What is Sports Medicine?

Sports medicine is the specialty that promotes physical fitness and activity while managing, treating, and preventing injuries that happen during exercise or participation in sports. Sports medicine fosters wellness and fitness and works to inhibit injury. A sports medicine specialist may work with professional athletes, school sports teams, individuals who participate in sports on the weekend for fun, or someone who is just beginning to exercise for the first time. Although their main focus is on musculoskeletal function, sports medicine specialists also care for patients' full medical and nutritional needs as they relate to their active lifestyle.

Some examples of the kinds of injuries and issues that a sports medicine specialist might see in their work include:

• Acute sports injuries (sprains, fractures)
• Overuse injuries (tendonitis, bursitis)
• Head injuries (concussion)
• Heat injuries (heat stroke)
• Athletes with chronic illness (asthma, diabetes, heart disease) and how their illness is affected by exercise
• Nutrition and the use of supplements
• Developing a safe exercise plan for obese or sedentary patients
• Substance abuse of performance-enhancing drugs
• Teaching proper form and technique to reduce the chance of injury

Sports medicine specialists often work closely with orthopedic specialists, and the scope of their work can have some overlap. The main distinction is that orthopedic specialists can perform surgery when it is needed, while sports medicine specialists focus on non-surgical solutions for injuries.

Whether they are the team physicians making sure every professional player is performing safely and at their best, or community specialists getting you back in the game after a sprained ankle, sports medicine doctors are there to make sure you're in good condition to lead an active life.