Whether you play golf, soccer, or participate in cross-country races, you want to play — not sit on the sidelines. When a sports injury occurs, it forces you to miss out on what you love. Unfortunately, over 8.6 million sports injuries are reported each year, and if you’re one of those individuals, we know you’re anxious to get back in the game.
Thankfully, sports medicine can help. Our providers at the International Spine Pain & Performance Center utilize cutting-edge sports medicine treatments to address a variety of conditions, including strains and tendonitis. As experienced orthopedic specialists and sports medicine specialists, we know what it takes to get you back on your feet.
According to the American Academy of Family Physicians, some of the most common sports injuries include sprains, strains, shin splints, runner’s knee, and dislocations. Not all sports injuries are the same though. Sports injuries typically fall into two categories:
Acute injuries happen quickly, such as twisting your ankle while trail running. Overuse injuries happen over time as stress is repeatedly put on a joint, muscle, or tendon. Shin splints are an example of an overuse injury. Both types of injuries can cause pain, discomfort, and a decrease in athletic performance.
Regardless of which type of injury you have, a swift and accurate diagnosis can help you get the right treatment.
If you have minor discomfort — such as a little twinge of pain in your elbow — it’s tempting to push through the pain. However, sports medicine treatments aren’t just for when you’ve lost all function in your knee, elbow, etc. Sports medicine treatments can be beneficial even after the very first sign of a problem. The sooner our team of specialists diagnose and treat your sports injury, the sooner you can get back to playing the sport you love.
What type of treatment you require depends on what type of injury you have and how severe it is. For instance, physical therapy is a common component of a treatment plan. Physical therapy helps to restore the range of motion, improve the function, and increase strength.
Other sports medicine treatments include anti-inflammatory medications to help reduce inflammation and pain. That said, we don’t want to just mask pain. We want to help you heal so old injuries don’t come back to haunt you.
That’s why at the International Spine Pain & Performance Center, we also provide regenerative medicine therapies including platelet-rich plasma (PRP) treatments. Regenerative medicine can ease healing so you safely return to your favorite activities.
Studies show that PRP injections accelerate healing, particularly in soft tissue injuries. Regenerative medicine has been used to treat wear and tear injuries including runner’s knee, rotator cuff tears, and more.
If you’re trying to brush off an injury, now is the time to get the care you need. Sports medicine can help reduce your pain, but also help your injury heal correctly to prevent future issues.
To experience the benefits of sports medicine, visit us online to request an appointment at one of our three convenient locations.
