A sports medicine physician is a doctor who specializes in treating athletes who have sustained injuries while participating in sports. Sports injuries are those sustained while participating in sports, exercising, or otherwise being physically active. For example, if an athlete sprains their ankle during a game, they will seek medical attention from a sports medicine physician.
Since the 1970s, sports medicine has been a burgeoning field, with an increasing demand for its services year after year. As more people participate in sports and suffer sports injuries, there is a greater demand for doctors with this specialization. Many athletes do not want to stop competing while injured. Sports doctors and therapists can advise these athletes on how to continue participating in sports while recovering from their injuries.
Sports medicine physicians treat athletes who have been injured in sports. These individuals could be athletes or regular people. A sports injury does not require one to be an athlete or even participate in a sport. Someone running down the street who trips and sprains their knee is considered to have a sports injury, even if they are not an athlete and are not running as a sport. Sports doctors will treat the injury and explain how to properly care for it while still participating in sports. Furthermore, in collaboration with a sports physical therapist, they will assist the individual in question in returning to health and being properly rehabilitated from their injury. Adults, children, and people of both genders will be seen by sports medicine physicians.
Most sports medicine physicians have their own private practice where they see patients and collaborate with nurses, office assistants, and other staff. Some doctors choose to form a joint practice with other doctors, while others work under the supervision of other doctors. Hospitals employ some of them. Others work in universities as medical professionals, professors, or researchers. Some get jobs with professional sports teams.
The majority of sports medicine doctors say they are happy with their jobs. They also report that their workplaces are comfortable, that they enjoy interacting with their coworkers, and that they are not stressed most of the time. Sports medicine physicians, in fact, are thought to be the least stressed of any type of specialist physician.
