What Can a Sports Medicine Doctor Treat?

Are you an amateur athlete? Do you enjoy physical activities and exercise to keep yourself fit and healthy? If so, you might have already experienced a sports injury because of it.

Sports medicine doctors are orthopedic specialists who work with athletes and those with musculoskeletal injuries. They are trained to address any issue that is associated with sports – everything from joint pain to osteoarthritis to nutrition.

Although sports physicians are best known for their role in advising and treating amateur and professional athletes who have suffered from a sports injury, they also diagnose and treat “weekend warriors” and retirees who are sore or injured from playing tennis or golf.

Is Sports Medicine Only for Athletes?

No. Sports injuries are musculoskeletal injuries that tend to occur during exercise or when participating in sports activities. Children are more prone to sustaining sports-related injuries than adults are, but adults can get hurt especially when they play contact sports or don’t warm up properly before exercising. If you are not regularly active but suddenly begin to engage in a sport or physical activity, it can increase your chances of getting a sports injury.

Moreover, sports doctors are knowledgeable in preventing musculoskeletal injuries, not just treating them. Sports physicians are also specially trained to diagnose and treat young children and older adults who have health issues or injuries in the bones, muscles, or joints.

Injuries Treated by a Sports Medicine Physician

Here are three of the medical conditions and injuries that a sports doctor most frequently diagnoses and treats:

Rotator Cuff Tear

A torn rotator cuff is an injury that affects the group of muscles and tendons that support the shoulder joint. It frequently affects those who repeatedly perform overhead motions, such as baseball pitchers and tennis players; it can also affect those who perform incorrect repetitive motions that pull on the shoulder. The tear can be partial or total, and a total rotator cuff tear may require surgery.

Symptoms usually start with a dull ache in the shoulder. It often causes sleep disturbances, especially if you lie on your affected shoulder. Patients with this shoulder injury often complain of arm weakness which makes it difficult to comb their hair or put on a shirt.

Achilles Tendon Rupture

The Achilles tendon may tear, or rupture, when extreme pressure is placed on the back of the lower leg or even with foot impact, such as landing from a jump. Patients who suffer from a torn Achilles tendon may feel a sudden onset of sharp pain in the heel area. Others may also hear a snapping sound as the tendon breaks, which makes it very difficult to walk.

Ankle Sprain

A sprained ankle is an injury to the ligaments that connect and surround the bones of the ankle. An ankle sprain usually happens when you twist your ankle severely and awkwardly, resulting in a stretch or tear of the ligaments that hold your ankle bones together.

Sports Doctors in Central Maryland

A sports medicine physician can help you with musculoskeletal pain or injuries of all kinds, including arthritis. They are experts in restoring the function of injured joints and lessening the pain. They can also coordinate with physical therapists to help patients develop a treatment program that works best.

If you would like to see a sports medicine doctor about your own health concerns, schedule a consultation with an orthopedic physician at the Orthopaedic Associates of Central Maryland. We provide innovative, comprehensive care with one goal in mind – keeping our patients moving through life with ease and comfort.

Call us today at (410) 644-1880 or (855) 4MD-BONE (463-2663) to schedule an appointment, or fill out our online appointment request form now. We look forward to helping you get back in the game of life!