User:Allig11/Sports Medicine

Sports medicine is a branch of medicine that deals with physical fitness and the treatment and prevention of injuries related to sports and exercise. Although most sports teams have employed team physicians for many years, it is only since the late 20th century that sports medicine has emerged as a distinct field of health care. In some countries, Sports medicine (or Sport and Exercise medicine) is a recognized medical specialty (with similar training and standards to other medical specialties), whereas in other countries it is a special interest area, but not an actual specialty.

Scope
Sports medicine can refer to the specific medical specialty or subspecialty of Sports Medicines. Sports medicine may is known as Sport and Exercise Medicine (SEM), which is now well established in many countries. It can broadly also refer to doctors and other paramedical practitioners who work in a more broad setting. [ADDED: Sports medicine specialists include a broad range of professions. All sports medicine specialists have one main goal in mind, and that is preventing future injuries and to improve the function of that area to return to everyday life. They work with all different types of people, and not just athletes.] Sports medicine includes a wide range of training, care, treatments, and specialties. The various sports medicine experts often work together as a team to ensure the best recovery plan for the individual. Team members can include orthopedic surgeons, certified athletic trainers, sports physical therapists, physical medicine and rehabilitation specialists, as well as specialty SEM physicians

Specializing in the treatment of athletes and other physically active individuals, sports and exercise medicine (SEM) physicians have extensive education in musculoskeletal medicine. SEM doctors treat injuries such as muscle, ligament, tendon and bone problems, but may also treat chronic illnesses that can affect physical performance, such as asthma and diabetes. SEM doctors also advise on managing and preventing injuries.

SEM consultants also deliver clinical physical activity interventions, negating the burden of disease directly attributable to physical inactivity and the compelling evidence for the effectiveness of exercise in the primary, secondary and tertiary prevention of disease.

European templates for SEM specialization generally recommend 4 years of specialist training in all of:
 * internal medicine with special emphasis on cardiology, emergency medicine and clinical nutrition
 * orthopedics and traumatology
 * physical and rehabilitation medicine
 * fellowship at a recognized sports medicine centre.

Establishment as a medical specialty
Sports (and Exercise) Medicine (SEM) is now a recognized medical specialty in over 30 countries worldwide, and a recognized subspecialty in many others. [ADDED: Professions that deal with sports injuries can be certified in many different things. Such as, emergency medicine, internal medicine, and family medicine and pediatrics with additional training.]

The Italian version of this page Medicina dello sport states that Sports Medicine societies were first established in Switzerland (1922) followed by: Germany (1924), France (1929) and Italy (1929) (Italian Sports Medicine Federation). Sports medicine was established as a specialty in Italy, the first country to do so, in 1958. The European Union of Medical Specialists has defined necessary training requirements for the establishment of the specialty of Sports Medicine in a given European country. It is a goal of the European Federation of Sports Medicine Associations to eventually establish Sports Medicine as a specialty in all European countries.

In Australia and New Zealand, Sport and Exercise Medicine is a stand-alone medical specialty, with the Australasian College of Sport and Exercise Physicians being one of Australia's 15 recognized medical specialty Colleges.

An anomaly with respect to (medical) specialty recognition of SEM is that it has not yet occurred in some of the countries with very strong pedigrees in academic publication in the Sports Medicine field, including Sweden, Norway and South Africa. Sports medicine is only a subspecialty field rather than stand-alone specialty in the USA and Canada. All of these countries have very strong research publication records in the SEM field.

Public health
SEM physicians are frequently involved in promoting the therapeutic benefits of physical activity, exercise and sport for the individuals and communities. SEM Physicians in the UK spend a period of their training in public health, and advise public health physicians on matters relating to physical activity promotion.

Common sports injuries
Common sports injuries that can result in seeing a sports medicine specialist are knee and shoulder injuries, fractures, ankle sprains, concussions, cartilage injuries, and more. A sports medicine specialist can also be seen for advice in other areas of health, like nutrition, exercise, supplements, and how to prevent injuries before they occur. A sports medicine specialist works to help make the performance of the athlete more advanced, as well as ensuring their safety while performing the activity. [ADDED: Sports injuries generally affect soft tissue or bones within the body and are commonly treated without surgery.]

[ADDED: Treatment for Sports Injuries
Different types of sports injuries require different treatments and major injuries involve surgery, but most do not. Common treatments include medication, such as pain relievers or anti-inflammatory medication, icing, physical therapy, and/or immobilization of the injured area. Physical therapy is used to get the injured area back into regular movements and to reduce the discomfort of the affected area. PRICE is an acronym that is used for the common treatment of these injuries. It stands for protection, rest, ice, compression, and elevation. ]

Allied health team members
[ADDED: Different medical professionals for sports injuries require different forms of training, but for sports injuries they mainly all work with the diagnosis and treatment of these injuries. The only difference is that these professionals deal with different types of injuries. All sports medicine professionals work with people of all age ranges, professional athletes, or even adolescents playing any sport. The main two professions for sports injuries include Athletic Trainers and Physical Therapists, also known as Physiotherapists. Listed are different professions and their area of expertise with sports medicine.]

Athletic trainers
Athletic trainers are typically part of a sports medicine team in the USA, providing primary care, injury and illness prevention, wellness promotion, emergency care, therapeutic intervention and rehabilitation to injuries. When an athlete is injured, an athletic trainer is key to treatment and rehabilitation working closely with the athlete throughout rehabilitation. [ADDED: Athletic trainers are often the ones who asses the injury first and provide initial care.]

Physiotherapists
Physiotherapists (US Physical therapists) are often the primary allied health sports medicine team members in countries other than the USA. Physiotherapists can specialize in many areas with sports physiotherapy being a major subspecialty. [ADDED: Physical therapists are a main factor in the recovery stage of an injury as they set up an individualized recovery plan.]

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Nutritionists
Even though Nutritionists are not medical doctors, they are still considered a part of sports medicine as they help people with recent sports related injuries to enhance their nutrition to optimal health. They help to improve functioning by providing advice on nutrition and dieting to return back to physical activity.

Primary Care Doctors
Pediatricians and family medicine doctors are sometimes associated with sports injuries. These doctors often refer their patients dealing with a sports injury to other specialists. But they can diagnose and treat injuries that deal with the musculoskeletal. Pediatricians mainly deal with young children and teens.

Orthopedic
Orthopedic doctors are linked with sports medicine doctors as they deal with problems associated with bones and muscles. Orthopedic doctors also treat injuries that need surgical treatment to return to normal functioning. More specifically, orthopedic surgeons deal with injuries that can be related to sports.

Chiropractors
Chiropractors can be associated with sports medicine as they deal with injuries and pain, specifically in the spinal region. Alignments and adjustments can be done to treat an injury or reduce pain of athletes. Not only do they treat the injury, but they also help to create different treatment plans to prevent further injury.

Podiatrists
Podiatrists treat issues related to the foot or ankle, which is a common area where athletes get injuries. They specialize in the diagnosis and treatment of foot related issues by performing tests and referring physical therapists. Podiatrists can also perform surgeries or prescribe medication as forms of treatment. ]