Stay Active with Sports Medicine

Sports medicine is not just for athletes. These doctors help anyone stay active, prevent injuries and recover safely so they can keep doing the activities they enjoy.

What Does a Sports Medicine Doctor Do?

Sports medicine doctors treat injuries and health problems related to physical activity. Their goal is to help you get back to the activities you enjoy, whether that is walking, golfing, running or playing sports.

There are two types of sports medicine doctors:

• Primary care sports medicine doctors provide non-surgical treatments, such as injections and other procedures, to help reduce pain and improve healing.
• Sports medicine surgeons are orthopedic surgeons with special training in sports-related injuries.

Who Can Benefit?

Sports medicine can help:

• People recovering from sports injuries.
• Anyone starting a new exercise program.
• People with physically demanding jobs, such as firefighters, construction workers and delivery drivers.
• Active adults who want to stay healthy and prevent injuries.

Common Conditions Treated

Sports medicine doctors often help with:

• Sprains and strains, such as ankle sprains or pulled muscles.
• Stress fractures, which are small cracks in the bone caused by overuse.
• Tendon injuries, including tennis elbow and rotator cuff problems.
• Arthritis flare-ups that cause joint pain during activity.

Helping You Perform Your Best

Sports medicine doctors do more than treat injuries. They can also help you:

• Build a safe exercise routine.
• Learn proper stretching and warm-up techniques.
• Improve strength and flexibility.
• Make healthy food choices to support an active lifestyle.
• Understand which sports supplements are safe and effective.

Whether you are training for a race, enjoying weekend activities or simply trying to stay moving, sports medicine can help you stay healthy, active and injury-free.

Your Questions Answered

Q. Do I have to be an athlete to see a sports medicine doctor?

A. No. Sports medicine doctors help people of all activity levels, including walkers, runners, golfers, pickleball players and people with physically demanding jobs.

Q. What kinds of injuries do sports medicine doctors treat?

A. They commonly treat sprains, strains, tendon injuries, stress fractures, joint pain and arthritis flare-ups caused by physical activity.

Q. Can sports medicine help prevent injuries?

A. Yes. Sports medicine doctors can recommend exercises, stretching routines, training plans and nutrition tips to help you stay active and reduce your risk of injury.