The Physical Medicine and the Rehabilitation, also known as Physiatry, is a medicalspecialty that treats neurological disorders and musculoskeletal system, bornein the 30’s at the United States. However, it was after the II World War when manycombatants return to civilian life with severe physical injuries that the specialtystarted with a notable expansion. The job of helping and returning to society warvictims, lead to in 1947 Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation become recognized bythe American Board of Specialties.On the other hand, the first sport medical establishment in the world started in Dresde,Germany, in 1911. The “First Convention for the Scientific Research of Sports andPhysical Exercise” was held in 1912 (Oberhof, Germany) and the term “sport physician”o “Sportarzt” (term coined by Arthur Mallwitz) was used for the first time in 1913.With the years passed until today, in the middle of COVID-19 pandemic, we see anexponential increase in Physiatry and Sport Medicine, and both specialties haveconsolidated, handling the different aspects on human rehabilitation. There are alot of emerging challenges and opportunities for Physiatry as for the Medical SportMedicine in the coming future, but with improved educational programs, strategiesbased on evidence, greater production of research and better service coverage, thespecialties will continue developing and expanding to cover the patient needs withdisabling illness.In this article, the history and the current state of both specialties at the internationallevel is presented, as well as both specialties in musculoskeletal rehabilitation forpatients.