Do you know what a sports medicine physician does? Most people have heard of this medical specialty but don’t fully understand what it entails. Let’s take a look at what sports medicine physicians are and what kinds of conditions they treat.
What Is A Sports Medicine Physician?
Sports medicine physicians have specialized education, training, and experience in preventing, diagnosing, and treating all kinds of sports-related health conditions, diseases, and injuries. Sports medicine physicians generally have an orthopedic background which helps them diagnose and treat conditions and injuries common to athletes. This includes problems related to bones, muscles, tendons, and ligaments – which are commonly affected in sports-related injuries and conditions.
Another thing that makes sports medicine physicians different from other doctors is that they understand your end goal is to return to your sport. This means their treatments and guidance focus on getting you to a healthy and strong state as well as enhancing your sports performance.
How Can a Sports Medicine Physician Help Me?
Professional athletes are not the only people who sports medicine physicians treat. If you live an active lifestyle, are a part of amateur sports teams, or are a weekend warrior, you can still benefit from the care of a sports medicine physician. Because they are experts on injuries and conditions related to sports, sports medicine physicians can help you if you incur an injury due to any physical activity.
They can also treat musculoskeletal issues in an effective way so you experience less symptoms and can live a highly active lifestyle – which doesn’t necessarily have to include sports!
Sports medicine physicians treat and prevent two kinds of issues—acute and overuse.
Acute Conditions and Injuries
Most acute conditions and injuries are typically caused by a specific impact, accident, or incident. Some examples include an ankle sprain, strained muscle, mild fracture, shoulder dislocation, and ACL tear. Sports medicine physicians will diagnose and treat your acute injury and educate you on how to prevent the injury from happening again. They also provide post-injury care options such as physical therapy to strengthen your body and help improve your performance.
Overuse Conditions and Injuries
Overuse injuries are a bit different. Unlike an acute condition, overuse injuries develop over time due to constant pressure on a particular part of the body, which causes an issue to develop that tends to get worse over time. Sports medicine physicians treat these issues through a variety of nonsurgical and surgical methods and offer post-procedure treatments such as physical therapy to strengthen your body and improve your performance.
Overuse injuries include the following:
- damage to knees and rotator cuffs
- plantar fasciitis
- golfer’s elbow
- runner’s knee
- tendonitis
Physical Activity Guidance
Sports medicine physicians are also well-trained in physical activity consultation to guide patients to be stronger and healthier. After you incur an injury, they will guide you on when to return to your sport. They will guide you in every aspect to ensure you return to your sport healthier and stronger. Because these physicians specialize in sports medicine, they have a keen focus on improving your performance and their treatments will focus on this. They can provide guidance in the following areas:
- decision-making related to sports
- smart injury prevention
- ways to improve stamina and resistance
- tips for a healthier lifestyle
- exercise recommendations
- nutrition recommendations
Sports Medicine in Clinton Township, Missouri
Sports medicine physicians are experts regarding sports-related injuries and conditions and can help you maintain a healthy and active lifestyle.
If you have been involved in a sports-related injury or want to get treated by a sports medicine physician, contact the experts at Movement Orthopedics. We have excellent specialists who take pride in their profession as certified sports medicine physicians. Get the optimal treatment you deserve by calling us at (586) 436-3785 or request an appointment today.
