Sports Medicine Facts You Should Know

Are sports a big part of your life? Are your kids involved in school or club sports? Whether you are a professional, avid recreation participant, or just someone wishing to stay in shape, sports medicine is key to your function and longevity as an athlete. Here are some facts to help you take full advantage of this important part of orthopedic medicine.

Fact #1 Sports medicine physicians in St. Peters are highly trained.

Primary care sports medicine doctors, such as Dr. Brandon Larkin and Dr. Matthew P. Melander at Advanced Bone & Joint, have years of specialized education in all things sports. From concussion treatment to arthroscopic knee surgery, sports medicine doctors bring expertise to the playing field and the orthopedic office. When an injury occurs, these physicians head a team of experts to diagnose and treat the problem, rehab you, and get you back in the game.

Fact #2 Millions of people suffer sports injuries every year in the US.

That includes seven million children, reports the CDC. Accordingly, people need bone and joint experts to avoid complications, perform surgeries, set up physical therapy, provide pain relief meds and injections, and employ the proper assistive devices for support and mobility.

Fact #3 Sports medicine doctors treat you from head to toe.

Whether your head, neck, shoulder, elbow, wrist, hand, hip, knee, foot, or ankle needs attention, your sports medicine doctor has the hands-on exam techniques to discover the nature of your injury. Also, Advanced Bone & Joint has modern imaging on-premises, including digital X-rays and MRI scans for the clearest possible pictures of your musculoskeletal system.

Fact #4 Surgery is not always the first choice of a sports medicine doctor.

In fact, it is usually a last resort. Whether you have a tear in your rotator cuff, an overstretched Achilles tendon, or repeated ankle sprains, your sports medicine physician will show you ways to rest, support the injury, control pain, and more. The goal is optimal function and avoidance of complex surgical procedures. Additionally, sports medicine provides leading-edge therapies, such as PRP (platelet-rich plasma) injections to strengthen and speed healing.

Fact #5 Sports medicine isn’t all about treatment.

Sports medicine is also about injury prevention, smart training techniques, proper body mechanics and posture, performance enhancement, and nutrition counseling. Your orthopedic doctor in St. Peters can optimize your nutritional intake, and tell you which supplements would benefit you best. Want to know the best ways to stretch and warm up? Your sports medicine team at Advanced Bone & Joint can show you how.

Furthermore, research shows if someone is consistently active, he or she likely will avoid a myriad of sports and recreational injuries. A sports medicine doctor will encourage you to be less sedentary, to exercise in smart, well-tolerated ways, and to improve muscle strength and cardiovascular health.

Comprehensive Sports Medicine Treatment That is Also Individualized

Find it all at Advanced Bone & Joint in St. Peters and O’Fallon, MO, including on-site imaging and a state-of-the-art ambulatory surgery center.  Whether you have an immediate need or require long-term care for a chronic problem, call us at (636) 229-4222, or request an appointment online through our homepage.