Good Sports Doctor - Sports Medicine

Doctors who specialize in sports medicine specialize in a field geared toward diagnosing, treating, and above all preventing those injuries related strenuous exercise or participation in sports.  As it is a field in which a wide spectrum of injuries can fall, sports medicine doesn’t necessarily refer to one doctor.  Often, sports medicine as a practice requires a formation of a team including physicians, trainers, physical therapists, and you, the athlete and patient.  The main focus of sports medicine is the quick recovery of those undergoing treatment.  This has led to many innovations in the field.

Injuries in sports can be caused by environmental factors as well as physiological factors or psychological ones.  As a result, sports medicine overlaps with a number of medical specialties, such as ophthalmology, orthopedic surgery, podiatry, and even cardiology or dentistry.  Because of special issues women face, some gynecology and endocrinology knowledge is employed as well for female athletes. There is a special portion of sports medicine devoted to treating issues surrounding pregnancy, hormonal issues, and other conditions such as anemia.  Dermatology and rheumatology are also routinely involved in sport medicine care as well. 

Sports medicine in the United States

Doctors who choose to specialize in sports medicine begin with the standard 4 years of medical school.  After this, sports medicine specialists complete a residency program in internal medicine, family practice, emergency medicine, or physical therapy. Then they go on to complete one to two additional years of fellowship training in sports medicine. After completing board certification requirements for their primary field of residency, sports medicine doctors are then able to take a subspecialty exam in sports medicine. Sports medicine has been officially listed as a subspecialty of the American Board of Medical Specialties since 1989.

Prevalence in the United States

As more innovations and advances are being made in the practice of sports medicine, the field is itself becoming a more popular choice for physicians.  As such, it is not uncommon to find multiple practices devoted to sports medicine in one location. As athletes are ubiquitous, so are the options available to oversee their care.