What is sports medicine?
Sports medicine at Orthopaedic Specialists involves the evaluation, diagnosis, and treatment of sports-related injuries that don’t heal on their own.
You might get injured playing basketball, football, hockey, or another sport. Dr. Downs personalizes each treatment to best suit your unique needs and preferences.
Why might I require sports medicine treatment?
Sports medicine can help you recover after suffering from one or more of the following injuries:
- ACL or MCL injuries
- Sprains or strains
- Tendinitis
- Fractures
- Concussions
- Joint injuries
- Cartilage injuries
- Chronic pain
- Muscle, tendon, or ligament injuries
- Soft tissue injuries
Dr. Downs treats a wide variety of sports-related injuries to help you recover quickly. He recommends noninvasive and minimally invasive options whenever possible, but he understands the importance of surgical treatment in some cases to fully restore your musculoskeletal function.
Am I a good candidate for sports medicine?
To determine which sports medicine treatment is right for you, Dr. Downs reviews your medical history and asks questions about your symptoms.
He examines the injured areas and may use X-rays, MRIs, CT scans, ultrasound, or other imaging procedures to determine the type and severity of your injury.
Which sports medicine treatment is right for me?
Dr. Downs discusses the pros and cons of each treatment option to find one that best suits your needs. The team might recommend:
At-home treatments
In the case of minor injuries, Dr. Downs might suggest heat or ice treatment, rest, elevation, compression, wearing a brace, or taking over-the-counter pain relievers while your injury heals.
Physical therapy
Strength and stretching exercises can accelerate healing, prevent reinjury, and help you recover faster after orthopaedic surgery.
Injections
Steroid, hyaluronic acid, or anesthetic injections can reduce chronic pain and inflammation associated with a sports injury.
Regenerative medicine
Dr. Downs offers platelet-rich plasma (PRP) and stem cell injections to stimulate your body’s natural ability to heal and generate new tissues.
Surgery
If other treatment options haven’t worked, Dr. Downs may recommend a surgical procedure to repair tissues and fully restore musculoskeletal function. He uses advanced, state-of-the-art technology during surgery to optimize your results.
Don’t live with a sports-related injury, and the consequent pain if getting back out on the court or field is your goal. Schedule an appointment with Orthopaedic Specialists by calling the office or booking online today.
