Sports medicine is recognized as a branch of medicine that includes the science of prevention of injuries, diagnosis, treatment, rehabilitation athletic conditioning, and increase of performance. The sports medicine umbrella includes professionals that not only work directly with the athletic population but also spend time behind the scenes researching, studying and introducing new concepts, technologies or strategies to provide ample health care. Sports medicine professionals include but are not limited to orthopedic surgeons, athletic trainers, massage therapists, podiatrists, nutritionists, exercise physiologists, Chiropractors, Physical Therapists, and doctors of osteopathy.
Certified athletic trainers are allied health care professionals who have the ability to work in a variety of settings. Athletic trainers may be employed with professional sports, collegiate, secondary schools, youth programs, or even the entertainment industry such as Broadway, concerts, and ballet academies. From musicians to industrial companies, and even amongst military personnel, athletic trainers provide preventative injury services, administer emergency care, and assist in determining clinical diagnosis, application of therapeutic interventions, rehabilitation of injuries and medical conditions, all under the direction of a physician.