A sports medicine physician in Birmingham, AL can diagnose and treat injuries incurred during an athletic or practice. They can also provide physical therapy and occupational therapy to help the patient recover and prevent re-injury.
When Should Somebody See A Sports Medicine Doctor?
Many
sports injuries can be taken care of at home, especially if the
patient follows the RICE protocol, which calls for Rest, Ice,
Compression, and Elevation. In many cases, RICE is enough to help the
patient recover. The patient may also consult their primary
caregiver, who will often either recommend RICE or provide
medications to relieve pain and swelling.
If the patient’s
injury hasn’t improved after two weeks, despite home care and help
from their primary care doctor, it’s time to call a sports medicine
doctor.
What
Is the Difference Between Physical Therapy and Occupational Therapy?
While
both physical therapists and occupational therapists help patients
recover from illness and injury, there are some differences between
the two. The biggest difference is that a physical therapist
concentrates on helping the patient regain mobility, while the
occupational therapist focuses on helping them regain skills that the
illness or injury impaired.
For example, if somebody suffers a
stroke, the physical therapist will work with them to keep their
muscles from atrophying or to build up strength. The occupational
therapist would help them to relearn how to walk or feed
themselves.
What
Is Arthroscopy?
Arthroscopy is a relatively new and less invasive type of surgery. It differs from the traditional open surgery in that the doctor will make smaller incisions and use an arthroscope, which is a tiny camera, to get a better view of the joint being operated on. The arthroscope sends images of the surgical site to a computer monitor and thus allows the surgeon to make a diagnosis and provide treatment.