Sports Injuries
Can sports medicine help me?
“Even though I’m not an athlete…?”
This is a question I’m frequently asked, and the answer is a resounding YES – at least in the realm of sports chiropractic medicine and musculoskeletal injuries.
I started working with athletes from the Ultimate Fighting Championship® in 2001, and now work with most of the sports teams here at our own Southern Oregon University.
Although the definition of sports medicine includes dealing with the prevention and injuries related to sports I realized early on that sports medicine is not just “sports” medicine, but it’s “everybody’s” medicine. The skills learned as a sports physician can apply to almost any person or situation, and that’s why I love it so much!
Consider the following:
Healing As Quickly As Possible
Everyone Has a Life
Although there are some traumas that are specific to sports, most injuries can happen to anyone. When it comes to sports, athletes and coaches often have deadlines they are trying to make.
Therefore, you are trying to help an individual get over that injury and get back in the game as quickly as possible. I have found that while not every patient I see is getting ready to play on the gridiron next weekend, they still have to work, take care of the kids and maybe travel for a long awaited vacation. In other words, everyone is in the game called “life”!
So as a sports specialist you are trained to think along timelines, and help people heal as quickly as possible.
Matt Terreri, DC, CCSP
In practice since 2000
It Takes a Village
Another helpful attribute that a sports doc should possess is cooperation and coordination.
I am constantly working with other medical personnel for the sole purpose of getting the patient better. For instance, the SOU Raiders have three athletic trainers, an orthopedic surgeon and me to work with. We all collaborate together as one team to get all the teams well. This carries over to the rest of my practice in the sense that I am used to working with various doctors, physical therapists, massage therapists and trainers to help coordinate care.
I realize that other providers out there have amazing skills that can also help, so I try to take advantage of that.
The SOSAS Difference
The Nuts & Bolts
The nuts and bolts are how things are done. Considering an injury on a timeline and knowing what to do when can be very important.
What type of tools or techniques are applied for which patients? In the sports world, you are expected to know many different strategies and techniques (kind of like speaking multiple languages). The more fluent you are so much the better.
Most of sports medicine is above and beyond the average knowledge base, so it takes many years and a lot of time to learn, but non-athlete patients easily benefit from this knowledge.
Start Moving Towards A Life Without Pain
Rehab, Rehab, Rehab!
If you have an injury and are not doing any exercises for it then you are missing a big piece of the puzzle!
This is often THE missing piece that needs to be addressed.There is no “magic bullet”, no “magic pill”, and there is no “magic adjustment”! The only “magic” is the hard work you put into something. Chances are the longer you have had a condition or injury the longer it can take to heal. Sports minded providers know this and will encourage you to work accordingly. It does not have to take long, or use a lot of equipment. If you have a wall or a floor, then you are good to go! Surely there is some movement or exercise that can help you feel better!
At Southern Oregon Sports & Spine we strive to teach you exercises that can help you help yourself for a lifetime. We believe that’s some of the best medicine anyone can give someone else – empowerment! Another reason for exercise is prevention. Numerous studies correlate injury prevention through exercise, showing everything from low back and knee protection to improvement in balance.
Curious?
The next time you are wondering if a sports practitioner is a good match for you – just ask. Chances are they have something to contribute to your health.