Physical fitness is one of the most obvious indicators of health and wellness. When you are active and fit, you can be free to enjoy your everyday life. You can participate in activities like outdoor treks, perform work-related activities, and travel to meet your friends and family. One of the most beloved and popular pastimes that require physical fitness is sports. Sports are a vast category of physical activities that range from high-impact ones to ones that require a lot of dexterity and movement. Those who participate in them are at high risk of sustaining a sports injury, so they need a specialist who can identify, treat, and prevent them.
If you are not an athlete, you may be unfamiliar with the term “sports medicine.” While games can be played for fun, injuries that happen during sports are anything but. Participating in sports makes you vulnerable to certain injuries. If you play some sports incorrectly, you can end up harming yourself and the people around you. Sometimes, not taking the proper precautions can also lead to repeated instances of the same type of injury. You are also more prone to recovering much more slowly, and in some cases, never recover at all.
The thought of injury during gameplay is concerning, especially for athletes who regularly participate in sports. Fortunately, sports medicine is a way to minimise your vulnerability and prepare you for the worst outcome. The vast number of sports we have deserve a dedicated medical field to treat common issues and conditions.
Someone healthy and active will benefit from going to a Singapore sports medicine centre. Here is a closer look at how a sports medicine physician can help different groups.
What is sports medicine?
You do not need to be an athlete to seek out the help of a sports medicine professional, just like you do not need to be an athlete to join your favourite games. Sports medicine is a branch of medicine concerned with common injuries related to sports. Depending on the sport, you may need to focus on protecting and treating parts of your body.
A sports medicine specialist is intimately acquainted with wounds and other medical issues seen in sports and exercise. They might provide general services like a health screening package, but their expertise lies in protecting you from sports-related issues.
A lot of occupations fall under the category of sports medicine. Here are a few specialists that provide services to athletes.
1) Physical therapists. Physical therapy or physiotherapy revolves around managing pain and helping people to regain mobility. While they treat a variety of patients including the elderly and recovering patients, there’s a lot of overlap between their discipline and sports medicine. Many athletes’ doctors may recommend a physical therapist to athletes who experience bone and muscle pains.
2) Orthopaedic doctors or surgeons. The branch of orthopaedics is known as the one concerned with the musculoskeletal system. Orthopaedists are medical professionals who treat everything from bone fractures to sprains. Orthopaedic surgeons can provide patients with surgical treatment options regarding their medical condition. Some orthopaedists specialise in certain areas of the musculoskeletal system, such as the head and shoulders or the feet. You might want to look for one who has prior experience in treating sports-related injuries.
3) Nutritionist or dietician. Yes, a nutritionist’s job can fall right under sports medicine. Athletes need to stay in shape so they can continue playing sports to the best of their abilities. A great body is a key to avoiding many common medical issues out on the field. They might not be a sports injury specialist, but their services are crucial to preventing many of the injuries you might encounter. Most professional athletes will have a nutritionist on their team to strictly monitor their health.
4) Physical trainers. Trainers can come in many forms and shapes. They do not just help your body achieve peak condition before the start of your game, though it is one of their responsibilities. They are knowledgeable in the forms of exercise you need to take and avoid while recovering from your injuries. Sometimes, they work with injured athletes to help them rehabilitate from injuries faster. They also collaborate with health professionals like doctors and specialists to ensure you do not overburden yourself with your exercise regimen.
Various responsibilities of a sports medicine specialist
When you reach out to a sports medicine doctor, understand the roles and responsibilities they have regarding your physical health. Here are a few areas of responsibility that a sports medicine professional will look over.
1) Run physical tests and assessments on athletes before matches. Before an athlete goes into the field, they must get their physical fitness and condition assessed. When any physical issues are caught before the game, they can save the person from further injury.
2) Check the athlete’s physical condition after the match. If something goes wrong after or during the game, the best course of action for any athlete is to visit a Singapore sports medical centre. Medical centres train sports specialists to diagnose the most common injuries sustained in sports. A quick check-up can make a difference between a slow or fast recovery.
3) Plan and manage athletes’ health regimes for the future. A sports medicine doctor’s primary concern isn’t just to keep you active. Their main goal is to keep you in top condition so you can keep playing and enjoying your physical activities. Many athletes work together with their sports medicine team and plan out a health and fitness lifestyle to keep themselves in top shape.
Thomson Wellth is a sports medicine clinic and health centre focused on treating various physical ailments. For more information on how to get a mammogram screening and other services in Singapore, reach out to them through their website.
