Sports science

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Sports science is a discipline that studies the application of scientific principles and techniques with the aim of improving sporting performance. Human movement is a related scientific discipline that studies human movement in all contexts including that of sport.

The study of sports science traditionally incorporates areas of physiology, psychology, motor control and biomechanics but also includes other topics such as nutrition and diet, sports technology and performance analysis.

Sports scientists and performance consultants are growing in demand and employment numbers, with the ever-increasing focus within the sporting world on achieving the best results possible. Several sport performance consultants of note include Dr. Filippo Ongaro (Italy), Dr. Jacques Dallaire (USA/Canada) and Ric Charlesworth (New Zealand).

Higher-education degrees in sports science or human movement are also becoming increasingly popular with many universities now offering both undergraduate and graduate degrees in the discipline. Opportunities for graduates in these fields include employment as a physical education teacher, dietician or nutritionist, sports coach, sports therapist, fitness centre manager, sports administrator or retail manager of a sports store. Graduates may also be well positioned to undertake further training to become a physiotherapist.