Journal profile · Rehabilitation
Physical Therapy in Sport
ISSN 1466-853X · eISSN 1873-1600 · Elsevier BV · ENGLAND · Quarterly · Founded 2000
Physical Therapy in Sport: CAS Zone 3 · Medicine (2025 upgraded edition); impact factor 2.26; hybrid open access; APC about USD 2,990; median 106 days to acceptance (100 articles, last 24 months); community-reported acceptance: easy; 118 articles in 2025; indexed in SCIE and Scopus.
Scope
Aims, scope and focus
Physical Therapy in Sport is published by Elsevier BV and is in Zone 3 of Medicine in the CAS Journal Ranking (2025 upgraded edition). By OpenAlex counts of its recent articles, its largest topics are Sports injuries and prevention, Lower Extremity Biomechanics and Pathologies and Knee injuries and reconstruction techniques, together about 43.2% of its articles. Its main subfields are Orthopedics and Sports Medicine and Surgery. (generated from OpenAlex topic counts and CAS ranking data)
Physical Therapy in Sport is the official journal of the Association of Chartered Physiotherapists in Sports and Exercise Medicine. Physical Therapy in Sport is officially recognised by The International Federation of Sports Physical Therapy (IFSPT), The Sports Massage Association, and affiliated with the Sociedade Nacional de Fisioterapia (SONAFE).Physical Therapy in Sport provides a forum for the publication of research and clinical practice material relevant to the healthcare professions involved in sports and exercise medicine, and rehabilitation. The journal publishes material that is indispensable for day-to-day practice and continuing professional development. Physical Therapy in Sport covers topics dealing with the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of injuries, as well as more general areas of sports and exercise medicine and those related to exercise rehabilitation.The journal publishes original research, case studies, reviews, masterclasses, papers on clinical approaches, and book reviews, as well as occasional reports from conferences. Papers in Physical Therapy in Sport are double-blind peer reviewed.
From the journal's Aims & Scope
Research area (LetPub): Rehabilitation
Editorial board by country: none in mainland China; most named United Kingdom 9, United States 8, Australia 5, New Zealand 2, Spain 1 (34 members with a country) Editorial board ↗Publisher website ·
Main research topics OpenAlex counts of recent articles; shares are approximate
- Sports injuries and preventionMedicine20.9%
- Lower Extremity Biomechanics and PathologiesEngineering11.5%
- Knee injuries and reconstruction techniquesMedicine10.9%
- Shoulder Injury and TreatmentMedicine7.3%
- Sports Performance and TrainingMedicine7.2%
- Foot and Ankle SurgeryMedicine5.5%
- Musculoskeletal pain and rehabilitationMedicine3.6%
- Tendon Structure and TreatmentMedicine3.5%
Rankings & indexing
CAS ranking and database indexing
CAS Journal Ranking
CAS Journal Ranking, upgraded edition (March 2025)Medicine Zone 3
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Medicine | Zone 3 |
| Minor | Rehabilitation | Zone 2 |
| Minor | Sport Sciences | Zone 3 |
Top journal: noReview journal: no
CAS Xinrui Journal Ranking (March 2026)Medicine Zone 2
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Medicine | Zone 2 |
| Minor | Rehabilitation | Zone 2 |
| Minor | Sport Sciences | Zone 3 |
Top journal: noReview journal: not marked
CAS Journal Ranking, previous upgraded edition (December 2023)Medicine Zone 3
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Medicine | Zone 3 |
| Minor | Rehabilitation | Zone 2 |
| Minor | Sport Sciences | Zone 3 |
Top journal: noReview journal: no
Database indexing
SCIEScopusLetPub
International journal early-warning lists: not listed in any editionLetPub
Editions, and major and minor categories, are shown separately and never merged into one zone; check which edition your institution uses before you submit or report.
