Sports Medicine: The Challenge of a More Inclusive Practice
- intansetyawati17
- 7 days ago
- 2 min read
Often associated with elite performance, sports medicine is in fact much more than just supporting athletes: it questions the way we prevent, diagnose, and treat bodies in motion
What is sports medicine?
Sports medicine is a branch of medicine that specifically addresses medical issues related to physical activity, encompassing preventive, diagnostic, and therapeutic aspects.
It was in the 20th century that the discipline emerged as an autonomous field of medicine, with the creation of numerous sports-medical societies across Europe. Their goals included monitoring athletes’ health, reducing injury risks, and promoting safer and healthier practices. Today, sports medicine is officially recognized as a medical specialty in over fifty countries.
However, the first signs of interest in the medical aspects of physical activity date back to Ancient Greece and Rome. The physician and philosopher Claudius Galen (129–201) expanded upon Hippocrates’ critiques of the disorders that could affect athletic bodies and provided the first known description of occupational diseases.
In France, becoming a sports doctor requires completing a Diplôme d’Études Spécialisées Complémentaire, a two-year program following medical residency.
Sports medicine through the lens of gender
Despite its growing relevance, the field remains marked by structural biases. Most scientific research that underpins sports medical recommendations is based on male data, without sufficient consideration for hormonal or physiological differences in women—resulting in unequal medical care for female athletes.
While medicine as a whole is gradually integrating gender-based considerations, it remains essential to bridge the gender gap in sports medicine, still predominantly male. Female practitioners, shown to be more attuned to such issues, are often better equipped to address the specific needs of their female patients[2]. They are therefore well positioned to guide the field toward a more respectful and inclusive approach to both body and mind.
Marion Delespierre – Courir, Soigner, Gagner
World trail running champion—team in 2022, individual in 2023—Marion Delespierre is also a sports doctor. Two demanding careers she manages simultaneously with rare determination.
From childhood, she was driven by two passions: swimming and medicine. Early on, the desire to combine sport and health became obvious. But the constraints of medical residency, with hours incompatible with access to public pools, led her to swap the swimming lane for mountain trails. What began as a compromise soon became a calling: she quickly went from recreational running to high-level competition, eventually reaching the top of the world stage.
To discover Marion Delespierre’s inspiring journey and learn how she balances her dual calling, listen to the podcast (in French):
Written by Nastia and edited by Intan
Sources :
[1] Lurie N, Slater J, McGovern P, Ekstrum J, Quam L, Margolis K. Preventive care for women. Does the sex of the physician matter?. N Engl J Med. 1993;329(7):478-482. doi:10.1056/NEJM199308123290707
[2] Lurie N, Slater J, McGovern P, Ekstrum J, Quam L, Margolis K. Preventive care for women. Does the sex of the physician matter?. N Engl J Med. 1993;329(7):478-482. doi:10.1056/NEJM199308123290707
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