Getting sidelined is the worst feeling, especially when you’re injured. No amount of training can get you back on your feet fast enough, and simply waiting for your injury to heal can be frustrating. A sports medicine doctor can provide the insight and physical therapy you need to heal, and give you pointers on how to proceed during your recovery period.
SportsMED Orthopaedic Surgery & Spine Center has four locations throughout Alabama, and each one is staffed with doctors who understand athletic injuries and how to get patients back in playing shape. If you’ve recently suffered an injury, you don’t have to stay on the sidelines forever. Here’s how sports medicine can get you back in the game sooner than you think.
Early treatment is key
Athletes, especially those who’ve been playing for a long time, inevitably get injured at some point. If they haven’t suffered a sports injury yet, it’s definitely in the cards. Whether it’s an acute injury, like a torn ligament, or a problem brought on by overuse, a sports injury can cause problems down the road if it isn’t treated right away. This is when early treatment and medical intervention are key.
You shouldn’t wait until an athletic injury begins to impact your performance before you seek treatment. No matter how mild an injury or problem seems at first, a sports medicine doctor should take a look at it to ensure that it won’t haunt your athletic career later. Then, they can properly identify the issue and begin charting the best way forward for your recovery.
As soon as you suffer an injury, you should practice immediate care and avoid exacerbating the issue. This can include dropping out of a game or marathon early, applying the RICE method, and scheduling an appointment with your doctor as soon as possible.
Prompt and accurate care can make all the difference in your ability to remain active. Our team understands the unique nature of sports injuries, and we’re equipped to quickly identify your problem.
Paving the way to a full recovery
While prompt care at our practice is the first step toward a speedy recovery, we don’t stop there. Once we identify your problem, we tackle it from every angle to make sure your road to recovery is as smooth as possible.
For example, physical therapy (PT) plays an important role in recovery. It’s vital that your therapy be designed to rehabilitate your injury at the right pace. PT is often a balancing act between strengthening your damaged tissue and allowing it to heal naturally.
Regenerative medicine can create an environment that boosts healing on the cellular level. These treatments can speed up recovery and get you back in playing condition faster. It’s important that patients who are athletes heal in a way that leaves them strong enough to withstand the rigors of their sport, which minimizes the risk for reinjury.
When used in tandem with physical therapy, regenerative medicine can help you heal faster and stronger than simply waiting for your body to recover naturally.
If you’ve recently suffered a sports injury, or just want a reliable doctor on call in case you suffer an accident, get in touch with the doctors at SportsMED by calling one of our convenient locations or booking an appointment online.