What Types Of Medical Professionals Work In A Sports Medicine Facility?

Posted on: 27 December 2021

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If you are an athlete, you might benefit from seeking care at a sports medicine facility from time to time. Typically, there are a number of different medical professionals on the staff at one of these facilities. These are a few examples of the different people who might work at your local sports medicine facility.

Physicians

Of course, typically, sports medicine facilities are run by doctors. These doctors typically have the training and experience to help patients with sports-related issues. For example, if you have a sprained ankle, a pulled muscle, or some other similar injury that you sustained while training or playing sports, then you will probably see the doctor at your sports medicine facility. A physician can also help with things like performing a sports physical, which might be needed if you're participating in school sports or if you are playing on a team.

Nurses

Nurses typically work in these facilities and assist the doctors with caring for patients who are dealing with sports injuries. In some cases, such as if you are dealing with a minor injury, you might be treated by a nurse instead of a doctor.

Physical Therapists

In many cases, athletes need physical therapy after sustaining a sports-related injury. Physical therapy is designed to help you restore function as well as possible, and it can even help with things like pain relief. Many sports medicine facilities have physical therapists on their staff. If your facility doesn't, then your doctor might recommend an off-site physical therapist to you and give you a referral.

Athletic Trainers

You might be ready to get back to work at training and performing as soon as possible, and an athletic trainer can help you with performing exercises and taking other steps to get back to being active. They can talk to you about proper training and performance methods, too, so that you can avoid injuring yourself again.

Dieticians

Eating a proper diet is very important when you are an athlete. It's important to be sure that you are eating good, healthy foods that provide you with the energy and strength that you need to perform well. Plus, it's important for your overall health to be sure that you are getting enough vitamins and minerals in your diet. Many sports medicine facilities have dieticians working in the facility, and these professionals will consult with patients like you to help you come up with a diet plan that works for you.