WHEN SHOULD A PATIENT SEE A SPORTS MEDICINE PRIMARY CARE PHYSICIAN INSTEAD OF THEIR PRIMARY CARE PROVIDEr?
“THE BENEFITS OF SEEING A PRIMARY CARE SPORTS MEDICINE PHYSICIAN IS WE ARE SPECIFICALLY ORTHOPEDIC TRAINED”
When someone says they are going to see a doctor they normally mean a primary care physician (PCP). While visiting a PCP a few times a year is recommended for routine check ups, going straight to a sports medicine primary care physician can save time and money.
PRIMARY CARE PHYSICIANS
Primary care physicians practice general healthcare addressing a wide variety of health concerns. PCPs are normally a patient’s first point of contact in case of a health concern. They can address chronic, long-term conditions as well as acute conditions like bronchitis, allergic reactions, or colds and flu.
A patient may seek a visit to their PCP for:
Preventive care (stopping illness before it happens)
Treatment of common illnesses
Diagnosis of common illnesses or conditions
Management of chronic (long-lasting) conditions
SPORTS MEDICINE PRIMARY CARE PHYSICIAN
Visiting a primary care physician may seem like a one stop-shop. However, if a patient has a sports-related injury, or is looking to improve performance or prevent sports’ injuries, a visit to a sports medicine primary care physician would be a better investment.
Sports medicine is a specialty area within orthopedic medicine focused on the musculoskeletal system: the muscles, nerves, bones, joints, and connective tissues. Sports medicine physicians are orthopedic trained so they can care for patients with a variety of conditions and pains (such as knee pain, joint pain, and muscle pain).
DR. PALOMERA DISCUSSES THE BENEFITS OF SEEING A PRIMARY CARE SPORTS MEDICINE PHYSICIAN:
To address sport and exercise related injuries
If you are looking to improve fitness levels
To enhance performance in a sport or activity
As a means of preventing sports-related injuries
To maintain a healthy, active lifestyle
Broadly speaking, injuries shouldn't last longer than a week or two without completely healing or showing signs of improvement on their own—especially for people roughly college-aged and younger. If pain lingers, is not getting better within a week or two weeks at the longest, regardless if there was an injury, one should be evaluated by a professional.