Sports Medicine treatment and injury prevention
If you have an injury while playing sports, exercising, or doing any physical activity, a primary care sports medicine specialist can diagnose and develop a treatment plan for your recovery. Your visit may include x-rays or a referral for advanced imaging (MRI, CT, etc.), depending on the severity of the injury.
A sports medicine specialist is highly trained in the non-operative treatment of musculoskeletal conditions. Most sports injuries don’t require surgery, but if a surgery evaluation is needed, your doctor will coordinate your care with an orthopedic surgeon.
Non-surgical treatment for sports-related injuries
Ninety percent of sports injuries do not need surgery and can be treated with over-the-counter pain relievers, ice to reduce swelling, and a cast or sling to immobilize the joint. Most patients will see a sports medicine doctor for acute and overuse injuries or injection therapies. Common issues include knee, shoulder, leg, or hip injuries, pulled or sprained muscles, joint pain, or pain from osteoarthritis. If additional care is needed, you will be referred to physical and occupational therapies or an orthopedic sports medicine surgeon if surgery is a better treatment option.
Services
- Bracing
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Bracing
Bracing restricts movement and can help relieve pressure, help heal, take weight off an injured area, and provide post-operative support.
- Casting and Other Forms of Immobilization
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Casting and Other Forms of Immobilization
Casting helps immobilize injured bones, promote healing, and reduce pain and swelling while bones heal from surgery or injury.
- Concussion Management
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Concussion Management
ARC sports medicine providers offer non-surgical concussion management.
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- Diagnostic Ultrasonography and Ultrasound Guided Injections
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Diagnostic Ultrasonography and Ultrasound Guided Injections
A diagnostic ultrasonography can be used to view internal parts of your body to see if something is wrong or not working properly. They can also be used to help guide injections.
- Fracture Management
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Fracture Management
ARC sports medicine providers offer non-surgical fracture care.
- Management of Degenerative Musculoskeletal Conditions and Chronic Pain Symptoms
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Management of Degenerative Musculoskeletal Conditions and Chronic Pain Symptoms
ARC sports medicine doctors offer non-surgical management of degenerative musculoskeletal conditions and chronic pain symptoms.
- Management of Sports Injuries and Guidance to Return to Sport
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Management of Sports Injuries and Guidance to Return to Sport
ARC sports medicine doctors offer non-surgical management of sports injuries and guidance to return to sports activities.
- Orthobiologic Injections, Steroid Injections, and Viscosupplementation Injections
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Orthobiologic Injections, Steroid Injections, and Viscosupplementation Injections
Orthobiologic, steroid, and viscosupplementation injections can be applied near an injury to help provide temporary pain relief and reduce inflammation of the area.
- Referral for Advanced Imaging – MRI, CT, etc
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Referral for Advanced Imaging – MRI, CT, etc
Your ARC medical provider may refer you to a doctor outside of ARC to get an MRI, CT scan, or other procedures not provided by ARC.
- Referral to Physical Therapy
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Referral to Physical Therapy
Your ARC provider may refer you to a physical therapist outside of the ARC clinic system.
- X-Ray
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X-Ray
Standard x-rays are done for many reasons. These reasons include diagnosing tumors, bone injuries, and other reasons for spine pain.
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Conditions
- Ankle Sprains
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Ankle Sprains
An ankle sprain is one of the most common sports injuries. It occurs when your foot turns in on itself, stretching and weakening the ligaments that bridge the ankle and foot bones.
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- Concussions
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Concussions
A concussion is a blow or a jolt to the head can cause a concussion or traumatic brain injury (TBI). An injury to another part of the body that transmits force to the head can also result in concussion. The injury may keep the brain from working normally. Symptoms of a concussion may last less than a day or may linger for months, or longer. Symptoms include headache, vomiting or nausea, trouble thinking normally, memory problems, or trouble walking.
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- Fractures
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Fractures
A fracture is a partial or complete break in the bone, caused by falls, injury, or as a result of a direct hit or kick to the body. Fractures most often happen when more force is applied to the bone than the bone can take.
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- Joint Pain
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Joint Pain
Many hip and knee problems are a result of the aging process and continual wear and stress on the knee or hip joint (such as arthritis). Osteoarthritis the most common type of arthritis, and is a degenerative process where the cartilage in the joint gradually wears away.
- Knee Injuries
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Knee Injuries
Common knee injuries, including fractures, dislocations, tears, and sprains, can be caused by age, repetitive movement, and accidents.
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- Muscle Strains
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Muscle Strains
Muscle strains, also known as a pulled muscle, can cause pain, swelling, muscle spasms, and limit the ability to move the muscle.
- Osteoarthritis
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Osteoarthritis
Osteoarthritis (OA) is the most common type of arthritis. It's a long-term (chronic) degenerative joint disease.
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- Rotator Cuff Tear
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Rotator Cuff Tear
The rotator cuff is made up of muscles and tendons that hold the shoulder in place, that allows you to lift your arm and reach up. A rotator cuff tear involves 1 or more rotator cuff tendons becoming inflamed and torn from overuse, aging, a fall on an outstretched hand, or a collision.
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- Shoulder Injuries
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Shoulder Injuries
Shoulder injuries, including sprains, strains, and rotator cuff tear, are common in athletes and can be caused by repetitive movement, age, and accidents.
- Stress Fractures
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Stress Fractures
Stress fractures are tiny cracks in a bone caused by heavy repetitive movements like jumping or running. Conditions such as osteoporosis can also play a factor in developing stress fractures.
- Tendonitis
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Tendonitis
Tendonitis is inflammation of the tendon, a flexible band of tissue that connects muscle to bones, and is often due to an overuse injury in the affected area from repetitive motion.
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Locations & Providers
Resources