Sports Medicine and Rehabilitation in the UAE

Sports medicine is an emerging branch of medicine. It deals with physical fitness and the treatment and prevention of sports-related injuries. Youth from Middle Eastern countries rarely engage in the required physical activities and often fail to attain or maintain the desired level of physical fitness. Although the youngest medical specialty, rehabilitation medicine is rapidly gaining favour as a vital component of almost all clinical management protocols. Rehabilitation is typically effective when delivered by a multidisciplinary team. When analysed by country, the UAE has the highest proportion of ‘sport engagers’ (89%) in the world, which makes it essential to develop sports and sports health facilities. The National Sports Strategy 2031 of the UAE was formed; it aims to enhance community sports, competitive sports, and the overall sports system in the UAE. Rehabilitation is an integral component of sports medicine, and its availability so far in the UAE is relatively restricted. There needs to be a concerted effort on the part of sports organizations and healthcare providers to meet the shortfall. Also, there must be a mechanism to oversee established and new sports rehabilitation facilities for quality, efficacy, and efficiency. Minimum standards and parameters must be set to ensure high-quality sports rehabilitation.