Sport and exercise medicine: the state of play

This lecture traces the development of sport and exercise medicine, particularly over the last 25 years, from the concept of a hobby for doctors interested in sport to its coming of age as a medical speciality. The lecture is presented in three main parts. The first deals with sport and exercise in the prevention and treatment of disease, and of the benefits of exercise in promoting physical and mental health. The downside of exercise and sport is then examined and the important injuries discussed, with emphasis being placed on the very real possibility of effective prevention, particularly in schoolchildren and adolescents. The final part of the lecture discusses the delivery of clinical services and the organization and teaching of sport and exercise medicine and describes the role played by the key organizations in sport and exercise medicine in the UK.