What is sports medicine?

Sports medicine is a medical specialty that focuses on preventing and treating exercise-related conditions.

The skilled providers at Ultra Comprehensive Physical Therapy & Occupational Therapy design customized treatment plans that support training and recovery, treat injuries and overuse syndromes, and help you make nutritional and lifestyle choices that keep your body healthy so you can enjoy exercise or athletics now and for years to come.

What are sports injuries?

As the name implies, sports injuries are injuries that occur while training or competing in sports or exercise.

During exercise, your body is under more stress than it is during everyday activities, while training requires you to repeat certain motions many times. This can lead to both acute and chronic sports-related injuries.

Examples of acute sports injuries include:

• Sprains
• Strains
• Fractures
• Muscle and ligament tears

Symptoms of an acute sports injury include sudden and intense pain, swelling, and difficulty moving or putting weight on the affected area.

Chronic sports injuries include:

• Tennis elbow
• Tendonitis
• Shin splints
• Knee or shoulder instability
• Rotator cuff injuries
• Osteoarthritis
• Stress fractures

Chronic sports injuries usually arise from performing the same movements again and again or from improper body mechanics when executing actions.

Symptoms of chronic injuries include pain and swelling that gets worse during activity and improves with rest. Chronic injuries can also reduce mobility.

What is involved in sports medicine?

The experts at Ultra Comprehensive Physical Therapy & Occupational Therapy perform a comprehensive evaluation to determine what types of therapy can help you prevent injuries and prepare your body for physical exertion during sports or exercise activities.

If you’ve suffered an exercise-related injury, your provider will also perform an injury assessment to help them design a treatment plan to help you heal with full range-of-motion and functionality.

Your personalized sports medicine protocol may include:

• Physical therapy
• Occupational therapy
• Massage therapy
• Manual therapy
• Pain management

Whether you enjoy moderate exercise or you’re a professional athlete, sports medicine can help you achieve your goals safely, and recover entirely from any exercise-related injuries.

If you’ve suffered a sports injury or you’re interested in using sports medicine to improve your performance and reduce your risk of injury, schedule a sports medicine evaluation at Ultra Comprehensive Physical Therapy & Occupational Therapy. Call the office today, or make an appointment online.