What Injuries Does a Sports Medicine Doctor Treat?

A sports medicine doctor is one who specializes in treating a wide variety of sport-related injuries. Some have orthopedic training from completing a residency at a surgery center, but others are non-surgical doctors who completed their residencies in a family practice or other non-surgical environment. Once their residencies are done, these doctors typically complete a one to two year fellowship program that focuses on treating sports injuries.

What Types of Injuries to these Doctors See?

Amongst the common sprains, deep bruises, fractures, and broken bones, a sports medicine doctor will probably treat a wide variety of less known injuries:

Compartment Syndrome

Compartment syndrome is an extremely painful condition caused by overly swollen muscle tissue that invades the space meant for nerves and blood vessels. This condition can either be acute (caused by a one-time injury) or chronic (caused by continued overuse.)

Shin Splints

Although widely used to refer to any sort of leg pain experienced during exercise, shin splints refer specifically to pain which runs along the tibia, the large bone located in the front of the lower leg. Pain can occur in the foot and ankle, or along the inner edge of the bone.

This condition can often be avoided by using correct posture when running, completing a warm up routine which includes stretching before beginning exercise, avoiding doing too much training at once, and by wearing shoes which provide sufficient support.

Achilles Tendon Injury

The Achilles tendon connects the calf muscle to the back of the heel, and is one of the most common injuries involving muscle tendons. When this tendon is weakened through overuse or improper use, it can cause a sudden and agonizing painful injury. Achilles injuries tend to occur in middle-aged "weekend warriors" who don't exercise regularly or don't stretch before and after their fitness sessions. They are also common among athletes who play professional sports like football or basketball - those that require quick-acceleration.

Joint Dislocation

A joint is the area where two bones meet. In many contact sports (like football or basketball) or other high-impact fitness activities, athletes are prone to dislocation of certain joints like the hand or shoulder. Occasionally the knee, hip, or elbow may become dislocated, but these are not common injury sites.

A joint dislocation requires immediate medical attention, and you'll probably want to follow up with a sports medicine doctor if there are any complications during recovery.

Traumatic Brain Injury

While it's incredibly uncommon, it's not completely unlikely for a sports medicine doctor to treat a patient with traumatic brain injury. There are two major types of injury: Closed and Penetrating. A closed injury occurs when the victim's head hits another object with sudden violence, but the skull remains intact. A penetrating injury occurs when the object breaks through the skull, affecting the brain tissue below.

A concussion is the mild form of a traumatic brain injury. Many victims recover completely with plenty of rest. On the other end of the spectrum, these types of injuries can cause serious side effects, even death.

Any of these injuries can benefit from the expertise of a well-trained sports medicine doctor.

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Common Reasons to See a Sports Injury Specialist

With the modern emphasis on fitness, the unique ability of an experienced sports injury specialist is becoming more and more necessary. Those who overdo their training or who don't take the time to properly warm up and cool down after each exercise session will probably require the talents of this type of doctor at one time or another during their career.

Sports injuries typically affect the joints, but may also include bruising or broken bones in other areas of the body:

Knee Injuries

Knee injuries are one of the most common among athletes. They range from mild to severe, and are typically caused by blows to the knee or an unnatural twisting of the joint. As many as 5.5 million individuals visit an orthopedic surgeon for knee related injuries each year. Some of the less serious include:

- Runner's Knee, which is characterized by pain around or underneath the kneecap
- Iliotibial Band Syndrome, which is characterized by pain on the outer side of the knee
- Tendonitis, caused by the degeneration of a tendon at the point where it joins the bone

More serious injuries include deep bruises reaching the bone or injuries that affect the cartilage and ligaments of the knee.

Bruise, Sprain, or Strain Injuries

Bruises are also common, but don't typically require the attention of a sports injury specialist. Muscle fibers and connective tissue are crushed, resulting in a painful area which may turn purple and swell if torn blood vessels are also involved.

Sprains affect the ligaments of a joint. Sprains occur most often in the ankles, knees, and wrists. They can range from first degree, which indicates a mildly stretched ligament, to third degree, a completely torn ligament. Sprains cause pain, bruising, swelling, instability, and even inability to move the affected joint.

Strains occur when the muscles or tendon around a joint are twisted, pulled, or torn. Once again, the victim will notice pain accompanied by muscle spasms and loss of strength within the joint. A severe strain definitely requires the attention of a sports injury specialist. Otherwise, the joint may become permanently disabled.

Fractures: Acute vs. Stress

Sometimes a partial break in the bone can occur. An acute fracture is characterized as either simple (clean break) or compound (bone pierces through skin) which occurs during a one-time injury. On the other hand, a stress fracture is caused by repeated stress on the same area which finally causes the bone to give way. Stress fractures are most commonly caused by running or jumping exercises, activities within gymnastics or track and field sports.

Most fractures require immediate attention from a sports injury specialist. If allowed to continue, the condition can result in an entirely broken bone. Symptoms include pain and swelling. The pain will typically get noticeably worse during weight bearing activities, especially if the fracture is in the leg or foot.

So, in order to prevent a visit to your local sports injury specialist, take time to properly warm up, exercise safely, and avoid these common injuries!

