Sports Medicine, also known as sports and exercise medicine (SEM), is a branch of medicine that deals with the treatment and prevention of sports and exercise-related injuries and improving fitness and performance. The main objective of sports medicine is to help individuals engage in sports and exercise in a safe and effective manner to accomplish their training goals.
Sports Injuries
Sports injuries may result from accidents, poor training practices, use of improper protective gear, lack of conditioning, and insufficient warm-up and stretching.
Sprains and Strains
Sprains and strains are injuries affecting the muscles and ligaments. A sprain is an injury or tear of one or more ligaments that commonly occurs at the wrist, knee, ankle or thumb. A strain is an injury or tears to the muscle. Strains occur commonly in the back and legs.
Tendinopathies
Tendons are tough cord-like tissues made up of collagen protein that connect your muscles to your bones. Tendinopathy is a breakdown of collagen in the tendon resulting in pain along with reduced range of motion and flexibility. Tendinopathy can occur in any of your tendons, but it is most common around your elbows, shoulders, wrists, heels, and knees.
Tendon Injuries
Tendons are powerful fibrous cords which connect muscle to bone. When you overstretch a tendon, it can rupture (tear) completely or partially. This rupturing of the tendon due to overstretching is known as a tendon injury. You typically feel a snap or popping sensation when you rupture your tendon followed by a sharp pain which is likely to affect your mobility and muscle function.
Tendon Repair Surgery
Tendon repair surgery is performed to repair a torn or ruptured tendon and restore normal function and movement to the joint. It is usually performed by arthroscopy. An arthroscope is a thin, pencil-like device fitted with a camera and a light source.
Surgery for Athletes
Surgery for athletes is different from non-athletes as it is performed with the intention of returning the athlete to their sports activity at the earliest. Early recovery is important as the more time spent away from the sport, the more difficult it is to get back to competitive form.
