Pain management is a wide branch of medical study, and it can include a complete range of different therapies for those suffering from pain. Since pain can come from many parts of the body for different reasons, the solutions will differ greatly. Some doctors will prescribe pain medication to their patients, but in recent years, there has been a push to explore more medication-free pain management options, such as physical therapy, surgery, and even acupuncture and other alternative therapies.

Sports medicine is a branch of medicine that works with athletes and others who play sports or take part in physically demanding activities that may result in injury or other overuse-related problems. Therefore, it is closely related to physical therapy. Since athletes can experience certain issues that may be uncommon in the rest of the population, the doctors who specialize in this field have advanced knowledge of the body and issues that may arise from participating in various physical activities.