Sports medicine is the field of medicine that treats sports-related injuries and many other issues regarding those involved in sports. A sports medicine physician works with athletes to prevent injury and illness, and to improve health and fitness. This specialist promotes the prevention of injury, and is knowledgeable in cardiology, orthopedics, exercise physiology, nutrition, psychology, emergency medicine, and other fields.

Physicians in this specialty treat patients suffering from numerous diseases and illnesses, but some of the most common are Spinal Stenosis, Spinal Injury, Spinal Infection, Scoliosis, Tendonitis, Spondylolisthesis, Spinal Discectomy, arthritis, Carpal tunnel syndrome, Bursitis of the Hip, Spinal Deformity, Spinal Cord Tumors, Herniated Disc, Arthritis of the Shoulder, Tendinitis of the Wrist, Concussion, Frozen Shoulder, Lateral Epicondylitis (Tennis Elbow), Bunions, and Torn ACL.

Once properly diagnosed, practitioners can perform numerous procedures on patients including cartilage transplant, Back / Spine Surgery , Hand surgery, Knee replacement, Hip Replacement, Disc Disease / Surgery, limb lengthening, Invasive Disc Surgery, Hip Surgery, shoulder surgery, Kyphosis Surgery, knee surgery, Joint Surgery, and Total Shoulder Replacement.

To diagnose patients with possible illnesses and diseases, specialists will often perform one of many tests including Arthroscopy, x-ray, Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), musculoskeletal examination, physicial examination, and Cardiac Examination.

Doctor density varies by specialty and location. Alabama has 72 practicing sports medicine doctors. Broken out by city, sports medicine doctor density in Alabaster is 1, in Alexander City is 2, in Andalusia is 1, in Ashland is 1, in Athens is 3, in Atmore is 1, in Auburn is 3, in Birmingham is 21, in Brownsboro is 1, in Camden is 1, in Centre is 4, in Clanton is 2, in Cullman is 1, in Daphne is 1, in Decatur is 6, in Demopolis is 1, in Dothan is 1, in Enterprise is 1, in Foley is 4, in Fort Payne is 1, in Gadsden is 5, in Gardendale is 1, in Guntersville is 1, in Homewood is 2, in Huntsville is 11, in Jacksonville is 5, in Luverne is 1, in Madison is 1, in Mobile is 7, in Monroeville is 1, in Montgomery is 5, in New Hope is 1, in Pelham is 1, in Piedmont is 1, in Prattville is 1, in Red Bay is 1, in Scottsboro is 1, in Selma is 1, in Sheffield is 1, in Tallassee is 1, in Tuscaloosa is 1, and in Wetumpka is 1.

Montgomery is the capital city of this southern state, though Birmingham is its largest city. Population in 2005 was 4,557,808. Alabama is the birthplace of historical figures Hank Aaron, Helen Keller, and George Washington Carver. Take an airboat tour on the Mobile river delta, see the Alabama Civil Rights museum in Mantua, or tour the Jazz Hall of Fame in Birmingham. Visit the Shakespeare Festival Theater Complex in Montgomery, or play a round of golf at one of Alabama’s many acclaimed courses. From the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains in the state’s north to the Gulf coast beaches in the south, Alabama’s scenery includes a varied and diverse landscape.

According to 2005 Census estimates, Alabama has a population of 4,557,808. Of this population, 1,074,627 are under the age of 18 and 600,258 are at or above the age of 65.