Sustaining an injury during a workout, sports involvement, or any type of somatic activity can lead you to see a sports medicine doctor for management. Most sports medicine doctors are trained in inner medication, alternative medication, family medication, or another field and then obtain extra preparation. Others have specialties in treating injuries in smaller and teenage children. They are usually board-certified in pediatrics, or private medication, with extra training in sports medicine. Some, but not all, sports medicine doctors have operating training, too, usually as orthopedic surgeons.
Most sports injuries do not require surgery. Treatment for a sports injury can include the use of pain relievers and keeping the injured area controlled with a cast, sling, or compressor. In some cases, a surgical procedure may be required to renovate dithering tissue or readjust bones.
Sports medicine healthcare providers have distinct preparation to renovate function to injured patients so they can move properly again as soon as possible. They are also experts in preventing illness and injury of inactive people. Sports medicine healthcare providers do work with professional athletes. But they also treat children and teens involved in sports and adults who exercise for personal fitness. Plus, they treat people who have physically demanding jobs, like construction workers.
Sports medicine in sports injury repair
Orthopedic sports medicine is a subspecialty of Orthopedics that focuses on managing conditions of the musculoskeletal system arising from sports practice. When dealing with athletes, timing is the most difficult issue to face. Typically, athletes aim to return to play as soon as possible and are often at the pre-injury level. This means that management should be optimized to combine the need for a prompt return to sport and to the biologic healing time of the musculo-skeletal. This poses a great challenge to sport medicine surgeons, who need to follow with attention to the latest scientific evidence to offer their patients the best available treatment options.
Sports medicine - Health & Fitness
The need for fitness begins at an early age and extends well into later life. As such, the issue of sports participation is integrally related to the patient's sense of well-being, both physically and emotionally. The family physician is uniquely positioned to be involved across the entire age spectrum and is able to recognize that health and fitness are dependent on a certain degree of physical activity and regular exercise throughout one's life.
The pre-participation assessment, as well as diagnosis and treatment of exercise-related injuries and diseases, are best incorporated into comprehensive medical management. The pre-participation assessment is best performed within the context of the medical home or, at a minimum, by a physician, nurse practitioner, or physician assistant. The family physician is uniquely qualified to be the sports medicine "doctor of choice" because of a broad knowledge base and experience.
Sports medicine in orthopedics
Orthopedic sports medicine specialists condition and train athletes, provide fitness advice relating to athletic performance, and the impact of dietary supplements, pharmaceuticals, and nutrition on athletes’ short- and long-term health and performance. The orthopedic sports doctor can also coordinate medical care within athletic team settings, including working with other health care professionals, such as athletic trainers, physical therapists, and non-orthopedic physicians. As importantly, they can conduct on-the-field evaluation and management of illnesses and injuries.