Sports Medicine

What is Sports Medicine?

Compared to general orthopedics, sports medicine is a relatively new specialty area within orthopedic medicine. It was originally developed to provide high quality medical care for professional athletes and Olympic athletes. Today, sports medicine, or SEM (sports and exercise medicine) goes beyond that – it is devoted to three general types of patients:

Patients with injuries related to exercise
Patients looking to improve fitness and overall wellness through exercise therapy
Patients who are avid or professional athletes, looking to enhance performance and prevent injury

Conditions TreatedSports medicine is not limited to any particular part of the body. It combines a broad knowledge base of general orthopedics and advanced training in sports medicine techniques. Some of the most common conditions treated by a sports medicine physician are listed below, from head to toe.

Treatment – Surgical and Non-SurgicalThe first course of action for an injured athlete is to see a professional for a thorough evaluation of your pain level, range of motion, and function. Routine diagnostic imaging with X-ray and MRI can confirm the diagnosis.Many sports and exercise injuries affect soft tissues, like muscles, tendons, ligaments, and cartilage, which can benefit from our physical medicine and rehab (PM&R) and therapy services. Partial tears can be resolved without surgery, but more serious injuries may require surgery followed by rehabilitation. When surgery is indicated, a sports medicine doctor will generally recommend arthroscopy surgery. It is a minimally invasive procedure that can simultaneously diagnose and repair joint damage. Because it can be done with 2 or 3 tiny incisions, there is less pain and down time compared to traditional surgery. Learn more about arthroscopy in our patient education center.For northern New York residents, there is no better choice than North Country Orthopaedic Group for sports medicine care. We perform all kinds of minimally invasive surgeries and have several specialists who focus on non-surgical methods for injured athletes. Call (315) 782-1650 to schedule a visit in Watertown, NY or you can use our online appointment request form.

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