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Published: October 11, 2006
It is an inevitable truth: most athletes injure themselves at some point. For those who sustain an injury, a sport medicine practitioner can offer relief.
Sports medicine practitioners distinguish themselves from general practitioners because they not only treat injuries, but also thoroughly understand the mechanics of the activity initially causing the injury. An understanding of the sport causing or exacerbating an injury aids athletes in a significant way — by helping them return to the sport they love.
According to James G. Garrick and Peter Radetsky's work, Anybody's Sports Medicine Book, an appropriate sports medicine doctor does four things: offers a precise diagnosis, discovers the causes of the injury, suggests precisely how to get rid of the injury and keep it from happening again, and reintroduces the athlete to his or her sport of choice.
More so than other ailments, the type of sporting injury plays an important role in determining the treatment. Since nearly three-fourths of sports injuries involve some type of degenerative or overuse problem, identifying the cause helps tremendously in preventing reoccurrences.
A good sports medicine doctor will take the time to converse with the patient over possible sources of the injury. One who fails to do so, or rushes through a consultation, should signal an alarm in the patient's mind — this doctor will not give the injury the attention it deserves. Likewise, a responsible sports medicine physician will create a rehabilitation program for the patient. After all, with many sports injuries, one should exercise the surrounding muscles and joints to prevent them from weakening.
A common mantra in sports medicine is RICE, an acronym for rest, ice, compression and elevation. These four steps can dramatically lessen recovery time by reducing swelling and inflammation. With that said, another, perhaps defining characteristic of sports medicine, is the (eventual) goal of helping the patient to recover and reassume the sport or activity of choice.
Finding a reliable physician in general, let alone one who specializes in sports medicine, can present a challenge. Searching online may prove effective, though difficult nonetheless, since one cannot know a doctor's true qualifications simply from searching a Web site. However, the American Orthopedic Society for Sports Medicine offers one of the most reliable for the purpose of finding a sports medicine doctor. Word of mouth can help as well — after all, people tend to trust the opinions and experiences of friends and family.
A disabling injury poses a risk to any athlete. Yet the risks do not have to be overly threatening, thanks to an entire division of medicine capable of treating and healing a variety of sports injuries, from a sprained ankle to a torn muscle.
Sources:
Garrick, James G., M.D. and Peter Radetsky, Ph.D. Anybody's Sports Medicine Book. Berkeley: Ten Speed Press, 2000.
Micheli, Lyle J., M.D. with Mark Jenkins. The Sports Medicine Bible for Young Athletes. Naperville: Sourcebooks, Inc., 2001.
Sports medicine practitioners distinguish themselves from general practitioners because they not only treat injuries, but also thoroughly understand the mechanics of the activity initially causing the injury. An understanding of the sport causing or exacerbating an injury aids athletes in a significant way — by helping them return to the sport they love.
According to James G. Garrick and Peter Radetsky's work, Anybody's Sports Medicine Book, an appropriate sports medicine doctor does four things: offers a precise diagnosis, discovers the causes of the injury, suggests precisely how to get rid of the injury and keep it from happening again, and reintroduces the athlete to his or her sport of choice.
More so than other ailments, the type of sporting injury plays an important role in determining the treatment. Since nearly three-fourths of sports injuries involve some type of degenerative or overuse problem, identifying the cause helps tremendously in preventing reoccurrences.
A good sports medicine doctor will take the time to converse with the patient over possible sources of the injury. One who fails to do so, or rushes through a consultation, should signal an alarm in the patient's mind — this doctor will not give the injury the attention it deserves. Likewise, a responsible sports medicine physician will create a rehabilitation program for the patient. After all, with many sports injuries, one should exercise the surrounding muscles and joints to prevent them from weakening.
A common mantra in sports medicine is RICE, an acronym for rest, ice, compression and elevation. These four steps can dramatically lessen recovery time by reducing swelling and inflammation. With that said, another, perhaps defining characteristic of sports medicine, is the (eventual) goal of helping the patient to recover and reassume the sport or activity of choice.
Finding a reliable physician in general, let alone one who specializes in sports medicine, can present a challenge. Searching online may prove effective, though difficult nonetheless, since one cannot know a doctor's true qualifications simply from searching a Web site. However, the American Orthopedic Society for Sports Medicine offers one of the most reliable for the purpose of finding a sports medicine doctor. Word of mouth can help as well — after all, people tend to trust the opinions and experiences of friends and family.
A disabling injury poses a risk to any athlete. Yet the risks do not have to be overly threatening, thanks to an entire division of medicine capable of treating and healing a variety of sports injuries, from a sprained ankle to a torn muscle.
Sources:
Garrick, James G., M.D. and Peter Radetsky, Ph.D. Anybody's Sports Medicine Book. Berkeley: Ten Speed Press, 2000.
Micheli, Lyle J., M.D. with Mark Jenkins. The Sports Medicine Bible for Young Athletes. Naperville: Sourcebooks, Inc., 2001.
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