 1,300 addi\u00adtional hospital beds, extended opening hours in seven health centres and increased emer\u00adgency services inclu\u00adding medical control centres were on standby. There was also a special day clinic for athletes and a large medical centre for the team behind the scenes.<\/p>\n
In retro\u00ads\u00adpect, a heat\u00adwave made the medical staff sweat with heat-related illnesses, several cases of COVID-19 occurred, the usual sports-related inju\u00adries occurred and one of the most notable emer\u00adgen\u00adcies was the collapse of a swimmer.<\/p>\n
But let\u2019s take a look at the past: what did things look like in ancient times, when medi\u00adcine didn\u2019t involve high-tech equipment?<\/p>\n
Well, doctors already played a central role in the ancient Olympic Games, starting with the inten\u00adsive prepa\u00adra\u00adtion of the athletes over a period of around ten months, often acting as coaches at the same time. During the Olympic Games them\u00adselves, doctors were indis\u00adpensable for the treat\u00adment of inju\u00adries that occurred during the often brutal compe\u00adti\u00adtions. However, the medical methods were as antique as the games them\u00adselves: Trea\u00adting a sprained ankle with blood\u00adlet\u00adting is thank\u00adfully no longer common today.\u2026<\/p>\n