A sports medicine doctor is a physician who has obtained additional training to gain expertise on how joints, tendons, and ligaments function, and the impact of sports on their health. Their training allows them to administer conservative and surgical treatments to correct problems affecting the joints.
A sports medicine doctor sometimes works with professional teams or college and high school athletes who participate in contact sports such as football, rugby, and soccer, as well as other active sports such as baseball, running, and tennis. They are usually available to perform physical examinations, treat injuries, and counsel the athletes on safety and injury prevention.
Some larger Orthopedic surgical clinics and rehabilitation centers also have a sports medicine doctor on staff. At Dayton Orthopedic Surgery and Sports Medicine Center, we have a whole team of medical professionals dedicated to sports medicine! Let by sports medicine doctor, Jameson Riner PT, DPT, our clinic has everything needed to treat your sports-related injury in the luxurious comfort of Dayton’s leading independent Orthopedic clinic.
Even if you don’t have a sports medicine doctor in your team, it’s important that you visit one when you have a sports-related injury. Some signs of injury include:
- Tenderness
- Severe cramping
- Pain
- Swelling
- Locked joint that won’t bend
- Audible popping when moving the joint
You should also visit a sports medicine doctor when you have any of the following conditions:
- Sprain
- Meniscus tear
- Dislocation
- Rotator cuff tear
- Tennis elbow or golfer’s elbow
- Fracture
- Strain
- Torn ligaments
Your doctor will attempt to use conservative treatment options first to correct the problem before recommending surgery.
Non-surgical care for sports injuries may include:
- Comprehensive health care for active patients, which includes diagnosis and treatment of joint, tendon, and ligament injuries and conditions caused by sports or other activities
- The application of manual techniques to help prevent and treat skeletal and muscular conditions associated with sports
- The application of special knowledge regarding the concept of athletic conditioning
- Emphasis on injury prevention tactics and rehabilitation for common sports injuries
- Nutritional guidance to improve strength, endurance, and general athletic performance
If you or a loved one sustains an injury during exercise or while participating in a sport or another physical activity, you should call (937) 436-5763 to schedule an appointment with a sports medicine doctor.