Injuries are normal. We, sometimes, overexert our bodies when we feel excited or motivated to accomplish a fitness routine. Although it’s normal, it doesn’t mean that we should ignore the pain and wait for our injuries to heal. We should take some preventive measures to avoid simple injuries turning into chronic injuries or else, it would be difficult to treat. This is where sports medicinecomes in. 

What is Sports Medicine? 

In Singapore, sports medicine focuses on the treatment of various injuries that were acquired while doing physical activity. Even though the health professionals who would often handlesports medicinecases are physicians, they often work with other medical doctors to come up with a holistic injury prevention treatment. They are mostly: 

  • Orthopaedic doctors
  • Nutritionists and Dieticians
  • Family doctors
  • Physical therapists

Even if these health professionals have different specialities, they have one similarity— they need to undergo additional training to become a certified sports medicinehealthcare provider. Some would even have to get surgical training (such as orthopaedic surgeons) as some serious injuries need to be fixed through various surgical methods. 

Importance of Sports Medicine in Athletes

If you are an athlete, then you may need to build a strong, flexible body to keep up with the rigorous training every day. Aside from living a healthy lifestyle, you may want to boost your athletic performance through sports medicine. It is a multidisciplinary medical approach that not only focuses on musculoskeletal injury treatment, but it also covers training the body to prevent any injuries and strengthening it to improve one’s performance. Simply put, sports medicinewill help you get in shape to become a competitive athlete.

However, no matter how well built a person is, injuries are bound to happen. It’s either you may damage your body through an accident or you have done an exercise wrongly. It’s a good thing that there are now medical aesthetic clinics in Singapore that provide comprehensive treatments for sports injuries. This involvessports medicine specialists who continue to assist athletes in treating their injuries so that they could immediately go back to training. 

Some of the common sports injuries include: 

  • Ankle Sprains
  • Groin and Hamstring Strain
  • Bruises
  • Knee Joint Injuries
  • Fractures

Benefits of Sports Medicine

However, sports medicine is not just limited to athletes, it could be anyone who has an injury or who wants to improve their physical health. It is usually sought out by patients who want to hasten their recovery without needing any surgery. 

Here are more ways on how sports medicine can help enhance your overall physical health.

  • Prevent Acute Conditions from Getting Worse

Like they say, “early prevention is key”. If you are suffering from any chronic condition such as tendonitis and bursitis, then you should not wait until the pain you are feeling becomes too much to bear. You have to seek musculoskeletal injury treatment immediately. Physicians who specialise in sports medicinecould work with physical therapists to help you get rid of the pain fast. In this way, you would not have to resort to surgery to get your injury fixed. This is because it involves the use of non-surgical methods that help injuries heal faster. With this,  you could go back to your normal daily lifestyle right away. 

  • Complement Surgical Methods

Even though an orthopaedic surgeon required you to undergo surgery, you can still benefit from sports medicinebefore your scheduled surgery starts. It makes use of different rehabilitation techniques to make it easier for your body to heal itself after the surgery. 

Moreover, there are now innovative sports medicine methods called arthroscopy. It is highly beneficial during complex surgeries because it makes use of a small camera that is inserted in the body. The camera makes it easier for doctors to perform complex surgeries. What’s more, with this approach, it would be possible for a patient to easily recover from a surgery, unlike if an open surgery is done. 

  • Manage Chronic Pain

If ever you have recurring back pain due to prolonged sitting, then you may benefit from sports medicine. It is often the treatment recommended for patients who are experiencing body pain that won’t go away.

More often, chronic back pain is worse because even though you have always been intaking painkillers like Ibuprofen, the pain seems to keep on coming back. If this happens, then you may need the help of a physical therapist whospecialises in sports medicine. They can teach you some exercises and provide rehabilitation sessions that could help fix your recurring body pain. No longer would you have to endure the pain you have been experiencing every time you work long hours in the office. It could indirectly help improve your performance at work. 

  • Personalised Training 

Lastly, withsports medicine, you would receive a personalised training program that is specifically made for your body needs. Since every individual has a unique body physique, it is important to receive tailor-made training sessions to ensure you would get a fit body right away. 

Moreover, part of the training is to get a physical exam. It is done so you could know if it is safe to do a particular sport or fitness program. 

It is important to take care of your physical health for you to live an active lifestyle. Remember that an active lifestyle is what prevents you from getting sick easily! If you want to improve your physical health, then you should try sports medicine. You could consult one of the physicians of Thomson Wellth Clinic if you want to try it out!