Common Questions – Sports Medicine
Whether you’re an experienced athlete or just enjoy staying fit and active, our team is here to support you in the Minneapolis/St. Paul area. Take a few moments to learn the basics of sports medicine, how we treat and prevent injuries, the types of specialists you might see after an injury and more.
What is sports medicine?
Sports medicine helps people improve their athletic performance, recover from injuries and prevent future injuries.
Sports medicine is not just for professional athletes. It’s also for people who enjoy physical activity. Sports medicine specialists understand how the body works during exercise and can help people of all ages and skill levels recover from and prevent injuries.
What types of injuries does sports medicine treat?
Sports medicine includes the treatment of many different types of injuries, including:
- Back Pain: Sports and physical activity can cause muscle strains and spinal disc inflammation, which can cause back pain.
- Dislocations: When a bone is forced out of its normal position in a joint, it is dislocated.
- Fractures: Fractures are broken bones that can occur from falls or direct impacts.
- Knee Injuries: Common knee injuries among athletes and people with active lifestyles include a torn ACL and a torn meniscus.
- Sprains and Strains: Sprains are injuries to the ligaments, and strains are injuries to the muscles or tendons. Both can happen when you twist or pull a body part too far.
- Shin Splints: Shin splints describes the pain along the shin bone caused by small tears and inflammation of soft tissues. They are common in runners and joggers.
- Tendonitis: Tendonitis happens when a tendon becomes inflamed from overuse.
Does sports medicine help prevent injuries, or is it just for treating an injury?
Sports medicine helps prevent and treats injuries.
Specialists can guide you on how to exercise, use the right equipment and train safely following an injury. Working with a specialist can reduce your risk of re-injury. They can also educate you on proper techniques and warm-up routines to keep you safe.
What kinds of sports medicine specialists may be recommended for treatment?
If your doctor thinks you can benefit from seeing a sports medicine specialist, they might refer you to a:
- Athletic Trainer: Athletic trainers work with athletes to prevent, diagnose and treat injuries.
- Nutritionist: Food specialists can help you create and stick to a diet plan to improve your performance and recovery.
- Orthopedic Surgeon: Orthopedic surgeons can operate on you if you have severe injuries, such as a torn ligament.
- Physical Therapist: These experts can help you recover through exercises and treatments that improve movement and strength.
- Psychologist: Mental health professionals can help you cope with the mental aspects of your injury and competition.
- Sports Medicine Physician: These doctors specialize in non-surgical treatments for sports injuries.
Is sports medicine only for athletes in formal sports?
No. Sports medicine is for everyone, not just athletes who play organized sports. Whether you enjoy jogging, hiking, swimming or even just playing with your kids, sports medicine can help you get back to the activities you love.
Sports medicine can benefit anyone who wants to stay active and healthy following an injury. This includes people who exercise regularly, those just starting an exercise program and those recovering from surgery or are living with a challenging medical condition.
When should I see a non-surgical sports medicine specialist versus a sports medicine surgeon?
You should see a sports medicine specialist for issues like muscle strains, mild sprains and pain from overuse or overtraining. They can also create a rehabilitation plan to help you recover without surgery in some cases.
However, you may need to see a sports medicine surgeon if you have a more severe injury, such as a torn ligament or a fracture. Surgeons can perform operations to fix severe injuries and help you get back to your activities.
Your non-surgical sports medicine specialist can help you decide if surgery is necessary and refer you to a surgeon if needed.
Schedule an appointment with a Summit Orthopedics sports medicine provider.
