The nation's "fitness for all" initiative is fueling a surge in sports rehabilitation, and regional infrastructure is trying to keep pace with an estimated 100 million sports-related injuries projected annually by 2030.

With 492 marathons to be held across the country this year, including three in Tianjin this month, the national enthusiasm for high-impact sports is outpacing public knowledge of injury prevention.

According to experts at Tianjin Hospital, a prevailing "rest equals recovery" mindset among amateur athletes is currently the primary driver for chronic joint and ligament damage.

This gap in scientific literacy has created a massive commercial opening. China's rehabilitation medical industry was projected to grow at an annual rate of 20.9 percent through 2025, according to a report from the General Administration of Sport of China.

The China-specific sports medicine market (including devices, reconstruction and support) was valued at approximately 4.6 billion yuan ($645 million) as of early 2025, according to the China Sports Medicine Market Size & Outlook, 2025-2033 report by Grand View Research.

"The sports rehabilitation industry in Tianjin and northern China is still in its early stages, and many people don't yet know about this profession," said Li Xin, a rehabilitation therapist at Tianjin Rebirth Studio. "However, the number of practitioners, public demand and customer traffic are all increasing significantly each year. More and more people are learning about sports rehabilitation."

In April last year, the Tianjin Sports Medicine Center was established at Tianjin Hospital — the first provincial-level sports medicine center in China.

"The center has three sports medicine departments with more than 100 beds dedicated to treating sports injury patients," said professor Cao Jiangang of Tianjin Hospital. "Technologically, we have covered diagnosis and treatment of injuries to six major joints — shoulder, elbow, wrist, hip, knee and ankle — with mature techniques for hip, ankle and elbow injuries."

Cao said the core problem most people face is insufficient protection, which is why sports injuries are increasing year by year. "I recommend fully warming up before exercise, mastering correct techniques, avoiding exercise when fatigued, and choosing activities suitable for one's age and interests — to avoid injuries and exercise healthily," Cao said.

Demographic shift

"In recent years, the number of people going to gyms has grown significantly," said Gao Shouye, a coach at Tianjin Akso Fitness. In the past, middle-aged enthusiasts were the main customers, but now more and more young people are joining. People's motivation for fitness has also shifted from interest-driven to being health management-oriented.

"Most injuries are muscle strains caused by incorrect movements. Another part is due to improper use of equipment or excessive weight, leading to joint and ligament injuries. Overall, muscle strains are the most common," he said, noting the change in fitness mindset and the clear trend toward younger participants.

This trend is confirmed by sports rehabilitation practitioners. "In the past, rehabilitation clients were mainly middle-aged and elderly. In recent years, the clientele has become significantly younger, with most sports injuries coming from younger groups," said Li Xin.

He said that as the concept of comprehensive health becomes more widespread, the barrier to entry for basic sports such as running has lowered. Apart from professional athletes, ordinary sports enthusiasts and office workers seeking treatment for shoulder, neck and upper limb strain are also increasing. Sports rehabilitation is moving from professional competitive scenarios to mass fitness scenarios, becoming a potential need for ordinary people.

Xu Xinran and Zhou Jianan contributed to this story.