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A sports doctor is a doctor who monitors the health of athletes, provides them with medical care in case of injuries at competitions.
The specialist is also responsible for the appropriate preparation of athletes before the competition.
While working with athletes, a sports doctor monitors their nutrition, exercise and rest regimen, training schedule. The doctor has knowledge of the treatment of injuries, the ability to diagnose them. Familiar with the methods of physical therapy gymnastics and massage.
Every sports doctor must take a course in sports psychology, nutrition, cardiology, pharmacology, surgery and functional diagnostics.
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What is sports medicine?
Sports medicine is a specific department of medical science and practice that deals with biomedical support for the training of athletes. Sports medicine and specialists working in this industry solve many issues, including:
Performing selection, granting admission to classes and sports based on the genetic and phenotypic capabilities of a particular person;
Assessing the health status of an individual and resolving the issue of his admission to sports training and activities;
Control of the use of medicines in sports;
Monitoring the implementation by athletes of hygienic rules that affect the risk of their morbidity and the growth of fitness;
Providing rehabilitation measures for athletes after illnesses and injuries;
Ensuring the growth of the special performance of athletes, using a number of physiological methods of influencing their body, including: pedagogical, psychological, biomedical, etc.
What does a sports medicine doctor do?
The responsibilities of a sports doctor include:
The ability to provide first aid to the victim in the event of his emergency conditions during sports activities.
The ability to select athletes for admission to various sports.
Treatment of infectious and somatic diseases of athletes.
Ability to perform medical examinations of athletes based on the sports they play. According to the results of the medical examination, the sports doctor must issue a medical report for the coach.
Responsible for monitoring the health of athletes.
The ability to determine the level of sports preparedness of an athlete for further competitive and training load.
Engage in professional prevention and diagnosis of pathologies and injuries of the musculoskeletal system that athletes have.
To control the intake of drugs by athletes.
In addition, sports medicine doctors conduct scientific activities. Research may be related to:
With sports cardiology;
With the treatment and therapy of somatic diseases;
With the diagnosis and correction of immune disorders in athletes;
With functional diagnostics;
With questions of rehabilitation of athletes after injuries and past illnesses;
With the recovery of athletes after the loads received during training and competition;
With issues of improving the performance of athletes.
What diseases does a sports doctor treat?
A sports medicine doctor deals with the treatment of diseases associated with the musculoskeletal system, with its injuries and pathologies.
It can be:
Synovitis;
Bursitis;
Inflammation of the periosteum;
Nose injury;
Neuropathy;
dental trauma;
Spinal cord injury;
Injuries of the spinal column;
Fractures and dislocations of the jaw;
Tendinitis;
Joint injuries;
Injury to the groin;
meniscus injury;
nosebleeds;
concussions;
Injuries of the lower and upper extremities.
A sports medicine physician often interacts with other specialists. These can be neurologists, neuropathologists, orthopedists, surgeons, dentists, etc.
What diagnostic methods does a sports doctor use?
In order to expose an injured athlete to the correct diagnosis, the doctor can send the patient to undergo the following studies:
MRI;
Ultrasound;
CT scan;
radiography;
Duplex scanning of blood vessels;
Performing a study of joint fluid;
Densitometry.
Based on the results of the studies, the doctor makes a diagnosis and prescribes the appropriate treatment.