Sports and other recreational activities are a popular pastime in the United States. From Little League players to weekend hikers to professional and amateur athletes, physical activity is a form of entertainment, fitness, relaxation, and more. However, the nature of athleticism puts stress on your body and increases your risk of injury. From 2011 – 2016, there were a reported 8.6 million sports- and recreation-related injuries in the United States. At Family Integrative Medicine, we go beyond treating sports and recreation injuries. We help our patients reach and stay at peak performance with unique treatment plans structured around your needs, goals, strengths, and weaknesses. Our goal is to not only treat your injuries but also focus on rehabilitation, prevention, nutrition, and care to enhance your wellness, foster muscle balance and strength, and improve your game.
Regenerative Medicine & Treating Sport Injuries
More and more professional athletes like Peyton Manning, Steph Curry, and Tiger Woods are turning to regenerative medicine to treat their injuries and other medical conditions. Channeling the body’s natural ability to heal itself, treatments from regenerative medicine can be applied to restore or replace damaged cartilage, ligament, and tendon tissues. These therapies can also be beneficial for muscle or bone injuries and types of chronic pain and degeneration. Common conditions that are treated with regenerative medicine include:
- Chronic degenerative joint disease
- Damage to knee cartilage
- Joint pain from inflammation or injury
- Partial tears in the tendon
- Stress fractures
- Tendonitis (i.e., tennis elbow, golfer’s elbow, patellar tendonitis)
There are numerous benefits to choosing treatment through regenerative medicine. Most procedures are minimally invasive, with little to no pain and a lower risk of adverse reactions. Additionally, recovery is typically quicker than surgery, with the added benefit of no pain medication and scarring. Most importantly, regenerative medicine treats more than symptoms, aiming to reduce pain and restore and improve function permanently.
Physical Therapy & Recovering Fully
After an injury, most athletes and other recreational enthusiasts require physical therapy to regain neuromuscular control, restore function, reduce pain, and improve strength and flexibility. However, physical therapy can help prevent future injuries, correct movement, and bring muscular balance to your body. Other benefits of including physical therapy in your wellness plan include:
- Boosting overall performance
- Building strength and power
- Decreasing risk of injury
- Improving range of motion
- Reaching optimal mobility
Understanding how your body should move and function while caring for your joints and muscles through physical therapy can improve your quality of life, help you fully recover from injury, and, hopefully, stay in peak physical condition.
Acupuncture & Accelerating Healing
Acupuncture is an ancient technique used in traditional Chinese medicine that enhances how your body functions and elevates your body’s natural self-healing ability. As a complement to regenerative medicine, physical therapy, and other treatments, acupuncture uses thin needles to stimulate particular points on your body, known as acupoints. With little to no discomfort or pain, acupuncture can have a positive impact on your body’s cardiovascular, digestive, endocrine, immune, and nervous systems and has been recognized by the U.S. National Institute of Health (NIH) as a safe and effective treatment for a wide range of health conditions. When it comes to sports and physical conditioning, acupuncture can aid your physical performance by reducing pain and inflammation, improving circulation to muscles and tissues, lowering the risk of spasms, and bringing a harmonious balance to your body and your health. Acupuncture can be used to treat the following:
- Arthritis
- Back pain
- Carpal tunnel syndrome
- Disc protrusions/bulges
- Meniscal tears
- Muscle sprains and tears
- Neck pain
- Rotator cuff injuries
- Shoulder pain
- Sciatica
- Tennis/golfer’s elbow
Can Family Integrative Medicine Help Athletes Recover from Injuries?
Family Integrative Medicine incorporates a holistic approach to healthcare, but can it assist athletes in recovering from injuries? By addressing both mind and body, this approach may foster a comprehensive healing process, aiding athletes to recover from women’s health conditions. With a focus on personalized treatments and collaborative care, Family Integrative Medicine could provide valuable support for athletes seeking optimal recovery and overall well-being.
Our medical team can also recommend implementing at-home treatments to help expedite the recovery process. Products such as the UTK Heating Pad for Lower Back Pain Relief can aid in healing athletes or active individuals. This heating pad isn’t just useful for healing injuries, but it’s a beneficial tool to help sore muscles regenerate after a workout.
Family Integrative Medicine Gets You Back to Doing What You Love
If you are experiencing any level of pain that is not getting better over a short period of time, we encourage you to schedule a consultation with our knowledgeable and compassionate team. A minor, seemingly insignificant pain today can quickly become an excruciating, significant injury tomorrow. Preventive care is good health care, and at Family Integrative Medicine, our team is committed to creating tailored, comprehensive treatment plans that consider past injuries, your lifestyle and hobbies, your long-term health goals, and more. We’re here to help you continue living the life you love!
