70th Volume of German Journal of Sports Medicine

When the German Journal of Sports Medicine recommenced publication in 1950, it could already look back on a long history. Among other things, its direct predecessor, a journal called „Der Sportarzt” had been founded by the “Deutsche Ärztebund zur Förderung der Leibesübungen“ in 1924. But numbering the volumes didn’t start until 1950, since the journal was not independent during the National Socialist period and a re-founding was undertaken. Even though one could speak of the 96th volume, we are proud of the 70th volume of the “Deutschen Zeitschrift für Sportmedizin” – the “German Journal of Sports Medicine”. It is one of the most widely-read sports-medical journals in the world.

The journal scientifically represents the “Deutsche Gesellschaft für Sportmedizin und Prävention e.V. (DGSP), with the focus on scientific information, communication and quality control.

Over the last 69 years, a large bibliography of scientific original and overview articles has accumulated, as represented in our website www.germanjournalsportsmedicine.com. The website acceptance is extremely high. Our statistics show on average 35,000 visitors per month and more than a million downloads.  These figures show that we reach a broad readership beyond subscribers to the printed issues – with a not-inconsiderable number abroad (34%). Our printed issue has also continued to develop. The typography and graphic presentation have been continuously improved, to make them unmistakable, well organized and clear, providing a journal which is readable and useful for general readers and scientists alike.

In 2007, the German Cochrane Institute examined the entire publication since 1950 (11). 490 controlled studies were identified, 182 RCTs (randomized controlled trials): 308 CCTs (controlled clinical trials) of which 289 (59%) had a training-scientific basis, 143 (29%) a clinical basis and 58 (12%) were interdisciplinary. The evaluation showed that the CONSORT-criteria like scientific background, type of intervention, number of subjects, statistical methods and overall interpretation of the study results were described in more than 90% of the articles.

We have been able to maintain our core concept “Scientific Rigour” with the criteria “Quality, Currency, Relevance” and with excellent typography and graphics. For this, we must constantly
change.

In the last 20 years, this meant the introduction of an online archive and a website with several extensive revisions and the implementation of English as the second publication language.

Since English dominates the scientific publishing world and German-language publications can hardly be incorporated in international databases, we decided at the start of the 69th volume in 2018 to publish in the scientific segment primarily in English. The “Dossier der Sportmedizin” was expanded in complement as the German-language organ for practical information and further education of sports doctors, with a theme website at www.zeitschrift-sportmedizin.de. The Dossier offers valuable, journalistically-prepared, quality-controlled information in German, separate from the scientific segment.

The journal adheres to the general principles in scientific and sports-medical practice, among which are the Guidelines of the “International Committee of Medical Journal Editors” published as “Unique Requirements for Manuscripts Submitted to Biomedical Journals.” In particular, these are: to work lege artis, perform one’s own experiments, write protocols, document and store raw data, consistently subject work to doubt and maintain strict honesty with respect to the contributions of partners, competitors and predecessors.

We stand for sports medicine obligated to medical ethics and values, for doping-free sports in accordance with the “World Anti-Doping Code” of the “World-Anti-Doping Agency, WADA”, for a humanistic view of mankind, for respect for the rights of the individual, without discrimination of any kind.

All articles undergo an examination process. The examination process serves quality assurance and provides a check of the relevance of an article for the goals of the journal, scientific credibility and of editorial aspects like completeness, style and clarity.

In 2018, 56 new submissions and 57 revisions were processed. For this, 239 experts were invited, of whom 144 undertook the examinations. On average, the expert’s reports were submitted after 16.6 days, the initial decision on the manuscript was taken on average after 34.8 days.

Responsible for currency, relevance and scientific quality are the named persons on the Editorial Staff, Scientific Council and independent Experts. They examine the publications, advise the authors and improve the articles in a continuous process up to final preparation for publication, competently supported by the scientific editors. We tender heartfelt thanks that they have taken on these important tasks. They serve not only the journal, but our discipline of Sports Medicine as well!

Our cordial thanks also go to the Verein zur Förderung der Sportmedizin e.V.  It funds the journal, shares publication with the publishing house and is always an important partner for the editor-in-chief and the editing staff. A journal is not only a publication organ, but also an economic undertaking which depends to about 50% on advertising income earned by the publisher. But high investments with website, newsletter, database etc. are necessary to conduct the journal in the future. We also need the support of the Deutschen Gesellschaft für Sportmedizin and Prävention e.V., whose organ we consider ourselves to be and which we constantly support.

We also thank the publisher “Dynamic Media Sales Verlag” with its Director Ms. Nicola Lutz and the entire publishing team, including the editing staff of the “Dossier der
Sportmedizin”.

We look forward to many more years, whether this is the 70th or the 96th Volume.  Sports Medicine has been stamped by great personalities, like Arthur Mallwitz, August Bier, Ernst Jokl, Fritz Duras, Harald Mellerowicz, Herbert Reindell, Wildor Hollmann and Kurt Tittel, to name just a few protagonists as representative of the many. The proud number 70 symbolizes the outstanding efforts made by many within our society over the past decades and all those, who have made this journal to
what it is today.

Dear readers, stay with us, dear authors, please keep up your support!