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Sports Injuries

A Man Smiling While Serving A Pickleball To A Woman Wondering If He Needs Orthopedic Sports Medicine

When Would You See an Orthopedic Sports Medicine Doctor?

Do you need orthopedic sports medicine because your last basketball injury caused you to end up on the bench? Maybe that perfect pickleball shot got you the point but did so at the expense of your shoulder.

These are situations where the orthopedic and sports medicine specialties can help you get back to the activities you love. We’ll take a closer look at these medical disciplines, discuss the distinctions between sports medicine physicians and orthopedic surgeons, and finally, when you should consider consulting an orthopedic sports medicine doctor.

What Does Orthopedic Sports Medicine Do?

Orthopedic sports medicine specializes in conditions related to the musculoskeletal system. Whether you have a minor sprain to more serious fractures or ligament tears, these professionals can help.

Orthopedic sports medicine focuses on:

  • Injury prevention
  • Treatment
  • Diagnosis
  • Rehabilitation

What’s the Difference Between Orthopedics & Sports Medicine?

These two disciplines do have some things in common. For example, they both treat sports-related injuries. However, there are some differences in the areas of focus. We’ll review a few of them below:

While sports medicine primarily deals with the health and well-being of athletes and active individuals, orthopedics encompasses a broader scope, including the treatment of musculoskeletal conditions in people of all ages and activity levels. Orthopedics may also involve surgery if it is necessary.

Sports Medicine Physician

These doctors specialize in non-surgical treatments for sports injuries and musculoskeletal conditions. They often emphasize preventative care, rehabilitation, and optimizing performance through exercise and training.

Orthopedic Surgeon

Orthopedic surgeons, on the other hand, are trained to perform surgical treatments when necessary. Our orthopedic surgeons take a conservative approach to medicine: We’ll only consider surgery after other, noninvasive techniques have been tried. Our surgeons have extensive expertise in treating a wide variety of complex injuries and conditions.

Orthopedic surgeons have a scope of skills that extend beyond sports medicine. For example, orthopedic surgeons may also perform:

When Should You See an Orthopedic Sports Medicine Doctor?

You would benefit from consulting an orthopedic sports medicine doctor when you experience:

Acute Injuries

Fractures, sprains, strains, and dislocations due to sports or physical activities.

Overuse Injuries

Chronic pain from repetitive motions, such as tendonitis, carpal tunnel, or stress fractures.

Concussions

Head injuries resulting from sports that require specialized assessment and management.

Muscle Imbalances

Issues related to muscle weakness, flexibility, or imbalances affecting your performance.

Pre-participation Evaluation

Comprehensive medical assessment before starting a new sport or exercise regimen.

Performance Optimization

Professional guidance to enhance your athletic performance and prevent future injuries.

Rehabilitation

Tailored plans after surgeries or injuries to regain strength and function.

Injured? Want to Improve Athletic Performance? Our Orthopedic Sports Medicine Physicians Are Partners in Your Care

In the realm of sports and physical activities, our orthopedic sports medicine doctors play a crucial role in ensuring your well-being, treating injuries, and helping you perform at your best. We also offer the convenience of physical therapy and rehabilitation on site. The result is a seamless continuation of care from professionals who work directly with your physician. 

Do you have any of the conditions mentioned earlier? If so, we encourage you to schedule an appointment with us and see why we’ve been helping Raleigh and Triangle residents for almost 50 years. In addition, because our surgeons have affiliations with five hospitals and surgical centers, you have a choice of where you’d like to go to receive care.

achilles tendon injury

How To Fully Recover From an Achilles Tendon Injury

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Your tennis game was going well—your serving was at its best, and you were easily returning balls from the baseline.

But then you heard a pop, and a searing pain—like you’ve been kicked in the calf—overwhelmed you.

This is a situation where you could have sustained an Achilles tendon tear. This injury requires immediate medical attention.

We’ll take a closer look at this common, yet painful condition, provide an outline of Achilles tendon tear treatment, and tell you how long it takes to fully recover from an Achilles tendon injury.

Achilles Tendon Recovery Process: How to Fully Recover

First, we recognize that the path to recovery is different for everyone, and there is no one “schedule” to which all patients should adhere. However, we do have some information that will help you as you are undergoing Achilles tendon tear treatment.

While a minor injury to the tendon may not require surgery, an Achilles tendon tear treatment often involves some type of operation.

At Raleigh Bone and Joint Surgery Clinic, we take a conservative approach to Achilles tendon tear treatment. This means that we will try and consider all nonsurgical options before suggesting surgery. Surgical intervention is a choice we don’t make lightly.

What to Know Before Your Achilles Tendon Recovery

It goes without saying that one of the most important aspects of full recovery is to follow instructions to the letter.

Remember that, at first, you may have difficulty keeping your foot pointed downward while the Achilles tendon tear heals. Don’t push it. Only perform the tasks that your doctor or physical therapist have agreed upon as part of your recovery.

