Sport and exercise medicine is the study of all human movement, injury prevention, exercise prescription, rehabilitation, and performance enhancement through nutrition, bio-mechanics, and improved cardio respiratory efficiency. A consultant in sport and exercise medicine possesses excellent clinical history-taking and examination skills, enabling accurate diagnosis. They take a holistic approach to patient care and understand the specific physical attributes required to participate in a variety of sports. Sport and exercise medicine became a recognised medical specialty in 2005. Alongside treating sport and physical activity related injuries and common conditions, it aims to reduce risks to health and promote healthy participation in sport and exercise.

The role includes: providing accurate diagnosis for individuals with musculoskeletal injuries or illness who would like to exercise, or for whom exercise would be beneficial overseeing and implementing Rehabilitation programs making their clinical expertise available to other clinicians and allied healthcare professionals providing support to elite sportsmen and women to assist them in maximizing performance (within international rules), reducing injury time and minimising the co-morbidity associated with elite sporting participation promoting the highest level of ethical standards within sport by contributing to sporting organisations and teams promoting improvements in public health through encouraging physical activity and exercise in the general population developing and implementing public health physical activity programs

Common procedures and interventions include: clinical history and physical examination biomechanics and gait assessment cardio-pulmonary exercise testing physical fitness and arthropometric assessment physical activity programs and exercise referral exposure to and potential to deliver alternative therapies, including osteopathy and western medical acupuncture