Whether you are a professional player, amateur college athlete, someone with a physically demanding job, or a senior who refuses to give in to old age, getting sidelined by an injury is the last thing you want.
While it is almost impossible for you to avoid sports injuries from occurring altogether, you can greatly benefit from an orthopedic surgeon who specializes in sports medicine. An orthopedic surgeon specializing in sports medicine is trained to prevent the occurrence of injuries and illnesses and treat them with nonsurgical and surgical methods.
Let’s take a deeper look into how an orthopedic surgeon help in sports medicine and where you can go in Tennessee for outstanding orthopedic care.
Orthopedic Surgeons Manage Sports Injuries
Sports injuries can shatter the career of an athlete and the livelihood of a worker. An orthopedic surgeon primarily focuses on conservative interventions, such as medication, cortisone shots, and physical therapy, to help their patient safely and successfully return to their normal life.
If symptoms persist, surgery is a recourse an orthopedic surgeon performs. They may use minimally invasive surgical techniques to perform surgery. Common injuries an orthopedic surgeon manages include:
- Sprains and strains
- Fractures
- Shoulder impingement
- Tennis elbow
- Golfer’s elbow
- Pitcher’s elbow
- Shin splint
- Achilles tendon rupture
- Hamstring muscle injury
- Rotator cuff tear
- Meniscal tear
- Knee ligament tear
- Dislocations and separations
They Provide Education and Counselling on Injury Prevention
The ultimate key to avoiding injury is identifying and preventing overuse. An orthopedic surgeon focuses on providing strategies on strengthening specific body areas and avoiding their overuse to minimize their risk for injury.
Orthopedic surgeon routinely advises athletes and other physically active persons to practice measures, such as avoiding overtraining and doing warmups and cold down exercises, among others, to minimize the chances of contracting sports injury. They also emphasize and teach techniques on how to change the direction safely and how to land appropriately from a jump to avoid injury.
An orthopedic surgeon also counsels on optimizing body mechanics according to your core strength, range of motion, and sport.
They Assist in the Recuperation Process
In addition to managing sports injuries and preventing them, an orthopedic surgeon also aids in the recuperation process. They coordinate with coaches and inform them about the athlete’s medical condition and progress. They coordinate with or make a referral to physical therapists and nutritionists to help with the rehabilitation process.
If you’re an injured athlete or physically active person who needs orthopedic care, schedule an appointment online with our providers, or call us today at (423) 282-9011.
We’ll get you back to your favorite activities as soon as possible!
