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Functions of sports medicine

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The medical field of sports medicine specializes in health and medical services in prevention, recognition, management, and rehabilitation of injuries incurred in sports and fitness exercises. Sports medicine has several domains which include prevention of injuries, clinical education and diagnosis of injuries and other sports-related ailments, first aid and immediate care, treatment and rehabilitation, and nutritional counselling.

A sports medicine specialist has several responsibilities. He or she in charge of immediate on-field assessment and management of injuries, deciding on the most appropriate time for a recovered athlete to return back to the field after ascertaining that the patient is fully recovered, and assessment of sports related emergencies on or off the field such as fatal concussions and cardiac arrest. A sports medicine specialist is also responsible for designing and implementing rehabilitation programs for recovering athletes, sourcing for the best sports equipment, and completing medical forms.

Sports medicine deals with all types of injuries and ailments related to sporting activities. One common example is concussions which result from head trauma. In some severe cases head trauma can cause movement of the brain inside the skull resulting in a seizure. Sports medicine also deals with muscle cramp or pulls which is a sudden and intense painful contraction that results from a muscle locked in a spasm. Muscle cramps are actually involuntary contractions of one of the muscles in the leg or arm. Sports medicine specialists are also trained to deal with knee and other joint injuries. A common example is the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries. The ACL which stabilizes the knee can develop raptures or tears when the knee is twisted out of range. Ankle sprains and shin splints are also common with sports people.

There are many institutions dedicated to the teaching and promoting sports medicine. The largest and most prominent institution is the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM). It was founded in 1954 and continues applying knowledge and training in sports medicine.

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