4 Habits That Support Strong Healthy Shoulder Joints
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Why You Should Consider Sports Medicine If You're Not an Athlete
One common misconception about sports medicine is that it is only for athletes. In fact, most patients who receive care from a sports medicine physician do not participate in competitive sports. Instead, they often have acute or chronic injuries caused by exercise, training, or even their work.
As an orthopedic sports medicine and shoulder surgeon, Dr. Matthew Pifer sees a wide range of patients with a variety of issues. Whether you have a repetitive stress injury from work or an elbow injury from a fall, Dr. Pifer uses the same diagnostic tools and non-operative treatments to help the body heal. Here’s how he employs the principles of sports medicine to help you, even if you’re not an athlete.
Help recovering from common injuries
Dr. Pifer treats a full range of common issues that affect the knees, back, shoulders, legs, and hips—pretty much all of the moving body parts.
The majority of injuries don’t require surgery. Most people can return to full activity with adequate therapy and rehabilitation. Dr. Pifer always considers the most conservative approach to treatment first. Injectable treatments like platelet-rich plasma (PRP) therapy are very effective at helping the body heal from injuries.
Dr. Pifer also uses steroid injections and other therapies to quell pain and ease inflammation as the body recovers from injuries. Ultrasound imaging enables Dr. Pifer to precisely inject into the site of the issues and track the course of the repair. Athletes and non-athletes alike benefit from these therapies.
Injury prevention and nutrition advice
While the majority of patients visit sports medicine physicians because they’re injured, Dr. Pifer also works with patients seeking injury prevention, nutrition, and performance development.
Dr. Pifer can assess your lifestyle and offer approaches to common injuries, such as changes to the way you train, protective gear, and a regimen to strengthen muscles that support movement. Having a strong core and strong muscles to support your joints, tendons, and ligaments helps to lower the risk of injury.
Nutrition is important in sports medicine because it improves athletic performance. Dr. Pifer can determine your calorie, carbohydrate, protein, hydration, vitamin, and mineral requirements, and provide guidance on the best nutrition to meet your goals and needs.
When should you consult a sports medicine physician?
A sports medicine professional can provide you with an accurate assessment and effective treatment plan if you have any of the following symptoms or concerns:
- Joint pain
- Muscle pain
- Bone fracture
- Foot pain
- Ankle injury
- Overuse injury
- Joint dislocation
- Muscle fatigue
- A sudden, non-emergency injury
Dr. Pifer can help you with these and all other sports medicine issues.
Dr. Pifer takes a multidisciplinary approach to providing top-quality care for athletes and non-athletes of all ages and abilities. If you’re injured, dealing with pain, or want to prevent injury, call us at 805-967-9311 to schedule a visit with Dr. Pifer. The team at our Santa Barbara, California office will assist you. You can also submit a booking request through our website.
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