Sports Injury Treatment Guide

Types of Sports Injuries

Acute injuries: Sprains (ligaments), strains (muscles/tendons), fractures, dislocations, contusions — caused by a specific incident.

Overuse injuries: Tendinitis, stress fractures, bursitis, shin splints, IT band syndrome — caused by repetitive microtrauma.

Chronic injuries: Osteoarthritis from prior injuries, chronic instability, degenerative tendon conditions.

Treatment Approach

Sports medicine follows a conservative-first approach: 1) RICE protocol for acute management, 2) Physical therapy as the backbone of recovery, 3) Injection therapies (cortisone, PRP, viscosupplementation), 4) Surgery when conservative treatment fails or structural repair is needed.

When to See a Sports Medicine Doctor

Seek evaluation for: inability to bear weight, audible pop with swelling, visible deformity, numbness or tingling, joint that locks or gives way, pain lasting more than 2-3 weeks, or swelling that does not resolve.

Return to Sport

Return-to-play decisions should be based on objective criteria: strength within 10% of uninjured side, passing functional movement tests, full sport-specific performance, psychological readiness, and no pain or swelling. Athletes who return too early have 3-6x higher re-injury rates.

Frequently Asked Questions