Sports
Medicine

Sports medicine doctors are specialty-trained medical experts who can treat athletes as well as patients who are weekend warriors. They also see people who consider themselves non-athletes but who have experienced an issue or injury that falls within the field of sports medicine. Some of the conditions these specialists treat can easily be identified as sports-related issues through their names, such as tennis elbow, golfer’s elbow, or runner’s knee. Other conditions that sports medicine doctors treat are not as easily identified as being related to sports, such as iliotibial band syndrome. Sports injuries can be sudden (acute) injuries or overuse injuries.

The knee is especially vulnerable in many sports, and because of this, knee problems are common sports injuries. Sports medicine specialists may treat a soccer player with a meniscus tear, a football player with an ACL tear, and another professional, collegiate, or high school athlete with an MCL tear. The bones in the knee itself, such as the knee joint and the kneecap, are also at risk of damage or fracture when playing sports. This could happen if a player falls or if he or she is kicked by another player.

Sports-related overuse injuries are often seen by sports medicine doctors, such as baseball pitchers with shoulder pain or runners who develop foot, ankle, or knee problems. Doctors work closely with these athletes so they can avoid developing a more serious or permanent problem while still being able to participate in their sport.

Many sports-related injuries can be treated without surgery through conservative methods, such as physical therapy. Other times, the condition may be more severe and orthopedic surgery is needed. Since rehabilitation is often needed after a sports-related injury, the sports medicine specialist can work with a patient to ensure he or she gets the comprehensive medical care needed to return to full health and get back to playing their sport.

Should You See a Sports Medicine Doctor?

It may be time to see a doctor if you are experiencing any of the following symptoms:

• Bruising
• Difficulty walking
• Inability to rotate the affected joint
• Limited range of motion in the affected joint
• Popping, grinding, or crunching sounds in the joint
• Stiffness
• Swelling
• Tingling or pins-and-needles sensation

These problems may indicate that you are dealing with a sports injury or condition, such as:

• Bursitis
• Cartilage tear
• Concussion
• Fracture
• Frozen shoulder
• Golfer's elbow (medial epicondylitis)
• Iliotibial band syndrome
• Ligament (ACL or PCL) tear
• Meniscus tear
• Plica syndrome
• Rotator cuff injury
• Runner's knee (patellofemoral pain syndrome)
• Shoulder impingement
• Shoulder instability
• Sprain or strain
• Tendonitis
• Tennis elbow (lateral epicondylitis)

Specialized Sports Medicine Care You Can Trust in Abingdon, Bristol, Elizabethton & Johnson City

At Appalachian Orthopedics, we offer four convenient locations: Abingdon, Bristol Regional Medical Center, Elizabethton, and Johnson City. Our specialty-trained sports medicine doctors at Appalachian Orthopedics, Dr. Jason Brashear, Dr. Jonathan Clark, Dr. James Goss, Dr. Gabriel Hommel, Dr. John Mann, Dr. Bart McKinney, Dr. John Phillips, Dr. Samuel Straus, Dr. Larry Waldrop, and Dr. T. Lisle Whitman, have a full understanding of the body's anatomy and are dedicated to delivering an exceptional level of care. They will apply their expertise directly to your situation and can guide you toward treatments that help reduce pain and restore you to optimal health. Our doctors always carefully consider nonsurgical options first before recommending surgery. Early on, they may take X-rays so they can further study the joint or area of the body and surrounding structures to determine which nonsurgical treatment may be right for you, such as physical therapy or injections. If surgery is ultimately needed, rest assured that our orthopedic surgeons will use their advanced skills along with our state-of-the-art technology to perform a surgical procedure that can help reduce or eliminate your pain and improve your mobility.

In addition to providing exceptional orthopedic sports medicine care, our doctors also offer the following services:

• Concussion management
• Exertional compartment testing
• Football helmet analysis
• Gait analysis

Working alongside our sports medicine specialists, our licensed physical therapists provide a full and comprehensive set of outpatient orthopedic rehabilitation services. They treat each patient's problem individually through an evaluation to design a specific treatment plan with the overall goal of restoring function and enhancing one's quality of life. We also provide more information related to fitness, training tips, and nutrition for athletes of all skill levels through our Online Guide to Sports Medicine.

If your pain is keeping you from living an active life, we're proud to offer access to an orthopedic specialist whenever you need it. Schedule an appointment online or call our Abingdon, Bristol Regional Medical Center, Elizabethton, or Johnson City location for a consultation with one of our expert sports medicine doctors or surgeons to diagnose and treat your issue.

For those acute sports-related injuries that can't wait, we also offer the following ways to be seen today: 

• Walk into one of our Orthopedic Urgent Care clinics at our Bristol Regional Medical Center or Johnson City office. No appointment needed.
• To be seen by a doctor on the same day, call your desired office.
• Chat with an orthopedic specialist 24/7, 365 days a year with our free OrthoCareNow service.