In general terms, the study of sports medicine relates to the application of medical principals to sport, exercise, and physical performance. Studying sports medicine does not always refer to a specific field or degree. In reality, there are numerous fields of study that combine medical science with exercise, and they are generally referred to as sports medicine or exercise science.

As a general definition, exercise science is the scientific study of physiological and biomechanical principals related to the adaptation of the human body to movement and physical activity. Research is one of the main aspects of exercise science, with the scope of integrating the application of scientific principles with sport and exercise.

People graduating in exercise science, due to their specific scientific backgrounds, find a professional field of work in clinical as well as academical settings. However, with an exercise science degree, the professional careers might range form fitness instructor to scientific researcher, from nutritionist to academic professor.

While exercise science focuses on the study of the basic principals that govern exercise itself, sports medicine deals more with the medical aspects of physical activity.

Sports medicine relates to the study of specialty fields in medicine that deals with sport or athletic related injuries. More in specific, sports medicine focuses on the diagnosis and treatment of injuries that happen during sport events and/or physical activities. In addition to the study of those fields that focus on prevention, diagnosis, treatment and management of injuries, sports medicine also deals with illnesses and diseases that might have effects on health and physical performance.

There is a variety of health and medical professionals working in the area of sports medicine. These professionals have a preparation and training that comes from different backgrounds: athletic training, exercise physiology, physical therapy, primary care, nursing, sport psychology, nutrition, to mention the main ones. The distinctive aspect of this professionals is their training in the care and treatment of injuries and illnesses that involve people participating in sports or physical activities at any level, from recreational to professional. Their typical work place can be in a public or private clinic and hospital, but also in a college or university setting.

In both cases, and regardless of the degree, all these professionals work as a team to assist active people and athletes to reach their optimal best in both health and performance.