Improve Your Game with Sports Medicine at Dignity Health

Sports medicine focuses on the prevention, diagnosis, and nonsurgical treatment of sports-related injuries. Our sports medicine doctors care for sports teams, individual athletes, and other physically active people. They are experts in helping people who want to improve their general fitness or athletic performance, and prevent injuries while engaging in sports or exercise.

At Dignity Health, our expert sports medicine in Sacramento and surrounding areas can help improve a multitude of conditions and injuries. We can provide the sports injury care you need using the latest methods and technologies. Find a Doctor today to learn more.

 

What Conditions Does Sports Medicine Treat?

Conditions a sports medicine doctor may treat include: 

  • Foot pain from conditions like bone spurs, bursitis, arthritis, and plantar fasciitis, which results in pain at the bottom of your heel
  • Head injuries, including concussion
  • Back pain occurring with exercise or sports
  • Broken or fractured bones, including wrist, collarbone, leg, arm, and hand fractures
  • Muscle and tendon strains, including groin pulls and hamstring pulls
  • Overuse injuries, including shin splints, tendonitis, and stress fractures
  • Skin injuries, including chafing, blisters, and heat rash
  • Female athlete triad, which is a condition that includes menstrual cycle changes, inadequate calorie intake, and decreased bone density
  • Joint and ligament injuries, including ACL injuries, knee pain, shoulder dislocations, tennis elbow, sprained ankles, meniscal tears, frozen shoulder, cartilage injuries, and shoulder impingement
  • Heat injuries, including heat exhaustion, heat stroke, and dehydration

 

Expert Sports Medicine in the Sacramento Region

Our professional sports medicine doctors design personalized treatment plans that may include the services of other doctors, physical therapists, and athletic trainers. Your treatment plan depends on your diagnosis. 

Not all sports medicine doctors perform surgery. Orthopedic surgeons who also complete sport medicine fellowships can treat sports-related injuries that require surgery. Sports medicine treatments may include: 

  • Medications, including anti-inflammatory medicines and steroid injections
  • Physical therapy to improve strength, mobility, and fitness
  • Sports team health care, including injury assessment and management, sports physicals, and sports psychology and substance abuse issues
  • Stabilization and initial treatment for serious injuries on the sports field. On-site care can include splinting broken bones, suturing cuts, and bandaging.
  • Post-surgical rehabilitation and recovery to help people return to sports and exercise. This includes rehab after surgery for carpal tunnel syndrome, hip and knee replacement, back pain, back problems, ligament injuries, and bone fractures.
  • Return-to-play decisions for sick or injured athletes
  • Arthrocentesis to remove fluid from a joint and test it for infection and other conditions
  • Guidance for exercise and training, including improving flexibility and strength and cardiovascular training
  • Healthy lifestyle plans to help people, including those with chronic diseases, achieve better health and fitness
  • Sports nutrition guidance, including advice about supplements and hydration 

 

If you're ready to seek treatment for your orthopedic condition, call our physician referral line at (916) 851-2511 or complete this form to receive recommendations for an orthopedic specialist.