Sports medicine is a branch of healthcare dedicated to curing ailments related to physical fitness and injuries arising out of playing sports or exercise. In the case of sports, most teams have their medical team accompanying them on the go. However, in some instances, that might be critical or require expertise; the injured person might still have to be referred to a specialist at a hospital or clinic. Doctors who specialize in Sports and Exercise Medicine, or sports medicine specialists, apart from treating sporting professionals or athletes, also treat children, teenagers, and anybody involved in professions that demand extreme amounts of physical fitness and effort. Sports medicine is not a self-sustaining speciality, as most SEM doctors are extensively trained in internal medicine, family medicine, emergency medicine, and/or other specialities. Sports Medicine is just an additional form of training given. While most problems relating to Sports Medicine are remedial, SEM doctors also work towards educating their patients about the prevention of musculoskeletal disorders.
Sports medicine physicians specializing in the treatment of athletes and various other physically active people have extensive knowledge in musculoskeletal medicine. The kinds of injuries that are treated by Sports Medicine involve muscle, ligament, tendon, tears, and bone problems. But these injuries may also include chronic illnesses that can affect physical performance, such as asthma and diabetes. SEM (Sports and Exercise Medicine) doctors are proactive in spreading awareness about the therapeutic benefits of exercise and physical activity for people. Aster Hospitals has a well-equipped sports clinic with all the modern treatment equipment.
Other disciplines in healthcare that might also sometimes work in conjugation with SEM doctors include:
Physical therapists: They work towards rehabilitating patients and helping them recover from injuries.
Certified athletic trainers: They help patients restore their strength and devise conditioning programs to avoid future injuries.
Nutritionists: They devise diet plans that should be strictly followed to speed up the healing process, including weight loss/gain regimes, dietary routines, etc.
Here are some examples of injuries that are treated/cured by SEM doctors:
SEM doctors also specialize in providing consultancy on injury prevention, exercises, nutrition plans, supplements, and workouts.
Hints of a critical injury will include but will not be limited to :
The need for surgery in Sports Medicine cases is rare. Most sports injuries can be treated through medication aided by physiotherapy. The treatment may also include pain relievers, immobilizing the affected area by a sling or a cast. Surgical intervention may only be required to repair or reposition broken/damaged tissues, bones, etc.
Sports Medicine, also known as Sport and Exercise Medicine (SEM), is a branch of medicine that deals with physical fitness and the treatment and prevention of injuries related to sports and exercise. Specializing in the treatment of athletes and other physically active individuals, sports and exercise medicine physicians at Aster Hospital have extensive education in musculoskeletal medicine.
Our specialists at Aster Hospitals’ sports medical centre treat injuries such as muscle, ligament, tendon, and bone problems, but may also treat chronic illnesses that can affect physical performance, such as asthma and diabetes. SEM doctors also advise on managing and preventing injuries. At Aster Hospital, we believe that patients and their families should have access to high-quality healthcare at a centre that they trust.
Services provided by our sports physicians include the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of the following conditions:
Concussion: caused by severe head injury where the brain moves violently within the skull so that the brain cells all fire at once, much like a seizure.
Muscle cramps: a sudden tight, intense pain caused by a muscle locked in spasm. Muscle cramps are also recognized as an involuntary and forcibly contracted muscle that does not relax.
ACL sprains: The anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) is a ligament involved in knee stabilization. An ACL rupture can occur when the foot is planted, and the knee twists to change direction.
ACL tears: The anterior cruciate ligament, one of four major knee ligaments necessary for comfortable knee movement, tears, causing significant pain, and causes the knee to give out. The knee ACL can tear for a number of reasons.
Ankle sprain: The ligaments that hold the ankle bones in place can easily be overstretched.
Shin splints: The tissue that attaches the muscles of your lower leg to the shin bone may be pulling away from the bone, or it may be inflamed from overuse.
Muscle strains: tears in the muscle that cause pain and or loss of function.
