What Conditions Does Sports Medicine Clinic Treat?

Sports Clinics specialize in treating musculoskeletal problems in athletes since most of the injuries and problems associated with athletics are muscle strains and bone fractures. These sports clinics can be private practices or part of a larger health organization.

What Does a Sports Doctor Do?

A sports medicine physician prevents sports-related injuries for athletes and active individuals. Medicine physicians perform everything an orthopedic surgeon does, except for surgery, but they also have procedural skills. They can evaluate the severity of an injury and recommend appropriate treatment and rehabilitation. Sports med physicians may sometimes perform therapeutic exercises to treat an injury.

A sports doctor requires a thorough knowledge of human abilities and excellent clinical skills. They often must perform rapid diagnoses in high-pressure situations.

Board-certified physicians with sports med training typically complete their family medicine residency. Some also specialize in other specialties, like arthroscopic surgery. Depending on the area of sports med, a doctor will most likely practice a combination of their primary specialty and their chosen fellowship.

What Is a Sports Med Treatment?

Sports treatment aims to minimize pain and discomfort while maximizing performance and function. Physical therapy is crucial to recovery and management, whether you're suffering from a minor ankle sprain or a severe rotator cuff injury. A sports med practitioner will recommend the best treatment for your condition based on the most recent science and research and provide you with the best treatment options to get back to your game with 100% effort.

Whether you're a child playing basketball, a professional athlete, or someone just getting back in shape after an injury, a sports med practitioner will provide you with an individualized treatment plan. The primary goal of sports medicine physicians is to restore you to your full physical fitness and avoid further injuries. Massage therapy and stretching can help prevent injuries and strengthen muscles.

Sports injuries can be sudden and cause immediate pain and discomfort. Other times, they develop slowly over time and only become evident once they're severe. In either case, a medical professional will perform a physical examination to identify the type of injury you have sustained. Your doctor will move the injured area and ask about your injury. If you've had any previous muscle injuries, your doctor will use diagnostic imaging to help determine the proper course of treatment.

What Is a Sports Team Doctor Called?

Physicians who specialize in sports med are also known as team physicians. Team physicians are licensed, highly qualified health care professionals who spend long hours watching games and interacting with athletes. They are often required to accompany their athletes to tournaments abroad, as well as the World Cup and Olympics, and serve as a team's voice of reason. Generally, sports team doctors are physicians with special training but are not surgeons.

They are non-surgical musculoskeletal specialists who treat MSK injuries in active individuals. They perform the same medical procedures that orthopedic surgeons do, but without the need for surgery. However, medicine specialists don't perform arthroscopic surgery but have procedural skills, such as X-rays and bone scans.

What Are Some Examples Of Sports Medicine?

A bachelor's degree in sports medicine, exercise science, kinesiology, or sports management qualifies individuals for entry-level positions. These programs develop core skills such as physical conditioning and injury prevention and prepare students for graduate school. Many elite professionals work in clinical positions. The best way to advance your career is to pursue further education in this field. Continuing education courses are essential for registered occupational therapists in some states.

Although sports med is a specialty, it is a valuable resource for non-athletes. In addition to sports med, these physicians provide comprehensive medical care for people who want to exercise for physical fitness. They help individuals get started on an exercise program and help them get back to full function after an injury. Many team physicians also provide fitness training to improve strength and performance. These professionals will also advise on nutrition and dietary changes affecting the athlete's overall performance.

What Is The Role of a Sports Med Specialist?

They have significant specialized training and are uniquely qualified to meet the demands of today's demanding health care environment. Their expertise enables them to treat patients with acute and chronic injuries related to athletics, from minor sprains to debilitating conditions. They collaborate with other leading specialists, including physical therapists and athletic trainers, to provide optimal care and maximize the patient's recovery.

A team physician specializing in the non-operative treatment of musculoskeletal injuries, as opposed to an orthopedic surgeon specializing in the surgical treatment of such conditions. Generally, 90 percent of sports-related injuries are non-surgical, and these specialists help patients maximize non-surgical treatment. They can guide appropriate referrals to physical therapists and rehabilitation specialists and expedite the referral process to an orthopedic or sports surgeon.

What Are Some Popular Sports Medicine Clinics To Consult?

AZ Sports Medicine

The leading specialists in diagnosing, treating, rehabilitating, and preventing sports injuries are featured. Aside from muscle injuries, here are other injuries that AZ Sports Medicine addresses.

