Do you need a second opinion on recovery time for a nagging injury? Are you tired of pain from a problem suffered when you were younger? Do you need one of our doctors to diagnose a UCL tear? We’re here to help.
With eight surgeons, thirteen therapists, and an army of nurses on staff, Georgia Hand, Shoulder, & Elbow can get you back in the game. Visit one of our offices in Marietta or Atlanta.
Sports injury pain treatment is not something that you have to manage on your own. Call or book an appointment online, and we will do all we can to help you get back in a jersey as soon as possible.
How Can Common Sports Injuries Occur?
Common sports injuries can occur while exercising or participating in indoor or outdoor sports like pickleball or even climbing injuries. You can injure yourself by means of:
- An accident
- Insufficient stretching or warm-up exercises
- Inadequate training
What Are the Most Common Sports Injuries?
The most common sports injuries include:
- Sprains
- Strains
- Fractures
- Dislocations
While our offices specialize in treating hands, elbow sports injuries, and shoulder sports injuries (like boxing injuries or cycling shoulder pain), other common sports injuries may also include knee injuries and concussions.
What Are the Symptoms of Common Sports Injuries?
Let’s take a look at a few symptoms of sports injuries that need an evaluation.
Centralized Pain from Sports Injuries
A sports injury hallmark is centralized pain. If you feel any amount of pain in one spot, whether in the hands, shoulders, wrists, or elbows, evaluation is necessary.
Pain is a definite indicator of an issue – especially if the pain is consistent and does not go away after using pain relievers like acetaminophen or ibuprofen.
Swelling or Bruising
If the site of your injury includes any amount of swelling or bruising, then evaluation at this stage is crucial. Bruising may indicate internal bleeding in the damaged tissues. Swelling could indicate fluid collection or underlying injuries such as a fracture or tendon/muscle damage.
Home treatment through pain relievers or ice packs on the site of the swelling or bruising may reduce the problem. However, if your discomfort persists for a prolonged period, you should seek assistance from a specialist.
Weakness or Numbness at the Site of Injury
If your injury produces numbness or weakness, it is time to see a doctor or specialist. Numbness and weakness alone could mean there is nerve damage that needs immediate repair. Unrepaired nerve damage can cause further trouble for anyone who chooses to ignore it.
Unable to Move Limb or Joint
If you cannot move a limb or joint, it’s clear that you need an evaluation as soon as possible. Immobility in a joint or limb means a bone or joint could be torn or dislocated. Our specialists will be able to evaluate, stabilize, and put it back together.
Burning Sensation in Muscles
A burning sensation in a specialized muscle such as a calf or bicep is a symptom of a torn or strained muscle. You can avoid injuries to muscles through proper warm-ups and cool-downs during the exercise process. Still, a muscle tear could be much worse without treatment or evaluation.
How Are Sports Injuries Evaluated?
An evaluation from one of our sports medicine specialists at Georgia Hand, Shoulder, & Elbow is the first step in the recovery process.
Our team will ask you to list all the symptoms of your hand and wrist sports injury. They will also ask you to explain how and when it occurred. Your doctor will then perform a physical evaluation and establish a treatment plan.
We may perform an X-ray to locate any breaks or fractures as part of the evaluation process. An MRI may also be necessary if your injury is more complex. The goal is to pinpoint a solution quickly and help you begin the recovery process immediately.
How Are Sports Injuries Treated?
Once we have a diagnosis, your doctor or care team will leverage their decades of experience to help you recover. In a perfect world, treatment for sports injuries would be non-surgical and completed over several weeks. However, another level of treatment may be necessary if the first level is unsuccessful.
Baseline Treatments
At first, our base level of treatment may include rest and a break from the activity that caused the issue. You may need to wear a brace or splint to help ease pain or prevent aggravating the injury further. Applying heat or ice directly to the injury is also recommended during this period.
We may also ask you to perform stretching exercises on the injured part (like elbow dislocation physical therapy) to speed up the healing process. These simple stretches are usually performed several times a day for several weeks during home treatment.
Medicinal Treatments
Medicinal treatments may include over-the-counter pain relievers or anti-inflammatories to reduce pain and swelling. Corticosteroid injections are also an option to bring relief directly to the source.
Your doctor may need to take more direct measures to repair the issue through surgical intervention if these treatments are unsuccessful.
Surgery
A best-case scenario for any patient is that surgery is unnecessary. Unfortunately, surgery will remain an option if your injury is severe enough at the start, does not respond to other levels of treatment over time, or you have chronic injuries.
Your care team will discuss surgical treatment options with you. We will prepare you for the process and work to keep recovery time at a minimum.
Our team’s work continues long after the last stitch, too. Our post-recovery efforts, including physical therapy, will ensure you heal properly and are back at your favorite sporting activity as soon as possible.
How Can I Prevent Sports-Related Injuries?
You can prevent sports-related injuries and reduce soft tissue injuries by:
- Implementing a daily stretching routine
- Maintaining a healthy diet
- Always performing warm-up and cool-down exercises
- Using proper technique
Georgia Hand, Elbow, & Shoulder is an experienced group of healthcare professionals dedicated to your treatment and recovery. We can treat anyone from professional athletes to everyday fitness enthusiasts. Our methods are backed by science, research, and years of wisdom and practice.
With offices in Atlanta and Marietta, we can provide care to anyone in the state of Georgia or anyone specifically seeking one of our surgeons.
Our licensed and accredited healthcare group is ready to deal with any injury — even ones not directly caused by playing sports.
It all starts with a phone call or booking an appointment with us online. Whatever your choice, we hope you make Georgia Hand, Elbow, & Shoulder your healthcare provider! We look forward to working with you.
