Sports Medicine - More Than Just for Athletes

Sports medicine involves the evaluation and treatment of acute injuries to the joints, ligaments, tendons or the spine. 

At PainCare, we evaluate and manage a wide range of sports and non-sports related injuries including some of the most common injuries to the knees, shoulders and ankles.

Bones, muscles and joints bear the brunt of traumatic impact and rotational forces incurred in physical activities.  When sports injuries occur, they can occur as quickly as miss stepping off a curb. 

As with every branch of medicine, proper diagnosis and treatment are important for prompt recovery. 

For example, knee pain can originate from any of many parts of the joint or the surrounding structures.  Runners with pain on the outside of the knee accompanied by tenderness in the thigh usually have problems with the iliotibial band (ITB), or the fibrous band that attaches one of the thigh muscles to the knee. This occurs because runners tend to over rotate their feet inward while running down hill and over-stretch the tendon and muscle. 

Thus a knee pain in a runner may not be due to any problem with the knee itself; physical therapy with cortisone injection into the tendon and muscle in this case usually resolves the problem.

At PainCare we focus our care starting from proper evaluation.  Once the diagnosis is made, we coordinate and perform care through our modern, comprehensive facility.  Our strengths are safe, convenient, effective and affordable delivery of care.  For more information, please call 949-457-9900, or refer to our web site at www.paincaremd.com.

Article contributed by Dr. Khang Lai, Board Certified Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Specialist, PainCare Medical Group, Irvine, California.

Contact us at:         PainCare Medical Group

                             15701 Rockfield Blvd.

                              Irvine, California 92618

                              Tel:  (949) 457-9900

                              Fax: (949) 457-9922