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Who is a sports medicine specialist?

Sports medicine specialists treat injuries caused by sports or other physical activities. They also treat musculoskeletal disorders such as osteoarthritis, traumatic head injuries, back pain, and tendinitis. A few sports-related services they provide are physical health monitoring, injury prevention, rehabilitation, and conditioning. They may also perform adjustments like osteopathic manipulation treatment (OMT). 

Many sports medicine specialists work closely with coaches, nurses, trainers, orthopedic surgeons, orthopedic practices, and other professional sports organizations. These specialists coordinate to conduct diagnostic tests, examine injured persons, and determine the person's readiness to perform. They also educate coaches and athletes about nutrition, exercise regimens, and rehabilitation techniques. 

While sports medicine specialists are doctors, they cannot perform surgeries and only provide non-operative treatment and primary care. Regarding expertise, they lie between primary care and orthopedic surgeons. Sports medicine specialists are more knowledgeable about musculoskeletal disorders than primary care physicians and can provide non-surgical treatment for acute and chronic conditions like orthopedic surgeons.  

Education and training for sports medicine specialists

Sports medicine specialists must undergo at least 13 years of training, beginning with a four-year undergraduate program. Following a bachelor's, they must complete four years of medical school and earn an M.D. (doctor of medicine) or a D.O. (doctor of osteopathic medicine) degree. Then, they must complete residency training, which takes three to five years, and a two-year fellowship program in sports medicine. While the residency program introduces doctors to professional settings, the fellowship trains them in diagnosing and treating various sports-related injuries. 

Finally, sports medicine specialists must clear the U.S. Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) or the Comprehensive Osteopathic Medical Licensing Examination (COMLE) to earn licensure. After obtaining licenses, they can take the board certification exam administered by the American Board of Family Medicine (ABFM).

Conditions that sports medicine specialists treat

Performing certain sports, exercises, and athletic activities poorly can cause sudden or chronic injury that worsens over time. You can visit a sports medicine specialist near you for the following common conditions:

• Concussion: It is a kind of traumatic brain injury (TBI) that temporarily affects brain functions such as coordination, balance, memory, and speech. Young adults and children take longer than most adults to recover from concussions, so it is riskier for them to return to physical activity without proper recovery. Those who have already sustained a concussion are at higher risk of repeated concussions, which may have long-term effects on the brain if not treated by a physician. 

• Fracture: It is a break in the bone. Different types of fractures include greenstick, hairline, longitudinal, and impacted. Training for sports such as athletics, football, or basketball can induce stress fractures, i.e., fine breaks in the bone caused by repeated exertion of a body part. Stress fractures may take six to eight weeks to heal. Depending on the extent of the injury, the fracture may require a cast or pain medication. 

• Exercise-induced asthma: Clinically known as bronchoconstriction, this condition occurs when the lung airways become narrow due to strenuous exercise. Symptoms like shortness of breath, fatigue during exercise, coughing, wheezing, and poor athletic performance can indicate asthma. Medications such as inhalers bring considerable relief to this condition. 

• Heat illness: Exertional heat-related illness (EHRI) can occur while exercising or playing sports in extreme heat. Severe EHRI causes the body's core temperature to rise above 40 degrees Celsius. Symptoms like heat cramps and heat exhaustion result from dehydration. A heat stroke may be a life-threatening condition that involves seizures, high fever, confusion, nausea, and fatigue; it requires immediate medical attention. 

• Carpal tunnel syndrome: This condition causes numbness, pain, tingling, weakness, and burning sensation in the palm and wrist. Increased pressure on the median nerve (which connects the forearm and palm) is the leading cause of this condition. People with carpal tunnel syndrome find it difficult to engage in activities that involve continuous wrist movement, like typing and playing tennis or badminton. 

Sports medicine specialists also treat other conditions, such as joint injuries and dislocations, sprains and strains, cartilage damage, and tendonitis. 

How are sports injuries treated?

The treatment plan for any sports-related injury depends on its nature and severity. Ample rest, at-home exercises, physical therapy and rehabilitation, and lifestyle changes can help treat mild injuries. The following procedures are commonly used to treat various moderate to severe injuries:

• Medications: Prescription medicines, such as nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID), can help alleviate pain, reduce swelling, and decrease fever symptoms. 

• Injections: Injections like nerve block and epidural injections reduce pain and inflammation. 

• Immobilization: A cast, splint, sling, walking boots, and other medical equipment can restrict the movement of the affected part of the body, which helps speed up recovery by addressing the leading cause of the pain rather than the symptoms. 

• Surgery: Surgery can help treat fractured bones (open reduction and internal fixation surgery) and tendon, ligament, or cartilage tears (grafting and reconstruction surgery). 

Ways to avoid sports injuries 

Avoiding sports injuries is often easier than treating them. A few minor changes in your exercise or training routine can improve your athletic performance and decrease the chance of sustaining long-term or sudden injuries. Here are some ways you can avoid sports injuries: 

• Use proper techniques while exercising or training: The correct methods for learning an exercise or sport can prevent injuries. A certified fitness or sports coach can help you perfect your technique, balance your body weight, and teach you the proper footwork required to get the most out of your training. 

• Get adequate rest and cool down post-exercising: Playing a sport for too long can lead to overuse of the muscles and cause injuries like stress fractures, sprains, or strains. Resting also prevents serious injuries. Do not push yourself too hard. When tired, ensure you get plenty of rest before playing or exercising again. Cooling down exercises like stretching can also help relax the muscles after participating in intense activities. Your cooldown should be twice as long as your warm-ups. 

