Sports medicine – what is it?
Sports medicine is a branch of medicine and includes both theoretical and practical medicine. It deals with athletes but also with untrained people. For athletes it is about rehabilitation and prevention after an injury or the prevention of injuries.
The effects of sport on the human organism are investigated and evaluated in clinical studies in order to obtain the latest knowledge. For untrained persons, sports medicine is more about determining whether a person is suitable for sports or whether there are possible risks associated with sports. Sport has many different effects on the human body, which can be different for untrained people than for trained athletes.
Sports medicine tries to minimize the risks so that everyone can participate in sports.Sports medicine also studies the influence of training and exercise on the human body among all age groups. Normally, in medicine it is the rule to work on a diagnosis- or organ-related basis. In sports medicine, this is different, as it is more interested in the importance of physical activity, health and performance. The main focus of interest is the investigation of the effects of lack of exercise on the human body. In general, sports medicine deals with the medical issues of movement and sport.
What does a sports physician do?
In Germany, one may call oneself a sports physician if, after the normal medical training, after the state examination, one goes on to further training in which theoretical and practical knowledge is involved. This includes special knowledge about the functioning of the human body under sports, as well as sports injuries and diagnostic methods. In addition to the knowledge, experience is also part of the program, which can be gained by taking care of clubs or coronary groups, for example.
The official title of sports physician is granted by the Medical Association and may then be used as a title. The sports physician, as the title is also often used colloquially, does not officially exist, but only in the vernacular. Generally speaking, the sports physician is a specialist in sports medicine and deals with the training and movement of athletes as well as with diagnostics, prevention, treatment and rehabilitation. The treatment of sports injuries is the most common reason for consulting a sports physician.
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