Sports Medicine

There are few downsides to being athletic and staying in great shape, but being active means you run a higher-than-average risk for sports injuries. Board-certified orthopedic surgeon R. Jeff Grondel, MD, provides cutting-edge diagnostics, treatment, and rehabilitation for a variety of musculoskeletal sports injuries at Ridgeline Orthopedics in Idaho Falls, Idaho. When an injury happens during sports, schedule your sports medicine appointment online or over the phone right away.

What is sports medicine?

Sports medicine is a specific category of care that involves the diagnosis and treatment of injuries that happen during physical activity. Exercise has many benefits for your health, but athletes are at an increased risk for a variety of orthopedic injuries. 

At Ridgeline Orthopedics, Dr. Grondel uses advanced technology, like X-ray imaging and computed tomography (CT) scans, to get detailed images of the injured bones, tendons, and muscles. He may require you to perform specific tasks that show your level of function with the injured body part. After a full assessment, he makes a diagnosis and strategizes your treatment. 

Which injuries does sports medicine address?

You can obtain a variety of injuries playing sports or during training. Musculoskeletal injuries from sports can happen in one of two ways:

Overuse injuries

Overuse injuries develop over time as your musculoskeletal system withstands repeated stress. These injuries may not cause immediate pain. Instead, their symptoms tend to appear and get worse over time with additional use of the body part. Common examples of overuse injuries from sports include runner’s knee, shin splints, and plantar fasciitis. 

Acute injuries

Acute injuries involve musculoskeletal damage that happens very suddenly. Examples include a pulled tendon or a bone fracture. Some common examples of acute sports injuries are ankle sprains, anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries, and joint dislocations. 

Which treatments does sports medicine offer?

Dr. Grondel develops a treatment and rehabilitation plan to get you back to playing your sport in as little time as possible. Treatments for sports injuries don’t just reduce the pain; they also help your body repair the damage and restore function. 

Depending on the injury type and severity, your sports injury treatment plan at Ridgeline Orthopedics might include:

• The RICE (rest, ice, compression, elevation) method
• Immobilization with a cast, splint, or brace
• Medications to manage pain
• Physical therapy and rehabilitative exercises

The RICE method may be all you need for minor injuries, while some significant injuries are severe enough to require surgery. Dr. Grondel advises you on when it's safe to exercise again. 

If you get injured from playing sports or exercising, don’t hesitate to call Ridgeline Orthopedics or schedule an appointment for sports medicine online right away.