Sports Medicine

Sports medicine is a field dedicated to preventing, diagnosing, and treating injuries relating to sports or other physical activities. While sports medicine doctors treat athletes, they also help many other kinds of patients, such as those with knee, elbow, or shoulder conditions. Southlake Orthopaedics serves Central Alabama with a team of trusted orthopedists and sports medicine physicians. Learn more about sports medicine and schedule a consultation at Southlake Orthopaedics’ locations in Birmingham-Grandview and Hoover, AL.

What Is Sports Medicine?

Sports medicine focuses on treating injuries from active lifestyles, whether patients are competitive athletes or participate in recreational activities. Sports medicine is often mistaken for orthopedic medicine, and while they share some similarities, orthopedic doctors typically have increased clinical focus. At Southlake Orthopaedics, board-certified, multi-specialty sports medicine doctors treat injuries affecting the following areas:

For those who’ve sustained an injury, the sports medicine team at Southlake Orthopaedics navigates patients through treatment, recovery, and long-term management of their condition. Sports medicine physicians also emphasize injury prevention through patient education.

Common Sports Medicine Conditions

Access comprehensive sports medicine care at Southlake Orthopaedics. Patients can receive a proper diagnosis and choose the treatment plan that best correlates with their values and preferences. Common sports medicine conditions include:

  • AC joint injuries
  • Achilles tendon tears
  • ACL tears
  • Ankle instability
  • Athletic injuries
  • Hamstring injuries
  • Hip impingement/femoroacetabular impingement (FAI)
  • Internal/external snapping hip
  • IT band syndrome
  • Labral tears

WHAT IS A PHYSICAL THERAPIST?

Treating Sports Medicine Conditions

Southlake Orthopaedics provides state-of-the-art treatments for sports medicine and orthopedic conditions. Physicians are available who specialize in every subcategory of these medical fields. Taking a collaborative, holistic approach focused on the entire patient, Southlake Orthopaedics’ multi-level specialists are board-certified and provide treatment options such as:

Non-Surgical Rehabilitation

Several forms of rehabilitation assist patients in regaining their range of motion, strength, movement, and flexibility. Rehabilitation also aims to prevent future injury by educating the patient throughout the process. Non-surgical sports medicine treatments may include one or a combination of the following modalities:

  • Bracing or casting: Braces and casts help to stabilize injured joints, as well as broken and fractured bones. Patients could be required to wear braces or casts for a designated period while limiting physical activity.
  • Medications/injections: Pain relievers, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), and corticosteroid injections are common ways to manage inflammation and pain.
  • Physical therapy: Southlake Orthopaedics has an on-site physical therapy center, where experienced physical therapists and Certified Hand Therapists work to help patients recover from injuries or surgeries.
  • R.I.C.E. method: For mild injuries, the P.R.I.C.E. method stands for Protecting the injury with proper support; Resting until the injury heals or the doctor clears the patient; Icing every two to three hours for 15 to 20 minutes; Compressing with compression bandages to manage swelling; and Elevating the injured area above the heart.
  • Orthotics: Depending on the patient’s unique situation, you can trust Southlake’s surgeons to identify the best orthotic solutions.
  • Regenerative therapies: These may include ultrasound-guided platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injections, bone marrow aspirate, stem cell therapy, and other methods that encourage tissue repair and healing.

Surgery

For patients requiring surgery, Southlake Orthopaedics surgeons are well-versed in open (traditional) surgery, as well as less-invasive approaches like arthroscopy. Common sports medicine procedures performed by Southlake Orthopaedics include:

  • Achilles tendon repair
  • ACL reconstruction
  • Arthroscopic meniscectomy or meniscus repair
  • Cartilage and tendon repair
  • Fracture reduction/fixation
  • Gluteus medius and minimum repair
  • Hamstring tendon repair
  • High tibial or distal femoral osteotomy
  • Knee and shoulder surgery/replacement (arthroplasty)
  • Ligament reconstruction
  • Patellar stabilization and realignment
  • Rotator cuff repair
  • Shoulder stabilization
  • UCL reconstruction or repair

Meet the Sports Medicine Physicians

At Southlake Orthopaedics, sports medicine physicians provide complete orthopedic care, from diagnosis and treatment to rehabilitation and prevention. With patient care, trust, and commitment at the forefront, Southlake Orthopaedics is home to the following board-certified doctors:

Get Started With Southlake Orthopaedics for Less Pain, More Living

Southlake Orthopaedics proudly serves central Alabama out of our locations in Hoover and Birmingham-Grandview, AL. To consult with a sports medicine physician or orthopedist, contact Southlake Orthopaedics today.