Following are some other helpful aspects Achilles tendon tear recovery that you’ll find useful:

  • If you’ve had surgery, you’ll likely be in a walking boot for around six to 12 weeks, depending upon your individual situation. It may even be set so that your foot faces downward. This is to give the tendon room to heal correctly.
  • It may help to keep your foot elevated when sitting or sleeping.
  • If your surgeon or physician has approved it, you can take over-the-counter ibuprofen or naproxen for pain.
  • If you smoke, this would be the perfect time to quit. Smoking can slow your healing.

Where Is the Achilles Tendon?

This is one of the largest tendons in your body, and it connects your back calf muscles to the heel bone. Overstretching this causes an Achilles tendon tear. Sometimes it ruptures partially, but other times the entire tendon is torn.

What Are the Symptoms of an Achilles Tendon Tear?

You may find it surprising that sometimes, it’s possible to have an Achilles tendon tear or rupture without any symptoms. However, most people do exhibit some signs that the Achilles tendon has been torn or seriously injured.  These include:

  • A strong feeling of being kicked in the calf
  • Pain, which can be severe
  • Swelling near the heel
  • Difficulty or inability to stand on the injured leg
  • Inability to “push” the injured foot downward or stand on the toes

As we mentioned earlier, you may have heard a pop or snapping sound when the injury occurred.

Raleigh Bone and Joint Surgery Clinic Has the Expertise to Help With Achilles Tendon Tear Treatment

We know how challenging an injury can be. While you’re trying to recover, you’re also still facing the challenges you did when you were well—going to work or school, helping your family, and even the mundane routine of household chores.

We understand, and that’s why we always try nonsurgical solutions before we decide to perform surgery. For almost 50 years, we have remained the oldest and most well-know orthopedic practice in the Raleigh and Triangle areas.

See why so many patients have selected us as their provider of choice. Schedule an appointment today.

common sports injuries

How You Can Avoid These Most Common Sports Injuries

When you think about orthopedics, you most likely envision physicians who help you rehabilitate from accidents that can frequently occur from participating in sports. But did you know that our Raleigh orthopedic doctors and surgeons also strive to help you prevent sports injuries?

To help you, we’ve compiled this useful, compact guide about the most common sports injuries and prevention for them.

Below you’ll find a list of the most common sports injuries we see in our office and how we advise our patients to avoid them.

Common Sports Injury:  Strains and Sprains

The difference between a strain and a sprain is that a sprain involves the band of tissue connecting bones together. A strain occurs when there is damage to muscle or to the tissue that attaches muscle to a bone.

How to Prevent Sprains & Muscle Strains:

Often, one of the best ways of preventing strains and sprains is taking time to stretch and warm up. This provides enough time for your joints to get ready. You should also be sure to warm up if you haven’t exercised regularly, as lack of activity can put you at risk for a strain or sprain, particularly if you are starting a new exercise regimen.

If you do repetitive motions either while playing sports or during your work day, be sure to take frequent breaks and give yourself time to stretch and relax.

In addition, it’s equally important to invest in the right equipment, such as a good pair of well-fitting shoes with reliable tread. This can prevent slipping during activity or tasks of daily life.

Common Sports Injury and Prevention: Torn Rotator Cuff

You don’t have to be a baseball pitcher or avid tennis player to sustain a rotator cuff injury. These can occur any time you repeatedly raise your hands above your head.

How to Prevent a Torn Rotator Cuff:

Did you know that the shoulder has a greater range of motion than any other joint in your body? Because of this, you should engage in a preventive exercise program that gently works and supports the rotator cuff muscles. This may include retracting the shoulder blades or stretching the chest.

Want more information? We’ll be glad to provide some simple, straightforward exercises that can help you prevent rotator cuff problems.

Common Sports Injury and Prevention: Dislocations

A dislocation happens when two connected bones slip out of their “sockets” or positions within a joint. These are most commonly seen after falls during contact sports. Dislocations most often affect the:

  • Fingers
  • Shoulders
  • Hips
  • Elbows
  • Knees

How to Prevent Joint Dislocations:

In order to prevent dislocating your shoulder or another joint, be sure to wear any required protective clothing if you’re participating in contact sports. A regular exercise routine will help ensure your muscles and tendons are strong so they can support your joint.

If you are overweight or obese, you could be putting additional pressure on your joints, which can place you at greater risk for an injury. If you’re interested in starting a comprehensive workout, speak to us about ways to begin your routine safely.

Common Sports Injury and Prevention: Shin Splints

This is an overuse injury that can frequently occur in those who are regular runners or even those who are developing osteoporosis. It occurs when your lower leg muscles and bones become irritated, placing them at greater risk of becoming stress fractures.

How to Prevent Shin Splints:

Be sure to stretch adequately before beginning your exercise routine and wear good running or athletic shoes that will provide the support you need. If you can exercise on softer surfaces, we encourage you to do so.

Remember that maintaining a healthy weight will reduce the stress on your joints.

Common Sports Injury and Prevention: Fractures

These are some of the most common injuries and one of the main reasons patients seek our services. Fractures can happen at any time, regardless of whether you’re playing team sports or simply climbing a flight of stairs.

