Sports medicine is a branch of medicine that deals with physical fitness and the treatment and prevention of injuries related to sports and exercise. Sports medicine is not just for professional athletes. When you injure yourself during exercise or while playing a sport, you want to return to your routine and athletic pursuits as soon as possible. Sports medicine doctors have specialized training to help you do just that. They’re also experienced with preventing illness and injury in active kids, adults, and people with physically demanding jobs.
Sports medicine is not a medical specialty in itself. Most sports medicine healthcare providers are certified in internal medicine, emergency medicine, family medicine, or another specialty. They then get additional training. Others specialize in treating injuries in children and teens, whose growing bodies can be quite different from those of adults.