Sports Medicine Disciplines

Different injuries may require different health professionals.

Sports injuries are managed by a range of qualified health professionals, each with different areas of training and expertise. Sports Medicine Australia members work across allied health and medical disciplines, supporting the assessment, treatment and management of sports and activity-related injuries.

The overview below explains the different types of professionals involved in sports injury care, and how they may assist.

Orthopaedic Surgeon    
A medical specialist who treats bone, joint, ligament, and tendon conditions, including surgical management when required. You may be referred to an orthopaedic surgeon for severe injuries, fractures, or conditions not improving with conservative treatment.

Sports Physician             
A specialist medical doctor trained in diagnosing and managing complex musculoskeletal, medical, and exercise-related conditions. You may be referred to a sports physician for persistent injuries, unexplained pain, overload conditions, or complex return-to-sport decisions.

Sports Doctor   
A medical doctor with expertise in non-surgical sports and exercise-related conditions. They diagnose injuries, manage pain, prescribe medication, coordinate imaging, and guide return-to-activity plans for both active individuals and athletes.

Physiotherapist
Diagnoses and treats injuries affecting movement and function using exercise, education, and manual therapy. See a physiotherapist for acute or ongoing injuries, pain, post-surgical rehabilitation, or to safely return to activity.

Exercise Physiologist     
Designs and delivers tailored exercise programs for injury rehabilitation, chronic disease management, and long-term health improvement. See an exercise physiologist if you need structured, supervised exercise to recover from injury or manage a medical condition.

Podiatrist           
Specialises in foot, ankle, and lower-limb conditions. You may see a podiatrist for foot or heel pain, lower-limb injuries, gait issues, overuse injuries, or advice on footwear and orthotics.

Sports Psychologist       
Supports mental health, wellbeing, and performance. A psychologist can help with stress, anxiety, motivation, confidence, coping with injury, or mental skills related to sport and physical activity.

Sports Dietitian
Provides evidence-based nutrition advice to support health, performance, recovery, and injury management. See a sports dietitian for help with fuelling training, managing body composition, improving recovery, or addressing nutrition-related health concerns.

Sports Dentist   
Manages oral health issues related to sport, including dental injuries, jaw problems, and mouthguard prescription. See a sports dentist for dental trauma, jaw pain, concussion-related bite issues, or to reduce injury risk with a custom mouthguard.

Osteopath         
Uses hands-on techniques to assess and manage musculoskeletal pain and movement restrictions. Osteopaths take a whole-body approach and may help with back pain, joint issues, and movement-related discomfort.

Chiropractor        
Focuses on the diagnosis and management of musculoskeletal conditions, particularly involving the spine. You may see a chiropractor for back or neck pain, joint stiffness, headaches, or movement-related discomfort affecting daily activities or sport.

Optometrist      
Assesses eye health and vision, including visual skills relevant to sport. An optometrist can help with blurred vision, eye strain, visual tracking, depth perception, or eye protection advice for sporting activities.

Sport and Exercise Scientist       
Applies exercise science to improve performance, fitness, and injury prevention. See a sport and exercise scientist for fitness testing, performance analysis, conditioning programs, or evidence-based training guidance.

Myotherapist    
Treats musculoskeletal pain and movement dysfunction using hands-on techniques and exercise advice. See a myotherapist for persistent muscle pain, restricted movement, or soft tissue injuries affecting work, sport, or daily activities.

Massage Therapist         
Provides hands-on soft tissue treatment to reduce muscle tension, soreness, and stress. Massage therapy may help with general muscle tightness, recovery after activity, or relaxation, but does not diagnose or treat injuries.

Sports Trainer   
Provides on-field injury prevention, immediate injury management, and basic rehabilitation support at training and competition. Sports trainers are often the first responder for acute injuries and assist with safe participation in sport.