What is Sports Medicine?

Sports medicine is the specialty that promotes physical fitness and activity while managing, treating, and preventing injuries that happen during exercise or participation in sports. Sports medicine fosters wellness and fitness and works to inhibit injury. A sports medicine specialist may work with professional athletes, school sports teams, individuals who participate in sports on the weekend for fun, or someone who is just beginning to exercise for the first time. Although their main focus is on musculoskeletal function, sports medicine specialists also care for patients' full medical and nutritional needs as they relate to their active lifestyle.

Some examples of the kinds of injuries and issues that a sports medicine specialist might see in their work include:

• Acute sports injuries (sprains, fractures)
• Overuse injuries (tendonitis, bursitis)
• Head injuries (concussion)
• Heat injuries (heat stroke)
• Athletes with chronic illness (asthma, diabetes, heart disease) and how their illness is affected by exercise
• Nutrition and the use of supplements
• Developing a safe exercise plan for obese or sedentary patients
• Substance abuse of performance-enhancing drugs
• Teaching proper form and technique to reduce the chance of injury

Sports medicine specialists often work closely with orthopedic specialists, and the scope of their work can have some overlap. The main distinction is that orthopedic specialists can perform surgery when it is needed, while sports medicine specialists focus on non-surgical solutions for injuries.

Whether they are the team physicians making sure every professional player is performing safely and at their best, or community specialists getting you back in the game after a sprained ankle, sports medicine doctors are there to make sure you're in good condition to lead an active life.

What is Foot & Ankle Surgery?

Foot and ankle surgery is the specialty offering medical and surgical care for the foot and ankle. The feet and ankles are some of the most frequently injured parts of the body, but foot and ankle surgeons also treat damage due to illness, major trauma, or structural disorders.

Foot and ankle surgeons begin their career by either studying podiatry or orthopedics. Podiatrists study and care for the feet and ankles, while orthopedists study how bones, muscles, and tendons work and help us move. After their initial training, foot and ankle surgeons go on to do a surgical residency for three years, studying specifically how to care for feet and ankles with surgery.

A foot and ankle surgeon may treat conditions including:

• Sports injuries
• Trauma, such as due to a car accident
• Surgical management of joints damaged by arthritis
• Bunions
• Hammer toes
• Flat feet
• Polydactyly (extra toes)
• Tumors of the foot

The care offered by foot and ankle surgeons does not always involve surgery. Depending on the diagnosis, they may recommend non-invasive medical treatments such as rest, ice / heat, casting, bracing, or physical therapy.

What is Podiatry?

Podiatry is the medical specialty that deals with injuries and diseases of the foot, ankle, and related structures of the leg. Caring for feet may seem simple at first glance, but podiatry combines elements of sports medicine, wound care, diabetic care, and pediatrics into one specialty.

Podiatrists examine and treat many minor conditions in their office. They may perform surgery at a hospital, and they may refer patients to other professionals for physical therapy or orthotics if needed.

Some of the conditions commonly seen by podiatrists include:

• Sprains and fractures
• Bunions
• Heel pain and heel spurs
• Hammer toes
• Neuromas
• Ingrown or infected toenails
• Plantar warts
• Corns and calluses
• Structural issues of the foot

Pain in the feet and ankles is often neglected or seen as a normal part of daily life by patients, but keeping your feet healthy is a great way to maintain your mobility into old age. A podiatrist can help you keep moving comfortably.

What is Orthopedic Surgery?

Orthopedic surgeons, sometimes just called orthopedists, are surgical doctors of the musculoskeletal system. They work to keep your body active and in motion by treating problems with your bones, joints, tendons and muscles. The most frequently treated disorder seen by orthopedic surgeons is osteoarthritis, a common 'wear-and-tear' problem where the cartilage that cushions the ends of the bones wears down, causing friction and pain. Orthopedic surgeons might also see patients for bone and joint deformities, amputation, infections of the bone and joint, overuse injuries, or nerve compression.

Orthopedic surgeons can order tests such as blood work and x-rays to get a clearer picture of the issue. Depending on the illness or injury, more than one different form of treatment may be used. Treatment may include:

• Surgery, such as fusing bones together to increase stability, or replacing a joint
• Medication, such as pain medication or steroids to promote healing
• Casts, splints, or orthotics (devices such as braces or shoe inserts to support the body)
• Physical therapy, a kind of treatment using exercise, stretching, heat, and massage to heal the body
• Exercise, stretching, movement, and use of the affected part

Orthopedic surgeons also work to prevent injuries and slow the progression of disease in their patients. They educate patients on ways to prevent future injuries, and they treat illness in order to prevent further damage to bones or joints that may be affected by disease. The goal of an orthopedic surgeon is to help their patients restore movement and regain an active life.

What is Chiropractic?

A chiropractor is a licensed healthcare professional that focuses on restricted movement or inflammation in the joints of the musculoskeletal system that may be putting pressure on the spinal column and nerves. These impingements, as they are known, are thought to affect the health of the entire body. Chiropractors use non-invasive techniques to adjust the restricted joints with the goal of reducing pain and increasing mobility. Chiropractic is generally categorized as alternative or complementary medicine.

Patients may see a chiropractor for any variety of complaint, but most commonly, they seek treatment for back pain, neck pain, headaches, or joint issues. Chiropractors are specially trained to examine the joints, bones, and muscles of the body and to notice misalignment, tenderness, or asymmetry. They also check their patients for range of motion, stability, and muscle tone. Chiropractors are trained in using imaging (such as xrays) and orthopedic or neurologic testing to gain a good understanding of the problems affecting their patients.

When joints have become restricted in their ability to move by injury or inflammation, a chiropractor may perform what is called an adjustment to try and restore motion. When applied to the vertebrae of the spine, this technique is called spinal manipulation. It involves the application of a small amount of force directly to the joint, either by hand or with chiropractic tools (such as a spring-loaded activator). This allows the joint to begin moving freely again, frees up nerve tissues that may have been caught by an inflamed joint, and increases blood flow, all of which encourage healing. When it comes to the spine specifically, the belief is that restoring its structural integrity reduces pressure on surrounding neurological tissues of the spinal column and nerve branches, which reduces pain and improves health.

Chiropractic is one of the fastest growing health specialties in the United States. It can often treat problems with pain and joint mobility effectively, without the use of surgery or medications. Because of this, it continues to gain in popularity.