• Wear protective gear and use the right equipment: Playing contact sports such as football, wrestling, or boxing poses a high risk of fractures, concussions, bruises, and mouth injuries. Wearing protective gear such as eye goggles, mouth guards, helmets, pads, and wrist, elbow, and shin guards that cover all the sensitive parts of the body can help prevent injuries. It is also essential to get the gear that fits your size correctly. 

• Keep yourself hydrated: Life-threatening heat illnesses like heat stroke are more likely to occur on scorching and humid days and require immediate medical attention. However, drinking plenty of water before, during, and after a game can prevent heat stroke. 

• Strengthen your core and increase flexibility: Before starting a workout or playing a sport, it is essential to perform warm-up exercises such as jumping jacks or arm circles. Muscles not stretched or warmed up before playing an intense sport are more prone to injury. For balance and stability, it is necessary to increase the strength of your core muscles. Exercises like abdominal crunches or planking (holding the body for some time in a push-up position) can increase or maintain core strength. 

What is a stress fracture?

A stress fracture is a form of bone fracture characterized by a small crack in one of the bones. It occurs due to excessive stress on a particular bone caused by repetitive motion or physical activity.

Stress fractures are also called overuse injuries and generally affect body parts that support or balance the body weight when playing a sport or doing physical activity. These include:

• Heel
• Foot
• Lower legs
• Wrists and hands
• Hips
• Lower back

Symptoms 

Common symptoms of a stress fracture include:

• Swelling
• Pain that worsens during physical activity
• Persistent pain even after the activity ends
• Pain noticeable even when resting
• Tenderness near the affected bone

Causes 

Common causes of a stress fracture include the following:

• Training or working without proper equipment
• Excessive training or practicing without ample rest
• Starting a new physical activity or sport without appropriate equipment, guidance, or training
• Sudden increase in physical activity, training, or workouts
• Changes in the surface where physical activity is performed (e.g., switching from running on a treadmill to running on the road)
• Specializing in one sport without breaks (playing the same sport year-round increases the risk compared to participating in multiple sports)

Risk factors

Sports or activities that increase the risk of stress fractures include:

• Tennis
• Basketball
• Running (track and field sports and long-distance running)
• Dance
• Gymnastics

Health conditions that increase the risk of stress fractures include:

• Flat feet
• High arch feet
• Bunions
• Osteoporosis
• Eating disorders
• Obesity
• Vitamin D deficiency

Tips to prevent stress fracture

The simple steps below can help prevent a stress fracture:

• Perform proper warm-up and cooldown sessions before and after physical activity
• Follow an exercise plan that suits your body
• Stop training or exercising when you feel pain. Don't continue through the pain
• Wear proper equipment for all physical activities and sports
• See a doctor when you notice pain or other symptoms

Find a sports medicine specialist near you in San Francisco, CA

Seeing a sports medicine specialist decreases your chances of future injuries and helps you learn and practice injury prevention. Further, a sports medicine specialist conducts a thorough physical exam to gauge whether engaging in a particular sport or activity is safe for you.

Finding an experienced sports medicine specialist for yourself or your family can be challenging. To aid you through the process, Zocdoc provides a quick and safe way to find healthcare professionals in your area. You can book a virtual or in-person consultation, whichever suits your needs. Scheduling an appointment takes only a few steps:

1. Visit the Zocdoc website and enter your condition or symptoms, the date you wish to see a provider and your location. You can then peruse a list of top-rated sports medicine specialists near you. 
2. You can filter and sort the displayed results by gender, time of day, hospital affiliations, preferred languages, distance, and whether the provider treats kids. 
3. If you want to find a provider who accepts your insurance, add your insurance information (your insurance provider and plan) on the Zocdoc search. It will help you see in-network providers who accept your plan. You can find accurate results from in-network sports medicine specialists. Check out Zocdoc's patient help center for more information and solutions related to insurance. 

To help you make an informed decision, Zocdoc also provides a detailed profile of each healthcare professional. This profile includes their educational background, medical credentials, work experience, awards, licensures, and accreditations. Moreover, you can also choose a specialist based on honest and verified patient reviews. 

All bookings on Zocdoc are fast, free, and secure! 

Statistics for sport-related injuries in California 

Some of the most common accidents non-sports people encounter are traffic and adventure activity mishaps. A National Highway Safety Administration report states that California had roughly 129 pedal cyclist fatalities in 2020, which accounted for 3.4% of the total traffic fatalities. Nearly 3.2% of the state's total fatalities belong to San Francisco, slightly lower than 4.3% in Los Angeles County and 5.4% in San Jose. 

According to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and the U.S. Coast Guard, in 2021, California was among the top three states for serious recreational watercraft accidents. 

Data collected by the California Department of Boating and Waterways in 2010 showed nearly 570 boating accidents in California, of which roughly 283 resulted in injuries. An estimated 25 casualties belonged to the San Francisco Bay Area. An estimated 45% of the accidents resulted from waterboarding, 42% from tubing, and 14% from traditional water skiing. 

Sources 

Spine-Health

UNC Health

St. George’s University

American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons

Johns Hopkins Medicine[1]

Johns Hopkins Medicine[2]

Mayo Clinic

Insurance Information Institute

National Library of Medicine

California Department of Boating and Waterways

American Medical Society for Sports Medicine

Hospital Careers

WebMD

Healthline[1]

NHS

University of Rochester Medical Center[2]

Healthline[2]

Cleveland Clinic[1]

Johns Hopkins Medicine[3]

Mount Sinai

Physio-Pedia

The content herein is provided for general informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Medical information changes constantly, and therefore the content on this website should not be assumed to be current, complete or exhaustive. Always seek the advice of your doctor before starting or changing treatment. If you think you may have a medical emergency, please call your doctor or 9-1-1 immediately.