A physician with significant specialized training in both the treatment and prevention of illness and injury.
Sports Medicine Specialists are physicians with primary certification in Emergency Medicine, Family Medicine, Internal Medicine, Pediatrics, or Physical Medicine/Rehabilitation who obtained 1-2 years of additional training in Sports Medicine through an ACGME-approved fellowship program, successfully complete the subspecialty qualification examination in Sports Medicine and maintain requirements for ongoing certification . This rigorous process was instituted to distinguish certified Sports Medicine Specialists from other physicians without specialized training.
Expertise in Musculoskeletal Injury.
Sports Medicine Specialists undergo extensive training in musculoskeletal medicine, and as a result are highly capable in the management of these problems. While orthopedic surgeons primarily specialize in the operative treatment of musculoskeletal injuries, sports medicine specialists capably focus on accurate diagnosis and an optimizing non-operative treatment of these injuries. This serves the great majority of the active population since approximately 90% of all musculoskeletal injuries are non- surgical. Common examples of musculoskeletal problems include acute ankle, knee and shoulder injuries; muscle strains; joint dislocations; and overuse injuries such as tendonitis and stress fractures. If surgery for an injury is required, Sports Medicine Specialists can expedite referral to the appropriate surgical specialty for intervention. They can also help guide referrals to appropriate rehabilitative care and ancillary services when necessary or even develop appropriate home rehabilitation programs for patients which saves money without compromising care.
Sports Medicine does NOT just mean the competitive athlete.
Sports medicine specialists are also ideal providers for the non-athlete and are excellent resources for the individual who wishes to become active or begin an exercise program. For the “weekend warrior” or “industrial athlete” who experiences an injury, the same expertise used for the competitive athlete can be applied to return the individual as quickly as possible to full function. Sports Medicine Specialists also received training in the detection and non-operative interventions for arthritis an osteoporosis, delaying joint replacement, and reducing fracture risk in affected individuals.
Brought to you by the American Medical Society for Sports Medicine. For more information call (913) 327-1415 or visit www.amssm.org.
