Sports Medicine 

Sports medicine focuses on orthopedic problems most commonly caused by sports injuries. Common problems include torn tendons, ligaments or meniscus within the knee, cartilage defects, shoulder rotator cuff tears, elbow, wrist and hand injuries. The orthopedic surgeons who specialize in sports medicine have a high level of expertise in treating these injuries and many others. 

When to go to the Hospital
If you cannot walk or use the injured limb or area, you should immediately go to the hospital’s emergency department to be evaluated by a doctor. Sports related injuries can result in fractures, which should be seen by a healthcare professional immediately. Many fractures may require immobilization or surgery. Other signs and symptoms that demand emergency evaluation: 

• Fever (which may indicate infection) 
• Severe Pain
• Wound Drainage
• Large Wounds or Puncture Wounds
• Severe Swelling 

When to call the Doctor
When you are deciding whether to call the doctor, a good rule of thumb exists for most sports medicine injuries. To manage your injury at home, experts recommend using a technique called RICE, which works as follows: 

R – rest the injured area (Discontinue the activity that caused the injury.) 

I – ice the injured area (Ice the injured area two to three times per day for 20 to 30 minutes.) 

C – use compression on the injured area (Use a brace or wrap on the injured area.) 

E – elevate the injured area (Try to keep the injured area elevated as much as possible.) 

If your symptoms have not gone away after using the RICE technique for three to seven days along with over-the-counter anti-inflammatory pain medications, you should set up an appointment with your doctor or an orthopedic surgeon who specializes in sports medicine to further evaluate the pain. This rule should only serve as a guide. If you are concerned about the pain, you should call your doctor.