Sports Medicine

with Thomas Weber, M.D., Non-Operative Sports Medicine, Orthopaedics, Advanced Healthcare

Posted: April 1, 2004

With the increase in athletic participation, competitive and otherwise, the need has risen for specialized medical personnel. In the past, any doctor, or perhaps a trainer, might have looked at and diagnosed a sports-related injury. That’s no longer the case.

Doctors trained in the field of sports medicine work with preventative care, treatment, and rehabilitation. They deal with everything from strains and sprains to muscle tears and fractures.

Thomas Weber, M.D., Non-Operative Sports Medicine, Orthopaedics, Advanced Healthcare "The biggest thing to remember in preventing injuries is don't overdo it."

Injuries and the injured
As a whole, Dr. Thomas Weber, a sports medicine physician with Advanced Healthcare, feels “there’s been a general increase in the number of injuries overall. Instead of, let’s say, 5,000 people being active in some way, there’s now 10,000 people being active.” With more people exercising, there is more chance for injury.

People aged 25 to 80 make up the average patient list. The onset of arthritis is the concern with the majority of patients in their 40s to 60s. In people aged 30 to 40, “there’s an increase in muscle tears,” said Dr. Weber. “People think they’re younger than they are,” trying to do the same things athletically they did five or ten years ago.

Getting better
Recovering from an injury is dependent on the injury type, severity, and the age of the patient. “On average it takes six to eight weeks for an adult to recover from a serious injury,” Dr. Weber stated. Children, who heal much faster, “may take three to four weeks.”

Fractures require casting. Tears, sprains, and other musculoskeletal injuries generally need physical therapy. Once or twice a week, for up to an hour, is standard. During these visits, “patients retrain the injured joint or muscles with exercise,” Dr. Weber said. They’re also shown exercises they can do at home.

Dealing with psychological effects is also part of the rehabilitation process. “Helping patients realize they are going to get better is critical,” Dr. Weber said. “It’s important they know that there is a light at the end of the tunnel.”

Dr. Weber compares the healing process to going through the five stages of grieving: denial, anger, bargaining, depression and acceptance.

An ounce of prevention...
“The biggest thing to remember in preventing injuries is don’t overdo it,” Dr. Weber said. “It happens at every level, from the elite athlete to the average person.”

He recommends a gradual build up in exercise, rather than starting at a high level right away.

Watching one’s weight also is key in avoiding injury. Being overweight puts extra stress on ankle, knee and hip joints, and can be a factor in the occurrence of arthritis.

Nutrition plays a vital role as well. “With every workout there’s damage done to muscles. Proper vitamins and minerals are needed to rebuild them,” Dr. Weber said. Emphasis also needs to be placed on post-activity nutrition.

The importance of seeing a doctor can’t be overstated. “If you go in and the doctor says ‘you’re okay, you can keep doing what you’re doing,’ you’ve lost nothing,” Dr. Weber said. “If you don’t see a doctor and there’s something wrong, you’ll make matters worse.”

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