Understanding Sports Medicine

Shivajee Nallamothu, DO discusses the field of sports medicine, including common injuries, ways to minimize risk of injury, treatment options, and tips for parents of student athletes who are heavily inovlved in sports programs. In the episode, Dr. Nallamothu addresses the following: 1) Given the popularity of professional sports in America, there’s increased awareness of the efforts athletes put forth to maintain maximal performance and reduce the impact of sports injuries. As a result, we often hear the term “sports medicine” as an overarching term. Can you define sports medicine for our listeners?2) You’ve been providing sports medicine care for years. In your experience, what type of patients do you typically treat? Student athletes? Adults?3) What type of injuries or conditions are most often treated through sports medicine? Is treatment always surgical, or are there non-surgical sports medicine options?4) Of course, the goal for athletes is to avoid injuries so they don’t need sports medicine. What advice do you have for athletes, or parents of athletes, to minimize the risk of injury? 5) Is there anything athletes should be doing on the off-season to help avoid injuries during the season? What about diversifying the types of sports the athlete participates in? Does this help reduce the likelihood of injuries?6) What advice can you share with parents of student athletes who are heavily involved in sports program?