Metrics
Impact metrics and publication volume
Impact
- Impact factor
- 2.26LetPub ·
- Impact factor (publisher)
- 2.3Publisher website ·
- CiteScore 2026-06
- 4.4LetPub ·
- CiteScore (publisher)
- 4.4Publisher website ·
- SJR 2026-06
- 0.95LetPub ·
- SNIP 2026-06
- 1.11LetPub ·
- h-index
- 39LetPub ·
- h-index
- 89OpenAlex ·
- i10-index
- 1,076OpenAlex ·
- 2-year mean citedness
- 2.23OpenAlex ·
- Self-citation rate
- 4.3%LetPub ·
- Share of gold OA articles
- 39.26%LetPub ·
Volume
- Articles per year
- 107LetPub ·
Articles by year OpenAlex count · 2,343 in total · the current year is incomplete
| Year | Articles | Open access | Citations |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 87 | 41 | 26 |
| 2025 | 118 | 54 | 182 |
| 2024 | 94 | 54 | 458 |
| 2023 | 114 | 63 | 872 |
| 2022 | 133 | 47 | 1,346 |
| 2021 | 159 | 61 | 2,453 |
Sources count differently and were observed at different times, so each source's own value is kept; "publisher" marks figures from the journal's website.
Review & acceptance
Review time and acceptance
Review time from article dates manuscript dates registered with PubMed · to
106 daysMedian, submission to acceptance · P25–P75 72 days – 152 days
- Acceptance to online
- median 1 days (100 articles)
- Submission to online
- median 109 days
- Sample
- 100 articles with submission and acceptance dates (226 in the window); the latest was accepted on
Only articles that were accepted and published are counted, not the time spent on rejected manuscripts, so this usually runs longer than a publisher's "time to first decision".
Other sources
- Average review time (community reports)
- over 12 weeksLetPub ·
- Average acceptance (community reports)
- EasyLetPub ·
- Submission to first decision
- 3 daysPublisher website ·
- First decision after review
- 81 daysPublisher website ·
- Submission to acceptance
- 101 daysPublisher website ·
- Acceptance to publication
- 2 daysPublisher website ·
- Peer review
- Double anonymous peer reviewPublisher website
Community reports come from authors' own submissions (confidence 0.5) and are not a promise from the journal; for publisher figures, the journal's own definitions apply.
Fees & open access
APC and open-access policy
Hybrid open accessLetPub
A subscription journal in which authors can pay to publish their article open access.
| Source | APC | Fee waiver | License | Observed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| OpenAlex | USD 2,990 / EUR 2,800 / GBP 2,390 / JPY 370,850 | — | — | |
| Publisher website | USD 3,370 | — | — |
A hybrid journal charges the APC only when the author chooses open access; publishing under the subscription model is usually free.
The journal's website is authoritative for fees; sources were observed at different times and each keeps its own value, without averaging.
Submission
Article types and submission policies (journal website)
What to prepare6 items from the author guidelines
- Abstract
- ≤ 200 words
- Keywords
- ≥ 3
- Reference style
- APA
- Suggested reviewers
- Required
- Highlights
- Required
- Not considered
- preprint
Article types accepted8, with length limits
- case reportOriginal Research: Provide a full length account of original research and will not normally exceed 4000 words.Review Papers: Provide an in-depth and up to date …Length not stated
- case studiesCase Studies: A case report providing clinical findings, management and outcome with reference to related literature.Length not stated
- case studyOriginal Research: Provide a full length account of original research and will not normally exceed 4000 words.Review Papers: Provide an in-depth and up to date …Length not stated
- editorialOriginal Research: Provide a full length account of original research and will not normally exceed 4000 words.Review Papers: Provide an in-depth and up to date …Length not stated
- masterclassesMasterclasses: Usually a commissioned piece by an expert in their field.Length not stated
- original researchOriginal Research: Provide a full length account of original research and will not normally exceed 4000 words.Review Papers: Provide an in-depth and up to date …main text ≤ 4,000 words
- reviewOriginal Research: Provide a full length account of original research and will not normally exceed 4000 words.Review Papers: Provide an in-depth and up to date …main text ≤ 4,000 words
- review papersReview Papers: Provide an in-depth and up to date critical review of a related topic and will not normally exceed 4000 words.Length not stated
Policy excerpts from the journal's websiteAI use, Authorship, Conflicts of interest, Publication ethics, License & copyright, Open access, Peer review, Preprints
- AI use Declaration of generative AI use
Authors must declare the use of generative AI tools in the manuscript preparation process upon submission of the paper.Generative AI and AI-assisted technologies (“AI tools”) have been rapidly adopted in research and scholarly publishing, offering significant benefits while requiring clear standards for responsible and transparent use.Authors preparing a manuscript for this journal may use AI tool…
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Authorship Group authorship
3 to 4 keywords required Model summary
Group authorship refers to the attribution of an article to a defined and named group of authors whose members have contributed to the work. Examples include research consortia, clinical trial groups, collaborative networks, task forces or working groups, expert panels or consensus groups, and participatory research groups. Group authorship must be declared on the title page at submission. When av…
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Conflicts of interest Declaration of competing interests
All authors must disclose any financial and personal relationships with other people or organizations that could inappropriately influence or bias their work. Examples of potential competing interests include:EmploymentConsultanciesStock ownershipHonorariaPaid expert testimonyPatent applications or registrationsGrants or any other fundingAffiliation with the journal as an Editor or Advisory Board …
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Publication ethics
Ethics in publishing Model summary
Authors must follow ethical guidelines stated in Elsevier's Publishing Ethics Policy.
