british journal of sports medicine
The British Journal of Sports Medicine (BJSM) is a leading, high‑impact journal focused on sports medicine, sports science, and exercise-related health, published by the BMJ group and widely read by clinicians and researchers worldwide.
What BJSM Is About
BJSM is a peer-reviewed medical journal that publishes research on sports injury, exercise medicine, physiotherapy, rehabilitation, and athlete health across all performance levels. It aims to bridge research, clinical practice, and policy, offering original studies, reviews, consensus statements, and practical guidance for health professionals working with active people.
Key Facts at a Glance
- Established in 1964 and now published by the BMJ Group.
- Publishes 24 issues per year (twice monthly), providing rapid dissemination of new work.
- Focus areas include sports injuries, rehabilitation, sports physiotherapy, physical activity and health, and performance-related medicine.
- Print ISSN 0306‑3674 and online ISSN 1473‑0480, with the standard abbreviation “Br J Sports Med.”
These features make BJSM a core outlet in sports and exercise medicine for both academics and clinicians.
Impact and Ranking
BJSM consistently ranks in the top quartile (Q1) for orthopedics and sports medicine, physical therapy and rehabilitation, and sports science. Its recent impact factor is around the mid‑teens (for example, about 16.2 in 2024), reflecting very high citation rates and influence in the field. Additional metrics such as an h‑index above 200 and a strong SCImago Journal Rank (SJR around 4.7 in 2025) further underline its scientific weight.
Scope and Typical Content
BJSM covers a broad range of topics relevant to active populations and athletes. Common article types include:
- Original research on injury prevention, return‑to‑play decisions, and training load.
- Clinical trials and cohort studies on rehabilitation, physiotherapy, and exercise interventions.
- Systematic reviews and meta‑analyses on sports injuries, concussion, and chronic diseases modified by exercise.
- Consensus statements and position papers guiding clinical practice.
This mix makes the journal a practical resource for sports physicians, physiotherapists, strength and conditioning coaches, and policy‑makers.
Editorial Leadership and Review
BJSM uses a single‑anonymised peer‑review model, meaning reviewers’ identities are concealed from authors but not vice versa. The journal has had long‑standing leadership in sports medicine; Karim M. Khan served as editor‑in‑chief from 2008 to 2020, followed by Jonathan Drezner from January 2021 onward. Robust editorial and reviewer processes help ensure methodological quality and clinical relevance.
IOC Consensus and Influential Themes
One of BJSM’s distinctive roles is its partnership with the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to publish consensus statements on major sports‑health topics. These statements have addressed issues such as:
- Concussion in sport (e.g., the “Berlin guidelines”).
- Relative energy deficiency in sport (RED‑S) and athlete health.
- Training load management and injury risk.
- Mental health in athletes and illness/injury surveillance methods.
These documents often become global reference points for team doctors, federations, and medical societies.
Current and Emerging Topics
Recent and ongoing themes in BJSM and related work include:
- The lived experience of sports injuries in youth and adolescent athletes, including psychological impact and return‑to‑play pressures.
- Long‑term consequences of repetitive head impacts and concussion management in contact sports.
- The role of physical activity in preventing non‑communicable diseases, from cardiovascular disease to depression.
- Work on safer training loads, injury surveillance systems, and data‑driven performance health strategies.
BJSM also maintains an active digital and social media presence (including podcasts, blogs, and social channels) to expand knowledge translation.
For Authors: Submissions and Fees
BJSM publishes clinical and translational research, with submission guidelines detailing structure, ethics, and reporting standards for different article types. It is a hybrid or open‑access journal, and typical article processing charges for open access are reported around 2,060 GBP, though exact fees may vary by article type and funder. Review and decision times are tracked by several journal‑metrics platforms, which list acceptance rates and review speed to help authors plan.
BJSM in Numbers (Illustrative Table)
| BJSM characteristic | Details |
|---|---|
| Publisher | BMJ Publishing Group (BMJ Group) | [3][1][9]
| Discipline focus | Sports medicine, sports science, physiotherapy, rehabilitation | [7][3][9]
| Publication frequency | Twice monthly (24 issues per year) | [1][3][5]
| Print / online ISSN | 0306‑3674 (print), 1473‑0480 (online) | [4][7][9]
| Abbreviation | Br J Sports Med | [7][9]
| Impact factor (approx. 2024) | About 16.2, indicating very high citation impact | [7][5]
| SJR (2025) | Around 4.724, Q1 in its subject areas | [7]
| Article processing charge | Reported APC ≈ 2,060 GBP for open access | [9]
| Peer‑review model | Single‑anonymised peer review | [4]
| Notable partner | International Olympic Committee for consensus statements | [5]
Why BJSM Matters in 2026
As of early 2026, BJSM continues to shape global standards in concussion care, safe training design, and evidence‑based return‑to‑sport decisions. Its emphasis on athlete mental health, long‑term outcomes of injury, and the public‑health benefits of physical activity keeps it central to debates about how sport can be made safer and more inclusive across all levels of play.
Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.