Who Should See a Sports Medicine Specialist?

Sports medicine specialists treat injuries sustained in all levels of physical activity. Contrary to what many people think, they don’t just treat sports athletes. They see athletes of all experience levels, from "weekend warriors" to student athletes in high school and college as well as professional athletes. They also treat active adults of all ages who get injured during activities such as running, biking, working out or playing intramural sports.

Common Symptoms Treated

Sports medicine specialists see a variety of exercise and physical activity injuries including acute pain and chronic pain. They also help with injury prevention and performance enhancement.

Some of the most commonly treated areas include:

• Knees - swelling, locking, irritation, catching, pain behind the knee cap and trouble bearing weight
• Shoulders - trouble putting on a shirt, pain when raising arms overhead and pain at night
• Hips - pain lifting legs, sharp radiating pain, snapping and locking
• Legs - Achilles tendon pain, muscle strains or tears, and shin splints
• Fractures
• Joint sprains 
• Tendonitis
• Swollen muscles

Sports Medicine Team Approach

Sports medicine providers consist of a variety of specialists including fellowship-trained sports medicine orthopedic surgeons, primary care sports physicians, physician assistants, athletic trainers, physical therapists and nurses.

They have specialized education and training to focus on the medical and therapeutic aspects of sports participation and physical activity. Fellowship-trained sports medicine doctors undergo residency in orthopedic surgery, or a primary care specialty, followed by an additional year specifically dedicated to sports medicine training.

These specialists understand that injuries can be devastating and are here to help you accomplish your fitness goals though safe, effective and comprehensive care.