What is
a primary care sports medicine physician?
A doctor who has specialized training in assessing and treating musculoskeletal problems, including fractures and joint dislocations, in all aspects other than surgery. Sports medicine physicians are also trained regarding medical issues as they affect athletes, such as concussion, overtraining, exercise-induced asthma, infections, and nutrition.
A primary care sports medicine physician's initial training comes in internal medicine, family practice, pediatrics, physical medicine and rehabilitation, or emergency medicine, with separate additional specialty training (called a fellowship) that focuses solely on sports medicine and non-surgical orthopedics.
What is the difference between a Sports Medicine Physician and an Orthopedic Surgeon?
Both are well trained in musculoskeletal medicine. Sports Medicine Physicians specialize in the non-operative medical treatment of musculoskeletal sports conditions whereas Orthopedic surgeons are additionally trained in the operative treatment of these conditions. Approximately 90% of all sports injuries are non-surgical, and Sports Medicine Physicians can expedite referral to an orthopedic/sports surgeon when indicated, and can help guide referrals to appropriate rehabilitative care and ancillary services as needed.
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What types of patients do we see at SISM?
If you are a recreational or elite athlete trying to return to their sport, someone trying to lead a more active lifestyle, or a skilled worker limited by a musculoskeletal injury, we can help you overcome both recent and long-standing injuries and limitations. We welcome children and adults of all age and activity levels.
What kinds of procedures do we perform?
Brace fitting for musculoskeletal injury
Casting and splinting for fractures and sprains
Compartment pressure testing
Diagnostic and therapeutic joint aspiration and injections (excluding spine and hip joint)
Diagnostic and therapeutic soft tissue injections, including trigger point injections
Ear hematoma drainage
Hyaluronan injections (e.g. Synvisc, Supartz) for osteoarthritis
What kinds of musculoskeletal issues affect young, school-age
children?
Growing athletes and other children can have unique musculoskeletal
problems that are best served by a specialist with the appropriate
training to understand and treat them. Simple fractures in childhood
often do not require surgery to allow appropriate healing. Other
injuries to areas of bony formation (known as apophyseal injuries)
can affect the shoulder, elbow, lower leg, and other areas. There
are many other examples of musculoskeletal issues that can affect
school age children.
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