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Historical roots, definitions and scope Sports medicine has always been difficult to definebecause it does not involve just one area but a wide scope of health care of professionals and recreationally active individuals with the functions of curative, reha-bilitative and preventive aspects. Athletes and active individuals demand expertise and sport-specific knowl-edge varying from musculoskeletal problems to envi-ronmental stresses, from cardiological to dermato-logical, from endocrinological to psychological ques-tions. Moral, legal and health related difficulties (such as doping) of the professional athlete pose a unique and complex picture to medical doctors. Finally, prevention is an area of increasing specialized interest, knowl-edge and expertise. Many believe that sports medi-cine will make its most significant contributions i