A sports injury is defined as an injury incurred while exercising or playing a sport. It can involve the muscles, cartilage, and/or bones. A sports injury is frequently caused by an accident, inadequate warm-up, poor form, or simply trying to do something beyond your abilities. After you have had one of these injuries, you may been in need of sports injury treatment.
Common examples of sports injuries include the following:
- Sprains
- Dislocations
- Knee injuries
- Strains
- Achilles tendon injuries
- Fractures
When Should a Person with a Sports Injury See a Doctor?
Minor sports injuries such as sprains can often be taken care of at home through the RICE protocol. The acronym stands for Rest, Ice, Compression, and Elevation. On the other hand, an injured college and high school athlete should see one of our doctors if any of the following are true:
- They have injured their head
- They might have broken or dislocated a bone
- The affected area can’t stand any pressure or weight
- They have extreme pain that is steadily getting worse
- They are confused or disoriented
- The injured area is deformed or badly swollen
- They are experiencing tingling, numbness, or paralysis
- Their pulse or breathing is unsteady
- They are extremely pale
How Can a Sports Injury Doctor Help?
A sports doctor can offer a lot to an injured college and high school athlete. A sports doctor, more formally called a sports medicine physician, is a medical doctor who specializes in sports injury treatment. As such, they have the usual background: medical school followed by a residency served at a hospital. Many sports doctors have backgrounds in internal medicine, pediatrics, family medicine, or physical medicine/rehabilitation.
A sports doctor can not only diagnose a given injury, they can also estimate the length of the recovery process. Similarly, they can tell the patient what they can expect during the recovery process and advise them as to when they may resume playing or exercising. They can describe and recommend various sports injury treatment options like injections or braces that can help the patient’s recovery.
We have various methods to help us determine the type of injury you received, as well as the extent of it. In addition to diagnosing the type of injury, we can help you determine the right sports injury treatment, or if you need surgery.
To learn more about the sports injury treatment services offered at Plymouth Bay Orthopedic Associates, Inc., simply visit one of our offices in either Plymouth, Duxbury or Sandwich, MA. Contact us today to schedule your appointment!