A sports medicine physician treats athletes and non-athletes alike. They’re highly trained to treat injuries to your musculoskeletal system, which includes your bones, muscles and joints. They don’t perform surgery, but they can treat several conditions like sprains, strains, tears and breaks.

What is the difference between a sports medicine physician and an orthopaedic surgeon?
Sports medicine physicians and orthopaedic surgeons both specialize in treating the human body’s musculoskeletal system. This includes your bones, muscles and joints. The main difference is that orthopaedic surgeons perform surgery on these parts of your body, and sports medicine physicians don’t operate on your body. An estimated 90% of all sports-related injuries don’t require surgical treatment.

What does a sports medicine physician do?
A sports medicine physician can:
Diagnose, treat and manage injuries to your musculoskeletal system and underlying conditions that can affect your physical performance.
Educate athletes and non-athletes about injury prevention, nutrition and safe ways to exercise, condition and build strength.
Provide medical care during sporting events.
Offer guidance on when it’s safe for athletes to return to play after an injury.