Services Offered:

Knee
Hip Impingement
Elbow and shoulder dislocation
Foot and ankle
Total Joint Replacement
Total Knee Replacement
Hand and upper extremity
Sports Medicine
Orthopedic Surgery
Family Medicine
Medical Exams (IME)
Conservative Treatment Options
Regenerative Medicine

Phoenix Children's Hospital

Phoenix Children's newest sports facility offers exciting new ways to excel in training like a pro. Athletes have room to throw, hit, run and cross-train.

Highlights include:

Basketball quarter court – Over 830 square feet for athletes to dribble, shoot and run drills

Cardio stations – 11 workout stations offering the latest technologies to improve heart and lung health through guided workouts

Exercise and strength-training workstations – 12 workstations, including leg press machines, squat racks, fully adjustable pneumatic Kaiser station machines, and variable-resistance shuttles for targeted strength and cross-functional training

Sports training – 720 square feet of space to pitch, hit, golf or sprint on track lanes, with an 8-foot-wide area spanning the three lanes, room to run a 40-yard dash, plus a retractable cage and net to practice bat swings

Aerobic rebounders – Two rebounders for "the most efficient, effective form of exercise yet devised by man," according to NASA.

Pilates Reformer Machines – Reformer machines target specific abdominal core muscles and movements with low-impact Pilates.

Agility/open/functional space – 3,600 square feet for agility and functional training and other uses

Banner- University Orthopedic and Sports Medicine Institute

Their services include:

Ultrasound-Guided Diagnostics. Real-time diagnosis of muscle, tendon, or cartilage tears.
One-stop Shop. Full X-ray, DME, and Physical Therapy.
Athletic Training Services. In-house home exercise plans, education.
Regenerative Medicine. Including Platelet Rich Plasma.
In-house Procedures. Carpal Tunnel, Trigger Finger, Neurectomy.
Visco-supplementation. Hyaluronic acid injections to delay osteoarthrosis.

The CORE Institute

Their specialists are nationally recognized experts. Your recovery plan will be completely personalized to restore mobility and get you back to the level of competitive activity that you aspire to achieve.

Expert care for all types of injuries caused by playing a sport or exercising, including:

Throwing injuries
Elbow injuries
Shoulder injuries
Foot and ankle injuries and sprains
Fractures & Trauma
Hip injuries
Knee injuries
Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries
Concussion medicine
Sports Medical Specialists

The team of specialists can include surgical and non-surgical fellowship-trained physicians who have completed specific training in sports med at the highest level. They also continue to educate and train other sports surgeons and engage in advanced research to help determine the latest in sports medical innovations that can help you return to your optimal performance level as safely and quickly as possible.

How Are Comprehensive Sports Injury Treatments Provided?

In many instances, orthopedic surgery is avoidable with the proper treatment plan. Depending on your condition, goals, and preferences, your treatment may include:

Dedicated strengthening and conditioning with therapy experts.
Bracing and splinting – These specialized devices can help support your joints and, in some cases, even allow you to continue to perform with improved comfort while you recover.
Progressive throwing programs – Helps you regain strength, endurance, and motion in your throwing arm so you can safely return to competitive sport.
Ultrasound-guided percutaneous tenotomy – Uses a small needle to break down scar tissue in a damaged tendon to stimulate healing.
Cartilage Repair– when the smooth cartilage surface of a joint is damaged, advances in cartilage treatment can help restore or heal that defect and promote pain relief and performance.
Ligament Reconstruction Surgery – After suffering an injury to your ligaments, you may be able to have minimally invasive surgical procedures to repair the ligaments, which can enhance your ability to return to sport.
Meniscal Repair Surgery – The meniscus is the protective padding within the knee joint and is prone to injury. In many instances, repair of the damaged meniscus with minimally invasive, arthroscopic techniques may be appropriate.

A sports medicine clinic specializing in diagnosing, treating, and preventing injuries in physical activity. Identifying and preventing injuries in athletes has been the main focus of this medical specialty since the beginning. A sports surgery center also focuses on improving a patient's overall health, physical fitness, and well-being through exercise. Many professionals work in this field, including physicians, kinesiologists, sports nutrition specialists, and researchers. Sports medical professionals strive to provide comprehensive care for injured patients. They counsel their patients on exercises and physical activities and offer advice on their recovery.

Sports Med physicians are great patient resources and can help prevent long-term disability by diagnosing injuries early and ensuring adequate management. Sometimes, these doctors can treat illnesses that would otherwise be too severe to seek medical attention. Return to play quickly with timely care from sports medicine specialists.