An area of medicine focusing on the correction of deformities of bones or muscles. This specialty, involving the musculoskeletal system, often relies on both surgical and nonsurgical means of treatment.
What is the difference between a sports medicine specialist and an orthopedic surgeon?
Orthopedic surgeons specialize in the operative treatment of injuries while sports medicine providers specialize in the prevention, evaluation, and management of sports-related illnesses and/or injuries that might occur to your child, teen, or young adult. This may include any of the following: pre-participation sports physicals, injury prevention education, sports psychology issues (including eating disorders), nutrition and supplement issues, injury evaluation and treatment, fracture care (non-surgical), sprains and strains, low back pain (incidental or chronic), dislocations, ligament and cartilage injuries, avulsions and bone stress fractures, apophysitis, tendonitis, injury from overuse, spondylolysis (back stress fractures), exercised-induced asthma, concussion, impact of diabetes in sports, heat illness, second opinion concerning surgery, and more. Approximately 90% of all sports injuries are non-surgical.
Both are well trained in musculoskeletal medicine.
Sports Medicine specialists also have additional expertise in non-orthopedic problems, such as concussions, exercise-induced asthma, and nutrition.
Pediatric Sports Medicine specialists are board certified through the American Academy of Pediatrics.
Who can be treated by a Sports Medicine specialist?
Everyone. The same expertise used to treat competitive athletes can be utilized to restore non-athletic individuals to full function as quickly as possible. Sports medicine specialists are ideal physicians for athletes and non-athletes alike and are an excellent resource for people wanting to become more active or start an exercise program.