Sports medicine is a specialty service offered by the physicians at the Merrillville, Indiana The Methodist Physician Group Specialists because sports and orthopedics are frequent bedfellows. Sports medicine is a field that focuses on injuries and conditions related to athletics. That can include anything from professional competition to high school sports to the occasional marathon runner.
Sports medicine is a subspecialty taken up by many orthopedic surgeons or specialists because of the close relationship that exists there. The specialists at The Methodist Physician Group Specialists undergo additional training in this field, so they have a unique understanding of how athletics can affect the musculoskeletal and central nervous systems. Sports medicine covers several disciplines such as:
A specialist in sports medicine would have some training in many of these fields to get a Certificate of Added Qualifications.
Specialists in this field are qualified to treat any medical problem, but they tend to focus on orthopedic sports-related injuries such as:
Anything directly connected to an athletic challenge. Sports medicine isn't just about offering treatment for an injury, either. It's as much preventative as it is emerging care. Specialists in this field work with athletes at all levels to help them train in ways that prevent common injuries.
Pediatric and adolescents are some of the most common patients in any sports medicine service. Many injuries that occur during a game or training session are unique to young patients, so it's an important part of the service. The specialists at The Methodist Physician Group Specialists can work with parents on early injury recognition and treatment to lessen the risks, especially in critical areas like concussions where symptoms aren't always apparent. Head injuries like this need time to heal, so recognition is crucial.
Signs of a possible concussion include:
With children, concussions are especially dangerous. One concussion can mean the child is prone to them and repeated concussion can cause long-term damage to the brain. Anyone who suspects their child has had even one concussion should see a sports medicine specialist at The Methodist Physician Group Specialists.
