Those involved in sports, whether professionally or personally for fun, tend to have a much greater risk of sustaining bodily injuries because they're extremely active. While living an active lifestyle is naturally good for an individual's overall health, the constant wear and tear put on the body from various sports like soccer, football, basketball, and tennis can eventually lead to multiple injuries that would require professional treatment. For that reason, sports medicine exists to provide athletes of all kinds with the medical support and aid they might need at some point.
What Does Sports Medicine Include?
Sports medicine isn't just about prescription medication a medical professional may prescribe to a patient with an injury. There is so much more to it than that, with various medical professionals from different backgrounds using their expertise to diagnose and treat assorted ailments caused by the active lifestyles of athletes.
Some of the medical professionals heavily involved in sports medicine include:
Physicians
While some physicians provide primary care, others specialize in treating athletes because of their extensive experience handling sports injuries. These physicians will often examine patients who've become injured while participating in a sport, offering a diagnosis and providing referrals when necessary.
Orthopedists
It's common for orthopedists to be involved in sports medicine because these medical professionals handle injuries that negatively impact the bones and muscles. They can recommend non-surgical treatment for minor injuries and sometimes complete orthopedic surgeries when a patient needs surgery.
Occupational Therapists
Occupational therapists are also regularly involved in sports medicine. They may work with athletes to treat conditions, such as tendinitis and severe muscle strains, without surgery or to help them recover faster from a surgical procedure they might've needed. With the help of an occupational therapist, athletes can improve their range of motion and learn how to stretch and move the body in ways that provide relief when they're experiencing discomfort.
Physicians, therapists, and orthopedists often communicate directly with one another when treating an athlete. With several medical professionals involved in sports medicine, athletes who sustain injuries, whether professional players or everyday individuals active in sports for fun, can receive the medical support needed to recover. Even the most experienced athletes can experience injuries such as fractures and sprains, so these individuals should be able to have direct access to medical professionals who understand these common injuries and are available to diagnose and treat them. It's for that very reason sports medicine exists.
Contact an Orthopedist for sports medicine.
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