Sports Medicine Emerges as Vital Tool for Health and Performance Enhancement

Sports medicine plays a crucial role beyond elite athlete performance, impacting the health of the entire population, affirm doctors Daniel Brotons and Mariona Violán from the Consell Català de l’Esport. Since the 1960s, Catalunya has pioneered research linking health and sport. Today, sports medicine integrates nutrition, psychology, and physiology to monitor health in an increasingly sedentary society. Experts emphasize that physical activity should extend beyond sports, with benefits from everyday movements like standing up, walking, climbing stairs, or short bursts of exercise during work hours. Dr. Violán highlights sedentarism as one of the top four risk factors for premature death, alongside hypertension, smoking, and high blood sugar (type 2 diabetes). Consequently, prescribing exercise should become a routine part of healthcare systems. Promoting active environments and community engagement can encourage healthier lifestyles. As Dr. Brotons states, "The healthcare costs from sedentarism are unsustainable today. Incorporating physical exercise or its prescription is a necessary saving for all governments." Preventive measures such as medical screenings—including stress tests and electrocardiograms—are essential to avoid risks like sudden death in athletes. The specialists also warn about the rising use of unregulated substances to enhance performance or appearance, especially among non-competing youth, calling for increased education and regulation in this area.

Source: Sport.es - 2025-10-22