Perhaps the only thing more frustrating than sustaining an injury is trying to figure out what type of doctor to see.
Should a college athlete that sustained an injury during a football game see the same type of physician as an active individual who was injured biking with their children?
The answer, which may come as a surprise to many, is yes. Both types of injuries, and patients, can be treated by sports medicine physicians.
What exactly is sports medicine?
Sports medicine focuses on helping people improve their athletic performance (regardless of the level), recover from injury and help to prevent future injuries. Knee, leg, back, shoulder and hand injuries are a few of the common disorders treated.
Sports medicine physicians are experts in physical activity, with specialized training in musculoskeletal conditions and the medical concerns of active individuals. The goal of a sports medicine doctor is to help you get active or stay active, particularly when you're sidelined by injury.
Penn Orthopaedics has a team of physicians that are specially trained in this specific field. The Penn Sports Medicine team works with patients to develop individualized care plans to help them return to normal activities as quickly as possible.
"We use the same technologies at Penn Sports Medicine to treat athletes as we do to take care of patients that are not playing baseball, soccer or football," said Brian J. Sennett, MD. "The overall goal is to work with every patient to establish their diagnosis, explain what's wrong, how we are going to get them better and lead them through that process."
When should you see a sports medicine physician?
Still a bit unsure as to when to seek a consultation with a Penn Sports Medicine physician? If any of the statements below apply to you, it may be time to do so.
- Acute Injury: After sustaining a sudden injury, we can help you determine exactly what is injured and whether you will recover most effectively with – or without – surgery.
- Chronic Injury: Long-lasting injuries and areas of discomfort will often improve or resolve with appropriate rehabilitation. We can identify and correct the training errors or biomechanical abnormalities that hinder your performance.
- Injury Prevention: By helping you understand why you sustained an injury – and not just what was injured – we will help keep you injury-free for future races and events.
- Performance Enhancement: Whether you are just starting a new fitness program or wishing to take your abilities to the next level, we can connect you to a team of professionals – physical therapists, registered dietitians, podiatrists, and more – to provide a comprehensive and well-rounded approach and maximize your athletic potential.