It’s that time of year again! School is back in session, vacationers are returning home and we’re all settling back into our normal routines. With the end of Summer comes excitement for all things fall: changing leaves, cooler temperatures, Halloween, and most of all – SPORTS!
You football fans have likely already selected your Fantasy draft picks, and your kids may be trying out for their school or club’s soccer, football, and lacrosse teams. The next few months are sure to be an exciting time for sports fans and athletes of all ages, but with contact sports comes a higher probability of injury, even for the most skilled of players. This is why it’s valuable to know the importance of visiting a sports medicine specialist should an injury occur.
You may be used to visiting your general practitioner when experiencing a health issue, and this is usually the best choice since family doctors cover a wide array of health problems and will know the best basic treatment options for all kinds of injuries and conditions.
However, when it comes to an injury caused by sports or other vigorous physical activity, there are many reasons why seeing an Austin sports medicine specialist may better serve your needs. These doctors treat chronic and acute injuries from professional athletes to youth sports players and anyone with an active lifestyle between.
First, the chances are good that your family doctor may refer you to a sports medicine specialist anyway. If an injury is not showing signs of improvement after some time, the specialist will have the depth of expertise to know the next best step towards recovery. Specialists can better discern the specific details of each patient’s diagnosis because they have concentrated their time and effort into the sports medicine field, and have years of experience treating the same or similar injuries.
Seeing an Austin sports medicine specialist isn’t just for injuries requiring surgery. Sports medicine specialists treat all types of tears, sprains, strains, dislocations, overuse injuries, and other sports-related conditions. They also provide counsel on injury prevention and rehabilitation strategies.
The best course of action for children and adults who participate in sports is to prevent an injury to the absolute best of their ability. But we all know that accidents happen, and even the most careful of athletes can fall victim to sudden injury. When this occurs, it’s best to see a physician who can quickly and completely address the issue. Treating an injury as early as possible can help to avoid more in the future.
If you are experiencing a sports-related injury or would like advice on prevention or rehabilitation, schedule an appointment with Dr. Alton Barron. Dr. Barron is a board-certified, fellowship-trained shoulder, elbow and hand surgeon based in Austin, Texas, and has been the Austin sports medicine specialist, treating a wide variety of injuries, for more than twenty years.