What type of injuries can a sports doctor treat?
What does a Sports Doctor do?
Sports doctors are orthopedic specialists or highly skilled general practitioners and family doctors who work with athletes and individuals with various sports injuries. Sports doctors are experts in restoring function to injured joints and lessening the pain. They also coordinate with physical therapists to help patients develop the best suitable treatment programs. A sports doctor treats a range of sports injuries ranging from mildly irritating to extremely painful.
Sports injuries occur when a person’s body is pushed to the limits and are generally caused by direct impact or overuse of a body part. While most of these complications can include aches and pains that can go away with rest, some can lead to serious long-term issues.
Fortunately, the majority of these injuries can easily be treated by a reputable and trusted sports doctor.
Doctor Storm has a master’s degree in sports medicine and being a sportsman himself, he has a keen interest in the treatment of sports injuries.
Do Sports Doctors only treat athletes?
Sports injuries tend to occur during exercise or when participating in sporting activities. Individuals are likely to get hurt when playing contact sports or not warming up extensively before exercising. If you are not a regularly active person but suddenly begin to engage in a sport or physical activity, it increases your chances of getting a sports-related injury.
Sports doctors like Doctor Storm are trained to diagnose and treat individuals who have health issues or injuries in the bones, muscles, or joints.
The differences between acute and chronic injuries and how your sports doctor can treat them
As explained in BetterHealth Channel, there are two different types of sports injuries: chronic sports injuries and acute sports injuries.
1. Chronic sports injuries
These types of sports injuries result from prolonged repetitive motion and worsen if left untreated. If exercise or sport is performed with incorrect techniques and is continued without adequate treatment after injury, these sports injuries can cause serious damage to various tissues in the body that often include ligaments, joints, and muscles.
Examples of chronic sports injuries include runners' knees from long-distance running and lateral epicondylitis or tennis elbow where damage is done to the forearm.
2. Acute sports injuries
Acute sports injuries are sudden, often severe, and need immediate medical attention. A chronic syndrome may also result if an acute injury is left untreated.
Acute sports injuries most often occur during physical activity. These injuries can range from broken bones, concussions, sprains, or fractures and are largely caused by sudden, excessive impact.
How Sports Doctors treat acute and chronic sports injuries
As a qualified sports doctor and medical practitioner, Dr. Storm recommends the R.I.C.E method and recovery timeline which is a term regularly used by doctors and other healthcare workers for the treatment of sports injuries. The R.I.C.E method should be strictly adhered to within the first 48 to 72 hours. It is also important to note that patients might experience swelling and bruising during this time and that the degree of severity will be dependent on the extent of the sports injury.
The R.I.C.E method, a commonly used treatment from Sports Doctors
Rest
After a sports injury, it is normal to experience mild to intense pain. If it is a minor acute injury, the patient will need as much rest as possible. Resting immediately after being injured prevents further injury and allows the body to begin natural healing processes more easily.
Ice
Resist the urge to apply heat to your injury as it will increase circulation and often cause swelling. A bag of frozen vegetables wrapped in a dish towel can work wonders. Apply this technique for 15 to 20 minutes at a time.
Compress
Keep your injury compressed and immobilised by bandaging or taping the injured area.
Be careful not to bandage your injury too tightly as this can disrupt blood flow and lead to further complications.
Elevate
Sports doctors suggest that you keep your sports injury lifted above or close to your heart as it will divert fluid flow away from the injury and reduce as well as prevent excessive swelling.
A day after your sports injury, you might notice further bruising or swelling. While this is normal, it is important to seek immediate attention if you experience the following symptoms:
- High body temperature
- Dizzy spells and disorientation
- If you cannot apply any weight to your sports injury
- Severe pain and swelling
- Popping or crunching sounds
Doctor Willie Storm is a qualified Sports Doctor that treats the following chronic sports injuries
Dr. Storm, an avid sportsman who has successfully completed the Comrades Marathon, Two Oceans Marathon and cycled in the renowned Cape Argus, is an experienced and knowledgeable sports doctor in both the prevention and the treatment of sports injuries.
His sporting journey includes a stint at playing rugby for the Blue Bulls and being the sports medical practitioner for the Boland rugby team.
His interest and specialisation as a sports doctor and medical practitioner allows him to treat a variety of sports injuries that include:
- Tennis elbow
- Golfer’s elbow
- Tendonitis
- Tendon synovitis
- Bursitis
- Shoulder injuries
- Knee injuries
In addition to treating sports injuries at his practice in Table View, Cape Town, Dr. Storm regularly lectures at schools on the following topics:
- Anabolic steroids
- The prevention of injuries
- First Aid on the sports field
If you are seeking a qualified sports doctor and medical practitioner to manage any sports injuries contact Dr Storm today.
All images are for promotional use only
If you are seeking a qualified sports doctor and medical practitioner to manage any sports injuries contact Dr Storm today
Dr. Willie Storm has been practicing medicine for 25 years in South Africa and has a well-equipped procedure room for minor procedures, as well as PC-based lung functions and stress-ECG tests.
Contact Details
Telephone: 021 557 8341
Fax: 021 557 2998
Email: accounts@wjstorm.com
13 Pentz Drive
Table View, Cape Town, 7441