Pain management as a treatment for sports injuries?
A large percentage of sports injuries can be treated through minimally-invasive, non-surgical rehabilitative therapy. If you are an athlete that has suffered from a sports-related injury, here are a few important questions you should consider when seeking treatment for injury and pain. Are you experiencing pain even after receiving treatment? Is the source of your pain still undiagnosed? Are you seeking treatment but hoping to avoid surgery? Interventional pain management therapy is the answer.
This article will explain the difference between Orthopedic sports medicine (surgical treatment) and Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation (PM&R non-surgical). Dr. Placer is board certified in both interventional pain management and physical medicine and rehabilitation. Along with his team of highly trained practitioners, you can be sure that you are receiving the highest standard of care for your sports injury.
Surgical vs. Non-Surgical Sports Injury Therapy
The treatment of sports injuries can be separated into two main categories; surgical and non-surgical. Orthopedic sports medicine is a specialization that focuses on sports injury repair using surgical procedures. There are certain instances where surgery is absolutely necessary like complete muscle and tendon tears, severe bone breaks, and advanced joint degeneration.
That being said, a large percentage of sports injuries can be treated through minimally-invasive, non-surgical rehabilitative therapy. This best describes the practice of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation. PM&R utilizes techniques that help patients eliminate pain and restore function to musculoskeletal injuries
PM&R specialists will also provide information on how to exercise safely and effectively for optimum performance. This might include programs for strength training of muscles that are imbalanced compared to other foundational muscle groups. Dr. Placer sees many athletes, enthusiasts, and professionals alike, looking for non-surgical pain management procedures to alleviate pain and rehabilitate an injury.
How Pain Management Can Affect the Athletic Performance?
Pain prevents you from operating at peak performance, that’s a fact. Some people may say they can ‘fight through the pain’ – but that is nothing more than an expression. At the end of the day, your body will cope with pain by favoring one side or inhibiting a full range of motion. These subconscious actions will prevent you from reaching your full potential until they are identified and treated.
Although pain is often categorized by the area of the body it affects (neck/back/knee), the impact on your performance can be much more widespread. For example, back pain can still greatly affect your ability to run even though your legs are injury-free. Pain management traces the source of your pain and treats underlying injuries to help you properly heal and prevent future injury.
What Conditions Can Pain Management Specialists Help With?
Sports injuries can include both acute and chronic pain, resulting from overuse injuries, blunt force injuries, strains and sprains, as well as a gradual degeneration of muscle, bone, and joint health. Pain management specialists primary objective is to provide non-operative treatments in any of the following areas:
- Back Pain
- Joint Pain
- Arthritis & overuse injuries
- Worn cartilage
- Sprains and strains
- Knee, ankle, and foot injuries
- Shoulder, hand, and wrist injuries
- Concussions + Headaches
- Tendonitis/Tennis elbow
- Rotator cuff pain and injuries
- Nerve compression
- ACL, MCL, PCL injury
Optimizing Athletic Performance
You don’t want to merely recover from an injury, you want to return to action better than before! This is what sets Dr. Placer apart from the rest of his field, a combination of interventional pain therapy and physical medicine and rehabilitation enables him to provide therapy that:
- Informs you about injury prevention
- Diagnoses and treats the root of an injury
- Eliminates pain by resolving the issue at its source
- Prevents you from re-injuring yourself through education and rehabilitative methods
- Rehabilitation and prescriptions as needed to heal and restore functionality
- Minimize your athletic downtime
- Maximizing long-term performance
Athletic performance is supported by physical health and wellbeing. Injuries and pain are signs of an internal problem and may hold you back from achieving peak athleticism
What To Expect When Visiting A Pain Management Specialist?
Typically, a general framework that can be expected when meeting with a Pain Management specialist will include:
Conducting a personal interview – gathering your medical history and information regarding your current health status.
Perform a physical examination – review any previous records and may order additional tests such as an X-ray, CT scan, MRI, or blood tests.
Diagnosis and treatment plan – Finally, Dr. Javier Placer will discuss any and all treatment options with you, making you aware of the best treatment plans available, according to your health and lifestyle.
Pain Management Available in Davenport, Clermont, & Orlando Florida!
If you have sustained a sports-related injury or are looking to take preventative action to protect your good health, reach out to Dr. Javier Placer for a consultation! Get an accurate diagnosis and effective treatment plan for your injury, or learn about how to avoid injury and maintain optimal athletic performance!
Call our offices to schedule an appointment or reach out to us online today!