Treatment depends upon the scope and severity of the fracture. In some cases, physical therapy may be required to help you completely heal.

How to Prevent Bone Fractures:

If you’re playing a high-contact sport, be sure to wear protective equipment. Give yourself plenty of time to warm up and cool down. Don’t play a contact sport unless you’re already familiar with the rules of the game, and don’t play if you’re injured or have a strain or sprain.

The Raleigh Bone and Joint Surgery Clinic Is Ready to Help With Common Sports Injuries and Prevention

As one of the few community-based practices, our orthopedic doctors in Raleigh have treated a wide range of sports injuries. Equally important, we provide education and guidelines on how you can avoid these injuries.

When we evaluate your condition, we always seek non-surgical solutions first, taking a conservative, yet effective approach to orthopedics. Whether you’re seeking treatment for a fracture, a torn tendon or other common injury, our compassionate, board-certified doctors are ready to serve you.

And if you do need surgery, our orthopedic doctors are affiliated with five local hospitals and outpatient surgery centers in Raleigh and the Triangle area, which presents you with a wide variety of options for where you’d like to receive treatment.

If you’ve been injured, we urge you to schedule an appointment with us as soon as possible, as a delay can cause the situation to get worse.

Scheduling an appointment is easy. Simply contact us to get started.

 

do i have to have surgery for a rotator cuff injury

Do I Have to Have Surgery For a Rotator Cuff Injury?

Do you suspect you may have a rotator cuff tear? Have you been examined by a doctor who told you have a rotator cuff injury? Perhaps you had an MRI that showed rotator cuff tearing or tendonitis?

You may be very worried about your shoulder and symptoms you may be having such as pain, weakness, and loss of motion. You may be worried about these problems getting worse, interfering with your sleep or ability to work, and reducing your quality of life. You may also be worried that this diagnosis means you will need surgery on your shoulder.

Do All Rotator Cuff Injuries Require Surgery?

Some rotator cuff injuries indeed require surgery, however, there are many reasons to look forward to living the life that you love, working and playing without pain, and healing your shoulder…without surgical treatment.

At The Bone & Joint Surgery Clinic, surgery is usually only considered as a “last resort,” when all other non-surgical treatment options have failed.

How Is a Rotator Cuff Injury Treated?

Your path to healing always begins with a personal visit with one of our orthopaedic physicians. They will ask you many questions about your shoulder pain:

  • When did it begin?
  • Was there an injury or did it quietly get worse over weeks or months?
  • Do you have any history of old injuries to the shoulder?
  • What things make it better or worse?
  • Where is the pain?

X-Rays will likely be obtained, and the physician will examine your shoulder to determine the cause of your pain and your exact problem.

Treatment may often consist of simple watchful waiting, especially if you have good strength and motion of your shoulder and your pain began recently.

However, anti-inflammatory medication and physical therapy, either at home or with a therapist, is usually recommended as well.

Reducing inflammation and improving and maintaining your strength and range of motion is always a good idea, even if you have had an injury that continues to improve.

If your pain is very severe, your orthopaedic doctor at The Bone & Joint Surgery Clinic may recommend or offer a steroid injection.

Think of these like an anti-inflammatory medication you take by mouth, only it is targeted to the area that is generating your pain. These can be very effective and help to settle inflammation in the involved shoulder, especially while therapy is started to fix the underlying problem.

If you have signs and symptoms that are very worrisome, such as severe weakness, loss of motion, or persistent pain despite therapy and medications, your surgeon may obtain an MRI to evaluate your rotator cuff and shoulder joint.

This is especially the case if you are young or very active. Your surgeon at The Bone & Joint Surgery Clinic will personally review the MRI and talk to you about what it shows.

Another option is ultrasound. In some situations, your orthopaedic provider may be able to use ultrasound to evaluate for tearing of the rotator cuff. This can provide reassurance and peace of mind to both the patient and doctor when the goal is to rule out major rotator cuff injury.

It is also very important to keep in mind that rotator cuff tears usually happen at the same time as other shoulder problems.

Stiffness and inflammation, a combination often known as “bursitis” or “frozen shoulder,” often occur along with rotator cuff tears and usually respond to non-surgical treatments.

As we age, many of us have small tears in our rotator cuff that do not cause pain, and your orthopaedic doctor at The Bone & Joint Surgery Clinic will determine if the rotator cuff tear is simple painless “wear and tear” or if it is the source of your pain.

How Does the Rotator Cuff Work?

It is helpful to think of the rotator cuff as a thick rope made out of many small strands or threads. If some of the threads break and tear, that is OK because the rest of the threads are intact and the rope is still able to stand up to pulling and heavy loads.

However, if all the threads break and the rope snaps completely, this is a more serious problem because the rotator cuff muscle can no longer function at all. This is the most common reason why patients have rotator cuff repair surgery.

Our Experienced Orthopaedists Are Partners in Your Care

If you have a rotator cuff injury and don’t know if you need surgery, the orthopaedic care teams at The Bone & Joint Surgery Clinic are here for you.

Our experienced specialists will give you all the information you need and will make decisions WITH you, not for you.