StemCell Therapy

updated September 3, 2015

Sports are a healthy, fun pastime and captivating form of entertainment, helping people aspire to greater fitness and come together in pursuit of a common goal. However, since they often require rigorous training, intense exercise, heightened flexibility, and bodily strain, athletic activities carry the risk of injury.

Overexerting yourself to throw the javelin farther, kick the soccer ball into a faraway goal, or slam a tennis ball into your opponents court could harm or even seriously impair your body. Sports medicine practitioners help patients maintain their health and treat athletic injuries so they can keep playing. Orthopedists, doctors who diagnose and treat musculoskeletal conditions, often specialize in sports medicine because athletes regularly harm their muscles, bones, ligaments, tendons, or related tissues. Sports medicine also incorporates elements of preventive medicine and nutritional science, helping patients preserve their fitness and wellbeing to perform well on the field or court.

Since sports often require repeated movements, putting pressure on the same joints and bones each time, certain conditions are more common than others. Some of the most frequently reported sports-related injuries include:

Sports medicine specialists and orthopedists specializing in sports injuries can help diagnose and treat any of the above conditions to allow for freer movement and alleviate your symptoms.

The orthopedic issues that often result from sports injuries can cause chronic pain, making it difficult for you to get back to your game or even go about your daily activities. While their first priority is always to treat and completely resolve the injury, sports medicine specialists also frequently help patients cope with constant aching, tenderness, and discomfort using pain management therapies. These may include:

Most often, sports medicine practitioners recommend using a combination of pain management techniques. These therapies may prevent or delay the need for orthopedic surgery and allow you to continue your regular activities unhindered.

Sports medicine practitioners often recommend physical therapy to help patients manage pain, treat their sports injuries, and improve their physical capabilities. Physical therapists do not have medical degrees, but they must go through comprehensive specialized training.

Typically, physical therapy involves coming in at least once a week to undergo assessment, practice exercises, and gradually rebuild damaged muscles and ligaments. Your physical therapist will also give you at-home exercises and routines to complete so that you can continue improving your fitness, flexibility, and health in between visits. You will most likely work with your physical therapist for several months or more as you progressively heal and improve.

Physical therapy can be a preventive measure, in which case your practitioner will show you how to stretch before exercising and teach you techniques to better protect your body as you play. Some sports medicine doctors may recommend it as part of a treatment plan along with pain management techniques. Your practitioner may also prescribe physical therapy to help you fully rehabilitate after orthopedic surgery or other procedures to repair a sports injury. Since sports-related conditions often result from repetitive motions or improper posture, physical therapists may also help you retrain your body so that you can perform the same actions in a safer manner.

Children often participate in individual or team sports through schools or community organizations. While these activities can help them make friends and develop healthy fitness habits, they can also put their still-developing bodies at risk for injury. Pediatric sports medicine specialists work with toddlers to teenagers, helping them protect their bodies from harm and treating any sports-related conditions. A primary care physician, pediatric orthopedist, or sports medicine specialist may help preserve your childs wellbeing during athletic activities. In addition to typical sports medicine concerns (common injuries, orthopedics, physical therapy, etc.), these doctors focus on specific pediatric issues such as:

Adult patients also need to protect their bodies during athletic activities and treat sports-related injuries. Sports medicine concerns for adults include:

Adult sports medicine practitioners help patients maintain their athletic performance and health as they age and become more skilled athletes.

There are a number of ways sports medicine doctors can diagnose injuries. Some practitioners work directly with individuals or teams, attending games to watch them perform and monitor their conditions, diagnosing them from afar and at mandatory assessments. Other doctors practice out of hospitals or private clinics where patients come to see them at regular intervals or if they experience sports injury symptoms. To diagnose sports injuries, sports medicine practitioners may:

The price of sports medicine care varies widely according to the following cost factors:

Your primary care physician, orthopedist, physical therapist, or other sports medicine specialist can help you better understand the costs of your treatment at your initial consultation.

If you have health insurance, Medicaid, or Medicare coverage, your provider will most likely pay a portion or all of your sports medicine costs. Your exact out-of-pocket expenses will depend on the scope and type of your insurance plan. You should also make sure you go to a sports medicine practitioner whose office accepts your insurance if you want to apply your coverage.

If you do not have health insurance, you may be able to afford sports medicine therapies through financing, which may be offered through your clinic or an outside lender, such as CareCredit. If you are interested in medical financing, you will need to meet the qualifications for your chosen program, commit to making monthly payments, and cover the cost of accrued interest.

Some patients may not believe they need the assistance of a sports medicine specialist or understand how this medical discipline could help them. Sports medicine is an important field because it allows patients to fully embrace their athletic activities and improve their wellbeing. Its many benefits include:

The goal of sports medicine is to improve your comfort and expand your abilities. Sports medicine therapies are typically very safe, but their risks can include:

Working with a qualified, experienced sports medicine practitioner and following his or her instructions can reduce your risks.

Can I see a sports medicine doctor if Im not a great athlete?

Yes. Sports medicine is for any patients with injuries resulting from physical activity or those looking to improve their athletic performance.

Can I play while wearing a cast or brace?

This depends on your doctors advice and the rules of your particular sport.

How long will it take for me to get back to my sport?

Recovery times vary greatly based on the extent of your injuries. In general, patients return to activity within several weeks to a few months, with their doctors approval.

How can I tell if I have a sports injury?

If you experience persistent discomfort or impairment to physical activity, you should contact a sports medicine clinic.

Read the rest here:
Sports Medicine - Common Injuries, Treatments, Physical Therapy

This entry was posted on September 8, 2015 at 9:44 pm and is filed under Sports Medicine. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed. |