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How Sports Medicine Can Help Athletes
Sports medicine is about more than helping athletes reach their highest potential. It also involves some of the most technologically advanced treatments to holistically restore function and range of motion when they become injured.
Dr. Philip Regala practices orthopedic medicine in Naples, Florida. His sports medicine specialty brings a wealth of experience to bear on athletes who have suffered an injury and want to return to their former level of greatness.
Different types of sports medicine doctors
The field of sports medicine includes all types of doctors, including physicians who specialize in:
- Chiropractic care
- General or family medicine
- Pediatrics
- Physical therapy
- Musculoskeletal radiology
Dr. Regala is an orthopaedic surgeon who specializes in athletic-related (sports) injuries.
Different conditions your sports medicine doctor may treat
Dr. Regala can treat some of the most serious injuries an athlete can suffer, including damage to joints, muscles, tendons, and ligaments. You can come to his office for care if you’re suffering from:
Muscle tears
Some of the most common sports injuries are muscle sprains and strains. Pulling a muscle can cause microscopic tears, and pushing through the pain can cause real damage that may take months to heal. Dr Regala can tell you if you’ve suffered a muscle tear and help you work out a recovery plan to prevent more damage and help you heal.
Ligament and tendon tears
Fast changes in direction, such as pivots or turns at high speed, can cause significant rotation of your joints and tear fibrous tissues such as tendons, which connect bone to muscle, or ligaments, which connect bone to bone. A tendon or ligament tear requires careful attention to restore full range of motion and functionality.
Joint damage
Your ankles, elbows, hips, knees, shoulders, wrists, and joints in your feet and hands are all extremely vulnerable in sports settings. A rotator cuff injury can mean you need surgery to recover use of your shoulder, and popping a joint out of its socket (subluxation or dislocation) over and over can lead to serious joint instability.
Repetitive use injury
Swinging a bat or a racquet or throwing a ball over and over does damage over time. Wear-and-tear to joints causes arthritis, even in comparatively young people. Your shoulders, elbows, wrists, and spine are particularly at risk.
Sports medicine treatments
Dr. Regala prefers a conservative approach if possible, but is also a skilled surgeon. He may recommend medication, rest, immobilization of a joint, special exercises or physical therapy, or heat and cold to help you heal. In addition to these basics, he can also provide:
PRP injections
Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) therapy can help reduce inflammation and pain and harness your body’s healing powers. Dr. Regala centrifuges a small amount of your own blood to create PRP, then injects it into the site of your injury or pain to attract growth hormones and heal injured tissue.
Arthroscopic surgery
Dr. Regala conducts arthroscopic surgery using tiny incisions and tools guided by a camera for minimally invasive joint repair. This method leads to faster recovery times and can help you swiftly return to the activities you love.
To learn more about sports medicine, contact our office at 239-325-1131, or book an appointment online.
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