If you take part in athletics at any level – from simply running or jogging for your own fitness, to rec leagues, to high school or college teams and beyond – you’ll be able to stay healthier and perform better with the right support from a sports medicine program. Sports medicine focuses on a specific population of patients – athletes from the school and amateur levels up to the best professional players. However, the techniques sports medicine specialists use to keep the sports participants under their care healthy and performing their best are diverse.
At JAG Physical Therapy, we’re as passionate about treating athletes and other physically active people as our patients are about their sports of choice. Many of our PT staff members have an athletic background and know from experience the challenges active individuals face. No matter your needs, we’ll offer you empathetic, expert care and a custom rehabilitation plan that targets your PT goals.
Our sports medicine program covers state-of-the-art athletic training, effective, individualized, performance-boosting fitness classes for all levels, return-to-sport rehabilitation to get seriously injured athletes back to playing safely, and much more. Schedule an appointment at one of our New York, New Jersey, or Pennsylvania locations today, or contact us to learn more about how JAG PT’s sports medicine specialization can help you or your team.
What is the Purpose of Sports Medicine?
Sports medicine developed as a distinct healthcare field in the late 20th century because of growing recognition that athletes have special health requirements, especially in terms of musculoskeletal health. All athletic pursuits put specific kinds of strain on the body, and athletes are always at risk of injuries that can not only affect how well they play, but impact their daily lives.
Sports medicine’s purpose is to help athletes heal from conditions that are related to their sporting pursuits, prevent injury as much as possible, and better approach their chosen sports in general. Professionals in the sports medicine world can include not only physical therapists, but athletic trainers, orthopedic surgeons, exercise physiologists, internal medicine specialists, and others.
What Are The Benefits of a Sports Medicine Physical Therapy Plan?
At JAG Physical Therapy, our sports medicine specialization benefits athletes in many ways because we treat them with a deep understanding of the athletic lifestyle and just as much enthusiasm as they bring to the playing field. A sports medicine-specific physical therapy plan offers maintenance care such as injury prevention – lessening the chances an athlete will need more intensive care – as well as the latest, most innovative treatment options. And under the advice of an expert physical therapy professional, athletes can gain greater knowledge of how their bodies work, and safely push past their limitations to achieve incredible performance.
What Are Common Conditions Treated in Sports Medicine?
Athletes may have any number of conditions affecting anywhere in the body treated by a sports medicine specialist. Among the most common are conditions of the foot, leg, and ankle, such as shin splints, sprains, fractures, and tendonitis. Elbow injuries, like elbow dislocation and epicondylitis, are also seen often in athletes. The knees and shoulders can be injured on the playing field – tears to the meniscus and rotator cuff require careful treatment and the proper rehabilitation plan.
Sports medicine specialists also often deal with non-orthopedic conditions that may affect active people, like exercise-induced asthma and heat illness. They’re also able to help individuals who have suffered concussions recover. After concussion rehabilitation, athletes are then able to safely return to practice and play.
Contact JAG PT today to learn more about what our sports medicine specialists have to offer, or book your appointment at one of our locations in New York, New Jersey, or Pennsylvania.
Learn More About Sports Medicine From JAG PT:
- Types of Sport Injuries
- What Are the 5 Stages of Rehabilitation in Sports?
- What is a Sports Rehabilitation Therapist?
- How Does Physical Therspy Help Athletes?