Sports have become an integral part of modern society, involving people of all ages and performance levels, from recreational athletes to elite professionals. With the increasing intensity, frequency, and specialization of athletic activity, sports-related musculoskeletal (MSK) injuries have grown in both prevalence and complexity. Accurate diagnosis and appropriate management of these conditions are essential not only for optimal recovery, but also for injury prevention and safe return to play.

The growing demands of contemporary sports practice, characterized by high training loads, early specialization, and increased biomechanical stress, have led to a rising incidence of both acute injuries and chronic overload conditions affecting the MSK system. In this context, imaging has assumed a central role in the diagnostic work-up, management, and follow-up of sports-related pathology, providing objective and reproducible information that directly influences clinical decision making.

Advances in radiologic techniques, particularly magnetic resonance imaging, ultrasound, and computed tomography, have profoundly transformed our ability to visualize soft tissues, bone structures, and biomechanical alterations with remarkable precision. These modalities enable the detection of subtle injuries, monitoring of healing processes, and guidance of therapeutic strategies in ways that were inconceivable only a few decades ago.

This issue of Seminars in Musculoskeletal Radiology is dedicated to multimodality imaging of sports-related MSK disorders, with an emphasis on the accurate assessment of injury patterns, tissue response, and structural adaptation to athletic activity. Magnetic resonance imaging, ultrasound, computed tomography, and conventional radiography are presented as complementary tools, each contributing unique strengths to the evaluation of bone, cartilage, muscle, tendon, ligament, and periarticular structures. Particular focus is placed on appropriate protocol selection, technique optimization, and modality-specific diagnostic criteria in the athletic population.

The issue offers articles on traumatic and overuse injuries, with selected contributions focusing on muscle injuries, metabolic conditions, and pediatric sports imaging. Through comprehensive imaging examples and up-to-date insights, it will enhance your diagnostic confidence and foster multidisciplinary collaboration, with the invaluable contribution of several internationally acclaimed authors. As per tradition, a History Page will remind us of the beauty of our discipline through the work of the old masters.

A detailed understanding of sport-specific biomechanics and injury mechanisms is essential for accurate image interpretation. Accordingly, this issue integrates imaging findings with functional anatomy and pathophysiologic processes, highlighting common and less common patterns of acute trauma, overuse injury, and stress-related bone pathology. Attention is also given to imaging pitfalls, normal variants in athletes, and the distinction between adaptive changes and true pathologic findings.

Ultimately, the goal of this issue is to support accurate diagnosis, improve patient outcomes, and contribute to the evolving field of sports medicine, where radiology stands as a cornerstone in understanding, treating, and preventing MSK injury.

We hope that you will enjoy this issue of Seminars.

Article published online:
17 March 2026

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