What is sports medicine?
Sports medicine specialists like Dr. Rottinghaus diagnose and treat conditions that arise from playing sports or participating in other physical activities.
These conditions are typically injuries suffered during training or competition. They may be acute injuries, a fractured bone, dislocated joint, or torn connective tissue. Or they could develop over time, the result of excessive wear and overuse of certain parts of your body.
As well as treating existing sports injuries, Dr. Rottinghaus can also help you avoid future damage and advise you on safe, effective training methods.
What conditions does sports medicine treat?
Sports medicine encompasses a wide range of musculoskeletal problems. Conditions that Dr. Rottinghaus sees most often include:
- Medial collateral ligament (MCL) sprains
- Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries
- Achilles tendinitis
- Achilles tendon rupture
- Rotator cuff tears
- Cartilage injuries like meniscal and labral tears
- Hamstring injuries
- Muscle strains
- Tennis elbow (lateral epicondylitis)
- Golfer's elbow (medial epicondylitis)
Acute injuries can happen during an intense game when you reach too far, stop or turn too quickly, or otherwise overload your musculoskeletal system.
However, there are also risk factors that increase your chances of developing an injury. These include having the wrong equipment, like wearing footwear that lacks support, using poor training techniques, and failing to warm up properly.
What symptoms require sports medicine treatment?
It's normal for your muscles to feel tired and achy after an energetic workout or game. However, if you're in pain, you should contact Dr. Rottinghaus without delay. Other symptoms that are likely to require sports medicine treatment include:
- Swelling and tenderness
- Weakness or loss of function
- Difficulty bearing weight
- Sudden change in appearance
- Redness or bruising
As a former Division I college football player, CrossFit competitor, and USA weightlifter, Dr. Rottinghaus has considerable experience in sports medicine from an athlete's perspective, as well as his extensive medical expertise.
What sports medicine treatments might I require?
Dr. Rottinghaus offers a comprehensive range of treatments for sports injuries. Your individually designed treatment program might include:
- Rest and activity modification
- Physical therapies
- Immobilization with a brace, splint, or other device
- Oral medication
- Cortisone injections
These approaches are frequently successful in relieving pain and restoring function. However, if you're not improving or your injury is especially severe, you might require surgery.
Common sports medicine surgical procedures include ligament and tendon repair or reconstruction, rotator cuff repair, meniscal and labral repair, and fracture care.
Dr. Rottinghaus can often use minimally invasive arthroscopic techniques to perform these surgeries. He also uses advanced, robotic-assisted surgery to carry out procedures like total and partial joint replacement for patients with serious conditions.
For prompt care of your injuries, talk to sports medicine expert Brian Rottinghaus, MD. Call the office or book an appointment online today.
