What is sports medicine?
Sports medicine focuses on the physical needs of athletes. In addition to diagnosing and treating sports-related injuries, sports medicine also includes treatments and therapies to increase your strength, flexibility, and stamina to help you achieve your peak performance.
Participating in sports and physically demanding activities puts a significant amount of stress on your body. It can increase your risk of acute and chronic injuries that lead to pain and mobility problems.
What are common sports injuries?
Sports injuries are either acute or chronic. Acute injuries occur suddenly and include:
- Sprains
- Strains
- Ligament tears
- Meniscus tears
- Fractures
- Dislocations
- Concussions
Chronic injuries, like tendonitis and bursitis, develop gradually. These injuries are usually due to repetitive movements and incorrect form.
Chronic injuries also increase your risk of acute sports injuries. For example, if you have tendonitis in your ankles, you might alter your gait or favor one side of your body, increasing your chances of other injuries and pain.
When should I talk to a sports medicine specialist?
Patients usually make an appointment with sports medicine specialists for one of two reasons. For example, you might need a sports medicine expert when you have a sports injury. You might also work with a sports medicine physician if you want to reduce your risk of injury and improve your performance.
The Rehab Doctors’ team can diagnose your injury and provide personalized treatments to relieve your pain, heal your body, and get you back to your beloved sport quickly and safely. They can also help you tailor your training program to improve your strength, flexibility, and stamina.
What treatments does sports medicine include?
The Rehab Doctors’ team provides highly personalized sports medicine care. They begin with comprehensive exams, including X-rays and other imaging studies, to assess your injury and overall physical condition.
Depending on your condition, your physician creates a customized treatment plan that might include:
- Hot and cold therapies
- Compression
- Immobilization
- Joint injections
- Muscle injections
- Spine injections
- Physical therapy
Whenever possible, The Rehab Doctors’ team uses minimally invasive procedures to relieve pain and facilitate healing. However, they might recommend surgery for severe injuries that don’t respond to conservative therapies.
If you’re looking for sports medicine specialists, call The Rehab Doctors, or make an appointment online today.
