Sports Medicine

What is sports medicine?

Sports medicine focuses on the effects of physical activity and sports on your muscles, joints, tendons, and bones. Professional athletes have long enjoyed the benefits of a physician who specializes in treating and preventing team and individual sports injuries.

These days, young athletes and active adults can also experience the advantages of seeing a sports medicine physician equipped to evaluate physical fitness, offer guidance regarding training routines, and develop treatment strategies for chronic and acute sports injuries.

What happens during a sports medicine evaluation?

Sports medicine evaluations at Los Angeles Orthopedic Surgery Specialists are tailored to meet your needs. For instance, teen athletes benefit from an exam that evaluates their fitness level, musculoskeletal health, and current training routine.

Adults who are active but experiencing some nagging aches and pains may find an evaluation beneficial in developing a joint-friendly exercise routine that maintains your health but prevents worsening discomfort. 

You may, for example, benefit from a workout routine that switches off running and other high-impact activities with swimming or cycling.

If you’re not yet active in a sport, a sports medicine physician can provide guidance regarding activities that suit your current health status and goals to aim for as you advance. A sports medicine evaluation can cover everything from the shoes you should wear to appropriate body mechanics to which size tennis racquet to use.

What conditions does a sports medicine physician treat?

The sports medicine physicians at Los Angeles Orthopedic Surgery Specialists offer expert care for a variety of orthopedic health issues, including:

• ACL tears
• Rotator cuff injuries
• Chronic conditions such as tennis elbow or jumper’s knee
• Acute elbow, wrist, or ankle fractures, strains, and sprains
• Overuse injuries
• Back and neck strains and sprains
• Shoulder, hip, and knee pain or injury

Treatment strategies are designed to resolve your pain, improve mobility, and preserve your ability to engage in your chosen sport.

Your plan may include physical therapy or rehab to improve conditioning, strength, and flexibility. Your provider may also recommend changing your training routine, having joint injections, or using advanced treatment with minimally invasive arthroscopic surgery to treat joint, tendon, or ligament injuries.

Schedule a sports medicine evaluation at Los Angeles Orthopedic Surgery Specialists today for expert orthopedic care. Call the office or request an appointment online.