Thursday, May 29, 2014

What Sports Medicine Can Do For Active Individuals

By Neil P. Hines


Many individuals working in the medical industry specialize in a specific area. Those who are interested in learning all about how physical activity affects the human body can focus their training and practice on sports medicine. Physicians who choose this field are responsible for diagnosing various injuries, selecting an appropriate treatment, and teaching the patient ways to prevent future injuries.

Not all people in this field are licensed physicians. Personal trainers, for example, may or may not be medical doctors. The United States does not currently recognize this discipline as a training specialty for residency. Individuals must select another specialty and complete their residency if they want to pursue a career as a physician. After completion of residency, they can earn certifications and qualifications by participating in additional training.

Many people who seek out help from professionals in the field are amateur and professional athletes who have suffered injuries. Seeing a specialist can help speed up recovery time. A professional with the proper training can help clients learn to make healthy diet choices and select foods with the right combination of nutrients to enhance a training program. Clients receive instruction on proper training techniques to maximize the benefits of training by improving endurance and increasing strength.

Physical therapy is a specialty that often overlaps with this segment of healthcare. Physical therapists manipulate joints and muscle with a wide range of hands-on techniques. These manipulations help increase the client's range of motion, relieve pain from injuries, and loosen up the muscles.

A physical therapist may lead the client through passive stretching exercises, which will increase range of motion and improve flexibility. For tight muscles and to provide relief from muscle spasms, they may use myofascial release, massage, or trigger point release techniques. Joint mobilization promotes greater freedom of movement in joints by gently stretching ligaments.

Individuals with injuries to tendons, muscles, and ligaments may undergo a variety of different treatments or combination of treatments. The swirling water created by a whirlpool speeds up the healing of wounds and increases flexibility. Electrical stimulation utilizes a small current to eliminate muscle spasms as well as reduce inflammation. This type of therapy can also strengthen muscles. Hot packs are useful for relaxing tense muscle fibers and increasing circulation to the affected area. Cold compresses constrict blood vessels to reduce pain.

Patients who seek out this type of treatment often spend less time recovering from injuries such as sprains, fractures, strains, neck pain, backaches, and more. In addition to pain relief, they receive advice about nutrition that can help boost physical performance. Learning about training methods that prevent injuries is one of the biggest benefits of seeking professional assistance.




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