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If this is a medical emergency, dial 911 immediately or visit one of OAK’s OrthoAccess Immediate Care locations.
When Should an Athlete See a Sports Medicine Provider?
Athletes of all levels, from student-athletes to professionals, can benefit from working with a sports medicine specialist. At OAK, we provide a comprehensive approach to diagnosing, treating, and recovering from sports-related injuries and conditions.
Sports Injuries and Conditions
But what kinds of injuries does an orthopedic provider in the sports medicine field treat? The short answer is sports injuries of all kinds. In fact, a specialist who works in sports medicine will see patients with a wide range of ailments, including conditions that impact the knee, shoulder, ankle, and other joints. Any type of injury sustained at the gym or on the field falls under the purview of a sports medicine specialist. The most common injuries that sports medicine doctors treat include:
- Broken bones or fractures
- Concussions
- Ligament injuries (ACL or PCL)
- Meniscus tears
- Repetitive stress injuries
- Rotator cuff tear
- Sprains
- Strains
- Tendon damage
Sports Medicine Treatments and Services
Medical treatment always begins with a thorough evaluation, which might include X-rays or other imaging. Once a diagnosis is reached, the doctor will recommend a course of treatment, which may involve either nonsurgical solutions or some form of surgery. The goal is to restore the patient to full health, getting him or her back to their chosen sport as quickly as possible.
Nonoperative treatment options are ideal, of course, and may include the use of ice, heat, or compression. A sports medicine doctor may prescribe pain medication to help alleviate the short-term discomfort that athletic injuries bring. Physical therapy or injections may also be recommended.
For more extreme sports-related injuries, surgery may be required. Your sports medicine provider will be able to tell you more about your surgical options and what recovery might entail. Again, the goal is always to get you up on your feet and back on the field as soon as possible.
A sports medicine team can also help you develop an injury prevention plan. Using their knowledge of orthopedics, they will be able to help you determine the right exercise plan, the right diet, and the right equipment to minimize the risk of exercise-induced injury.
If you've been injured while playing a sport or even just while working out, you may wish to visit one of our sports medicine doctors. Even non-athletes who have experienced joint pain or gotten a concussion may wish to be checked out at one of our state-of-the-art facilities.
Specializing in What Moves You at OAK Orthopedics
At OAK Orthopedics, our world-class team of orthopedic experts is devoted to providing customized treatment plans focused on each patient's individual needs and goals.
Our specialty-trained sports medicine doctors have extensive experience in treating a variety of sports-related injuries. Nonsurgical methods will always be recommended first before considering surgery. However, there are situations in which conservative treatments will not provide adequate relief, and surgery is the best option to fix the problem. Our sports medicine surgeons are skilled in performing many surgical procedures and utilize state-of-the-art technology in doing so. Rest assured that when you see one of our specialists, you're in the care of the region's most preferred orthopedic providers.
If you have sports-related pain that you'd like to have evaluated, we encourage you to contact our team of orthopedic doctors today at one of our three locations in Bourbonnais, Frankfort, or Watseka, or schedule an appointment online with one of our experienced sports medicine surgeons or doctors.
Related Resources
Check out this collection of videos for more information about some of the most common problems diagnosed and treated by OAK’s sports medicine specialists.