What is a sports medicine specialist?

A sports medicine specialist is a doctor who diagnoses and treats conditions of the musculoskeletal system, including your bones, muscles, and joints. Unlike an orthopedic surgeon who treats musculoskeletal system disorders, sports medicine specialists focus on more conservative and non-operative therapies to treat and prevent injuries.

What conditions do sports medicine specialists treat?

Despite its name, sports medicine specialists treat a wide variety of conditions that affect various people. Some of the common conditions sports medicine specialists treat include:ankle sprainsarthritisback or joint painconcussions and other head injuriesknee injuriesosteoarthritisrotator cuff tearsstress fracturestendinitis

What procedures do sports medicine specialists perform?

A sports medicine specialist’s goal is to help you prevent and recover from injury without needing an operation. Some of the procedures they perform include:exercise counseling for patients who want to improve their fitnesslifestyle counseling, which includes nutrition, supplements, ergogenic aids, and moreprescribing medications to reduce swelling and painsafe strength training and other strength-building exercisessplints used to stabilize injured areasrange of motion, stretching, and mobility exercisestreatments that stimulate healing, such as massage, sound wave, heat and cold, and electricIn the event surgery is necessary, a sports medicine specialist can refer you to an orthopedic surgeon.

When should I speak with a sports medicine specialist?

Some of the most common reasons for speaking with a sports medicine specialist include treatment for acute and chronic sports injuries.Acute sports injuries happen suddenly, often when exercising, playing a sport, or completing compound movement activities. Symptoms of acute injuries include:a bone or joint that appears out of placemuscle weakness or loss of movementsudden painswellingChronic sports injuries worsen and develop through repetition and time, usually from regularly performing an activity or training too hard. Symptoms of chronic injuries include:pain or a dull ache that persists even when you restswelling that does not go awaytenderness and pain when moving or exercising

What can I expect from my first sports medicine specialist appointment?

A typical first exam with a sports medicine specialist will include a physical exam that tests your ability to perform activities safely. Your doctor will show you a combination of exercises and any required equipment. Typically, your sports medicine specialist will also provide information about nutrition and other healthy lifestyle activities.

What questions should I ask my sports medicine specialist?

It’s important that you prepare for your appointment with a sports medicine specialist. To help you get started, we’ve created a list of good questions to ask your doctor for some of the most common visit types:Injury preventionWhat are some safe exercises to help prevent ligament tears in my shoulder, knee, etc.?How often should I be training if I want to avoid repetitive strain injuries?What equipment do you recommend to help prevent sports injuries?Should I wear a mouthguard?Injury recoveryHow long should I rest after this sports injury?Should I apply heat or cold to a muscle injury?Do you think I need an X-ray?What are the signs and symptoms of a concussion?What therapies do you recommend for treating overuse injuries?What can you tell me about joint swelling?How soon can I get back to exercising?Diet and nutritionHow much water should I drink during exercise?Are energy drinks good or bad for my health?Do you recommend any foods to prevent muscle cramps?What type of nutrition do you recommend for my level of training?Are there any supplements you recommend for athletes?ExerciseWhat are some excellent warm-up exercises?How often should I train a muscle group?How much should I rest in between sets and training sessions?Are there any exercises I should avoid based on my condition?How can I improve my fitness for better strength, performance, and endurance?What are some good stretches and mobility exercises?You may use these questions as a starting point, but feel free to add your own. A good practice is to also ask for additional information and take notes during your appointment.