If you engage in any kind of sport or physical activity, there is a good chance that at some point, you’ll sustain some sort of injury or wear and tear. If you are injured severely enough, you may require medical assistance to regain full strength and mobility. 

Sports medicine is a subspecialty of orthopaedic medicine that can be extremely beneficial when dealing with sports-related injuries. Not only does it help you recover from your injury, but it also has some unexpected benefits including: 

Rehabilitation – Sports medicine can be helpful for any type of physical injury including anything related to the neck, shoulders, back, hips, knees, and ankles. Rehabilitation can help the injured area heal correctly while retaining or increasing your flexibility and range of motion. Stretches, exercises, and physical therapy are vital to ensure that the injured joint or area doesn’t stiffen. Other areas of rehab include balance, massage, and occupational therapies. 

In addition to helping after an injury, rehabilitation with sports medicine can also help you improve your overall athletic performance. Before your injury, poor nutrition, overtraining, or not properly warming up/cooling down may have caused distress on the body. Sports medicine can strengthen both your muscles and joints, making it easier to return to your sport following a complete recovery. 

Preventative Care – The goal of preventative care is to improve and maintain your health, to avoid future injuries. This is accomplished through a variety of wellness programs that not only include plenty of exercises, but also dietary discussions and information about nutritional benefits. This whole-body approach may even include some sports psychology. 

A Wide Application – Sports medicine is designed to diagnose, treat, heal, and manage injuries but its numerous treatments and exercises can be used for a variety of injuries, illnesses, and other disorders. Dr. Nelson can address acute injuries like sprains, strains, and dislocations, as well as chronic injuries like tendonitis or bursitis. This general approach, combined with specific therapies, is what makes sports medicine applicable to anyone. Whether you are an athlete, only an occasional exerciser or someone who isn’t active at all, the principles of sports medicine can be used in multiple situations. 

If you are suffering from any type of painful injury, you may benefit from the approaches and therapies of sports medicine. Give Dr. Nelson a call at 435-774-8511 to schedule an appointment.