Sports Medicine Specialist
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Sulkowski Family Medicine
Thomas E. Sulkowski, MD
Family Medicine located in Murfreesboro, TN
Whether you’re a jogger or active in competitive sports, you want to stay free of injuries so you can keep doing the physical activities you love. That’s the goal of the sports medicine experts at Sulkowski Family Medicine in Murfreesboro, Tennessee. Whether you need a sports physical or help bouncing back from a sprain, let their expert practitioners help you. Call today or schedule a consultation online.
Sports Medicine Q & A
What is sports medicine?
Sports medicine is designed to prevent and treat injuries due to exercising or playing sports. Sports medicine also focuses on making sure you’re healthy enough to play sports, with services like sports physicals.
Adults and children alike can benefit from sports medicine. The team at Sulkowski Family Medicine works with children and teens who are involved in sports, along with adults who like to exercise or engage in strenuous physical activities.
What are common sports injuries?
Sports injuries are divided into two types. Acute injuries, such as a sprained ankle, happen suddenly. Chronic injuries, on the other hand, occur after playing a sport or routinely exercising over a long period of time.
The symptoms of an acute injury include:
- A sudden, severe pain
- Swelling
- Not being able to put any weight on your ankle, knee, leg, or foot
- Tenderness in your arm, elbow, wrist, hand, or finger
- Not being able to move a joint as normal
If you have a chronic injury, you may experience:
- Swelling
- Pain while playing or exercising
- A dull ache when you rest
What does sports medicine treat?
As experts in sports medicine, the team at Sulkowski Family Medicine helps you recover from a range of physical injuries. Some examples include:
- Ankle sprains
- Fractures
- Knee and shoulder injuries
- Tendinitis
- Heat illness
- Concussions
- Cartilage injuries
If you’ve been injured playing sports, it’s best to contact Sulkowski Family Medicine as soon as you can.
How is a sports injury treated?
Depending on your injury, the team at Sulkowski Family Medicine usually begins by recommending the R-I-C-E method. This involves:
- Rest: Slow down and rest your injury
- Ice: Put an ice pack on your injury 4-8 times a day for 20 minutes
- Compression: Apply even pressure on the painful area to reduce swelling
- Elevation: Raise the injured area above your heart by putting it on a pillow
You may also need nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs to alleviate pain and swelling. If you have a fracture, you may need a splint or cast to immobilize the injured area and give you a chance to heal.
If you’re ready to bounce back from an injury and looking for expert care, rely on the team at Sulkowski Family Medicine. They have hands-on experience working with athletes. Call today or schedule a consultation online.