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Sports Medicine Symptoms That Should Never Be Ignored

Sports medicine specialists have studied a variety of problems that may come up during the strenuous activity exerted by athletes and others who enjoy working out. Anyone who is interested in these types of activities should become familiar with common symptoms and remedies to avoid serious injury:

Heat Stroke

During the hot months of summer, athletes who perform outside, joggers who enjoy exploring the neighborhood, and those who enjoy any other type of outdoor activity will need to watch for symptoms of heat stroke. It's easy to let heat stroke get out of hand if you let yourself work through the initial discomforts of abdominal cramps, muscle cramps, headaches, nausea, dizziness, or weakness. But as heat stroke progresses, the individual will begin to experience serious symptoms like disorientation and confusion, extreme irritability, delusions or hallucinations, and even seizures or coma. Once these neurological symptoms hit, you'll need immediate medical attention.

In order the severe consequences of heat stroke, pay attention to your body's alarm system. If you begin to feel nauseated, weak, dizzy, or begin developing a headache, stop exercising and begin cooling down. Get into the air conditioning, take a cool shower or jump in the pool, drink cool water or sports drink, and apply cold packs to your body - anything that will begin lowering your core body temperature out of the danger zone.

Avoid Pain

While effective exercise should cause the discomfort of sore muscles, hard breathing, and other indications that your body is getting a great physical workout, you should never continue an exercise that causes pain. Why? Because pain is your body's warning signal that something is wrong. Unfortunately many athletes work through the pain. This is extremely dangerous since it can cause serious or chronic damage within the body.

Common Sports Injury Symptoms

When it comes to sports medicine, there are many symptoms that may seem minor, but can indicate a serious injury. If you commonly experience any of the following problems during or after exercise, you should probably schedule an appointment with your doctor.

Joint Pain: If you're experiencing pain in your knees, elbows, wrists, or ankles for more than 48 hours, you need to see a physician. These joints are not covered by muscle, so the pain is most likely related to a sprain, twist, or other injury.

Swelling: This common symptom is typically obvious and can be seen at a specific point of the body where injury has taken place. Sometimes though, swelling may be felt without any obvious puffiness. For instance, within a joint, you may experience stiffness, pain, or a clicking sound as tendons accommodate the interior swelling.

Decreased Range of Motion: This condition often indicates swelling within a joint. You can compare the movement of the joint on one side of your body with the same joint of the other side to confirm the range of motion.

Numbness or Tingling: These symptoms should never be ignored, since they indicate possible nerve damage. You should definitely see your physician as soon as possible.

In Conclusion: Injury Treatment

If you begin to experience any of these or other unusual symptoms, stop your exercise immediately and apply an ice pack to the site. Contact your physician or a sports medicine specialist immediately.

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Sports Medicine Top Tips for Effective Exercise

With all the recent research and education in sports medicine, there's no excuse for a new athlete to sustain serious injury. By following these ten tips, you'll increase your chances for a successful and injury-free workout routine that can be continued for years to come!

1. Before Beginning a Workout Routine, Visit the Doctor

Your new exercise routine will place stress on your body, so you'll want to make sure that your muscles, your heart, your lungs, and your entire body will be able to handle the extra stress. For instance, if you have undiagnosed heart disease, you'll want to know that before you begin to place extra cardiovascular stress on your heart and lungs!

Your doctor can also provide you with helpful tips for beginning a safe and effective workout routine. Talk about your ultimate exercise goals, and get your doctor's input.

2. Work with a Personal Trainer

After your visit to the doctor, you'll want to find a qualified personal trainer who can help you begin your exercise program safely. The professional guidance is well worth the expense for beginners! You'll learn how to perform exercises correctly to avoid injury, what types of exercise will help you reach your goals, and how your diet will affect your exercise.

3. Gradually Increase Your Workouts

Many sports medicine specialists agree that beginning small and gradually increasing is much more effective than beginning with a bang! Typically, new athletes are excited and ready to hit the gym, training for an hour in the first session. Unfortunately, this results in incredibly sore muscles, exhaustion, and discouragement. Instead, begin with a 20-minute workout three times a week, and gradually increase the time. You'll still get the sore muscles, but your body will have time to adjust, and you'll thoroughly enjoy each workout and its results.

4. Always Warm Up and Cool Down

Never begin any type of workout without warming up your muscles, and never end a workout abruptly without stretching. Your muscles need that time to adjust to the new activity. Many sprains and strains can be avoided with a 15-minute warm up session.

5. Drink Plenty of Water

Dehydration can cause exhaustion, as well as injury. Your body needs to be well hydrated as you begin your workout, so plan to drink at least 16 ounces of water in the two hours before you hit the gym. Continue to drink water throughout your work out to replace fluids lost through perspiration. And of course, after your workout, you'll want to drink another 8-16 ounces.

6. Take Time for Recovery

Your muscles need time to recover, and your body needs rest. Make sure that you are getting plenty of sleep at night. Plan to allow each muscle group at least two days to recuperate before you work it again. That doesn't mean you avoid the gym for two days, you just work different muscle groups in a three-day rotation.

Enjoy your new workout routine! Your body will appreciate the benefits, and your mind will enjoy the activity. And by following the rules provided by sports medicine authorities, you'll be able to stay safe and have fun with each workout!

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