Source ↗Publisher website ·- License & copyright License options
Authors will be offered open access user license options which will determine how you, and third parties, can reuse your open access article. We advise that you review these options and any funding body license requirements before selecting a license option.
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Open access Open access
We refer you to our open access information page to learn about open access options for this journal.
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Peer review Peer review
Double anonymized peer review Model summary
This journal follows a double anonymized review process. Your submission will initially be assessed by our editors. If your submission is deemed suitable, it will typically be sent to be reviewed by a minimum of two reviewers for an independent expert assessment of the scientific quality. The decision as to whether your article is accepted or rejected for publication will be made by our editors.Re…
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Preprints Preprints
Preprint sharing allowed Model summary
Preprint sharingAuthors may share preprints in line with Elsevier's article sharing policy. Sharing preprints, such as on a preprint server, will not count as prior publication.We advise you to read our policy on multiple, redundant or concurrent publication.
Source ↗Publisher website ·
Excerpts are quoted from the journal's website; "model summary" lines are written by Workers AI and checked against the text. The journal's website is authoritative.
Profile
Publication details and official links
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Country or region
- ENGLAND
- Language
- English
- Frequency
- Quarterly
- Founded
- 2000
- ISSN
- 1466-853X
- Electronic ISSN
- 1873-1600
- Society / sponsor
- Association of Chartered Physiotherapists in Sports and Exercise Medicine
- Official links
- Journal homepage ↗OpenAlex
- Submission system ↗Publisher website
- Special issues ↗Publisher website
FAQ
Frequently asked questions about Physical Therapy in Sport
What CAS zone is Physical Therapy in Sport in?
In the 2025 upgraded edition of the CAS Journal Ranking, Physical Therapy in Sport is in Zone 3 of Medicine, and in Zone 2 of the minor category Rehabilitation / Sport Sciences. In the 2026 Xinrui edition it is in Zone 2 of Medicine. Zones from different editions, and from major and minor categories, are not interchangeable.
What is the impact factor of Physical Therapy in Sport?
The latest impact factor listed by LetPub is 2.26; CiteScore 4.4, h-index 89.
How long does peer review take at Physical Therapy in Sport?
Based on the dates recorded on 100 articles published between October 2024 and October 2026 (the last 24 months), the median time from submission to acceptance is 106 days (interquartile range 72–152 days); authors report an average review time of over 12 weeks; the community-reported acceptance is “Easy”. Article statistics cover accepted papers only, publisher figures follow the journal's own definitions, and community reports come from authors' own submissions; none is a promise from the journal.
What are the manuscript requirements of Physical Therapy in Sport?
According to the journal's author guidelines: Abstract: ≤ 200 words; Keywords: ≥ 3; Reference style: APA; Suggested reviewers: Required; Highlights: Required. A model extracted these from the author guidelines and each was checked against the text; check the latest version on the journal's website before submitting.
Where are the editorial board members of Physical Therapy in Sport based?
Of the 34 board members whose country the journal's board page names, none are in mainland China; the countries named most often are United Kingdom (9), United States (8) and Australia (5). Counted from the institutions listed on the board page; for reference only.
Which databases index Physical Therapy in Sport?
According to LetPub and DOAJ records, Physical Therapy in Sport is indexed in SCIE and Scopus.
Is Physical Therapy in Sport open access, and what is the APC?
Physical Therapy in Sport is a hybrid journal. For open-access publication: APC about USD 2,990.
Sources and updates
The facts on this page come from LetPub, Publisher website, OpenAlex; every figure is tagged with its source and the date it was observed, and conflicting values are kept per source. LetPub source page: view ↗ (archived 2026-08-26). Last updated: .