What is sports medicine?
Sports medicine is a medical discipline dedicated to treating and preventing athletic injuries. If you’re an athlete in any capacity, sports medicine can help you prepare for safe gameplay or physical exercise. The experts at COSMO can also help you make a full recovery from a sports injury so you can continue being active.
Which injuries are common in sports?
Treating and preventing sports-related injuries is a significant part of sports medicine. While engaging in physical activity is a great way to improve or maintain your health, it puts you at a higher risk for particular injuries.
Some of the most common sports injuries are:
- Fractures (broken bones)
- Sprains
- Strains
- Joint dislocations
- Concussions
Physically active people are also at a higher risk for overuse injuries and degenerative conditions like tendinitis. Tendinitis happens because of repetitive actions that place strain on certain tendons, causing inflammation.
How should I care for a sports injury right away?
If you get injured while exercising or playing a sport, immediate care for the injury can improve your outcome with professional treatment later. Most experts agree that the RICE method is often the best first line of care for acute sports injuries like sprains, strains, and dislocations. It involves:
- Rest: Avoiding exertion and movement
- Ice: Applying ice to the injury for 20 minutes at a time
- Compression: Wrapping the injured area with a bandage or using a splint to stabilize it
- Elevation: Keeping the injured area raised above the level of your heart
The RICE method helps reduce swelling and prevents worsening pain or further injuries. You should visit COSMO for further treatment as soon as you can.
What does sports medicine entail?
COSMO offers many services related to sports medicine, including preventive care and proactive treatments. Available services include:
Chronic or acute illness management
A chronic or acute illness can affect your athleticism, but it doesn’t always mean you can’t participate. Your provider can help you stay active even with your condition.
Performance optimization
If you want to be the best athlete you can be, your provider can optimize your strength and stamina with nutritional guidance, supplements, and other strategies.
Injury prevention
Injury prevention reduces your likelihood of getting a painful and costly injury while you play. Your provider teaches you to warm up, use equipment properly, and take other steps to avoid injuries.
Injury treatment
Not all sports injuries are preventable. If you have a fracture, sprain, dislocation, or other injuries from your sport, your treatment might involve casts, bracing, anti-inflammatory medications, and injury monitoring with X-rays and other imaging techniques.
Whether you want to improve your athletic performance or treat an injury stopping you from being active, call Colorado Sports Medicine and Orthopaedics or book a sports medicine appointment online today.
