SPORTS MEDICINE:
SPECIFIC CARE FOR SPORTS RELATED INJURIES By Johnna Thomasson Photos by Thomasson Photography
With the amount of extra stress an athlete places on the body, the world of Sports Medicine specializes in caring for specific injuries related to the impact of sports and all forms of fitness.
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ith the amount of extra stress an athlete places on the body, the world of Sports Medicine specializes in caring for specific injuries related to the impact of sports and all forms of fitness. Healthcare professionals like Sports Medicine Specialist, Dr. Bratton, understand the importance of properly treating and preventing sport related injuries, especially in today’s day and age.
“Sports today are different than when I was playing. Nowadays, there are young kids, 10-12 years old playing year-round sports. There are kids playing 80+ baseball games in the Spring/Summer. And there are kids that have already ‘specialized’. “As a result, I am seeing more overuse injuries and surgeries than ever before. I know this is the current sport climate, but it is detrimental to our kids,” explains Dr. Bratton. “The recommendation is to take 3 months off every year--NO SPORT FOR THE TOTAL OF 3 MONTHS--but getting parents and athletes to slow down is impossible. Primarily because the driving forces of coaches, the cost to play, and their competitiveness. So I try to help teach my patients how to prepare for long seasons and training their body to combat breaking down. Prevention is always the best medicine!” Many sports related injuries vary from sprains and strains, tendinitis, ACL tears, fractures, dislocations and many, many more, leaving a need for rest, medications, physical therapy/rehabilitation, and sometimes even surgery. The love of sports is nothing new, as the human race has been playing many variations for centuries, but because the love of sports will not slow anytime soon, it is important to understand the dire need for physical activity along with equal need to properly care for the body as it becomes more active. PCLS
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