Why You Should See a Sports Medicine Doctor

A sports medicine doctor is a physician who is trained in treating exercise and sports-related injuries with the goal of keeping patients living healthy and active lifestyles. We treat a variety of injuries but most commonly treat injuries to the shoulder, elbow, hip, knee and ankle. Sports medicine doctors treat the whole patient keeping in mind both the mental and physical aspects of sports. While sports medicine surgeons are trained to operate on injuries, we often try to treat patients through nonoperative methods prior to recommending surgery. 

Below are the top reasons to see a sports medicine doctor:

You have an acute injury. If you sustain a sports or exercise related injury and experience pain, swelling, stiffness or instability after, you may have sustained an injury to a muscle, tendon, ligament, bone or cartilage. An evaluation with a sports medicine specialist will help you get the correct diagnosis and back on the road to recovery as soon as possible. 
You have a chronic injury. Not all injuries happen during a one-time event. Pain and injury can develop from overuse and gradually gets worse with time. Examples of this can be rotator cuff tendinitis or patellofemoral pain. A sports medicine specialist can properly diagnose and treat these chronic issues with anti-inflammatories, injections, physical therapy or surgery.
You want to stay active. Sports medicine doctors can help develop a personalized treatment and rehabilitation plan for any current injuries but can also help with preventative care to decrease your chance of future injury. We can coordinate additional support necessary for treatment including physical therapists, nutritionists, or physiatrists.   
You think you may need surgery. Rothman sports medicine surgeons are fellowship trained in sports medicine related surgeries. This involved undergoing specific special training in surgery for sports related injuries to the shoulder, elbow, hip, knee and ankle. This allows for expertise in the most current and cutting edge treatments for sports related injuries. 

Dr. Meghan Bishop is a Sports Medicine Surgeon at Rothman Orthopaedics New York and was a competitor in the 2020 US Olympic Marathon Trials, finishing 50th out of 350 runners. To schedule an appointment with her, please visit RothmanNY.com.