Sports Medicine Specialists

What is sports medicine?

If you’re an athlete of any sort, chances are you’ve heard of sports medicine. Sport and exercise medicine, or SEM, is a field of medicine that focuses on preventing and treating injuries and conditions that occur due to sports and exercise. It is still a fairly new branch of medicine, although sports organizations and fitness centers have been requiring such care from doctors for a long time.

Sports medicine experts such as Dr. S. Rick Miller and Dr. Kevin D. Myer, must have extensive knowledge about the human musculoskeletal system. These doctors spend the majority of their time treating injuries to bones, ligaments, tendons, and muscles. However, many sports medicine doctors also work with a broader variety of sports and fitness conditions, such as diabetes in sports.

What are the most common sports medicine injuries?

Podiatrists who practice sports medicine direct their attention to conditions and injuries involving the foot and ankle. These physicians strive to prevent or treat such injuries. They may also suggest appropriate footwear, equipment, and even exercises to improve function and performance.

Since all sports involve movement in the foot and ankle, they all have the propensity to cause injury. Dancing, track, and even swimming can pose a danger to the health of your feet and ankles. The most common sports injuries podiatrists treat may include:

• Contusions
• Fractures
• Tendon injuries
• Muscle injuries
• Toenail Injuries
• Joint sprains
• Developmental growth plate injuries

How can podiatry help with sports medicine?

Podiatrists will treat existing injuries or conditions involving the foot and ankle. However, these doctors will also make recommendations to reduce the risk of injury in the future. Our doctors will examine your injury, gather information about your case, and work with you to decide the best treatment plan. Your podiatrist will consider a range of treatment options, such as analgesics, immobilization techniques (e.g. cast or splint) or, as a final resort, surgery.