Sports Medicine
Our mission is to serve patients and athletes at all levels who face sports-related injuries. The sports medicine physicians at Orthopedic Associates have extensive training and experience in the operative and non-operative management of sports-related injuries to help patients avoid injury or resume activities as quickly and safely as possible.
Our fellowship-trained sports medicine orthopedic specialists:
- Provide comprehensive evaluation and medical care to professional athletes, student athletes, and those who are sidelined with sports-related injuries.
- Use the most advanced motion sensing technology to prevent injuries before they happen.
- Educate orthopedic surgery residents and other physicians in the community on the operative and non-operative aspects of sports medicine, ensuring continual improvement in patient outcomes and satisfaction.
- Consult with numerous local high school, collegiate, and professional sports teams on injury prevention and treatment. Click here to view teams that we cover.
- Provide pre-season athletic orthopedic evaluations to assess your readiness to participate in sports at any level, including amateur, high school, collegiate, and professional sports.
- Partner with our in-house physical therapy team, which develops protocols based on the best, most current evidence for rehabilitation of your injury. We coordinate with our therapists to ensure you receive necessary therapy so you can resume activities.
- Provide medical coverage for key sporting events throughout the state. Click here to view recent sporting events.
- Provide follow-up care for sports-related injuries treated at our urgent care centers.
We are the regional leaders in the diagnosis and treatment of sports injuries and illness. We proactively help you stay safe and manage all aspects of your care so that you can return to an active lifestyle.
Urgent Orthopedic Injuries
If you are injured and need to be seen right away, please call our Sports Injury Hotline: (860) 244-8888. We will schedule an appointment with one of our sports medicine experts within 24 hours at one of our locations.
If you are injured after hours or on weekends, please visit one of our Urgent Care Centers, located in Glastonbury and Farmington. An orthopedic practitioner will provide immediate care, including x-rays and casting, and will coordinate priority follow-up with a specialist for your injury. Our Urgent Care Centers can be reached at (860) 244-8888.
Partnering With Schools & Teams
Our sports medicine physicians have provided and/or continue to provide coverage for many CT sports teams including:
- Central Connecticut State University
- Trinity College
- Conard High School
- Hall High School
- Avon High School
- Cromwell High School
- Newington High School
- Kingswood Oxford High School
- Glastonbury High School
- P&G USA Gymnastics Tour of Champions
- ESPN Summer and Winter X-Games
- PGA Greater Hartford Open
Common Conditions
We have treated thousands of injuries since 1970. Some of the most common sports injuries we see include:
Sprains: Tears to the ligaments caused by being stretched beyond capacity. Ligaments join the ends of bones together and are commonly affected in the ankles, knees, and wrists.
Strains: Injuries or tears to muscles or tendons caused by overstretching.
Shin splints: Pain along the outside front of the lower leg, commonly seen in runners.
Achilles tendonitis or rupture of the Achilles tendon: Injuries which involve the large band of tissue that connects the calf muscles to the heel.
Fractures of the bones, or broken bones.
Dislocation of joints which occurs when one of the two bones that make up a joint separate from the other bone.
Symptoms
Symptoms associated with sports-related injury vary. Some symptoms may develop over time and get worse with vigorous exercise. Other symptoms may have a sudden onset with an injury. Symptoms may include:
- Pain, swelling, inflammation, and tenderness around an injury
- Severe pain that is worse with movement
- Broken skin with visible bone showing
- Loss of sensation or tingling
- Limited or complete loss of movement
- Pain around the front of the shin that starts when the heel strikes the ground
- Pain on inner part of the shins and is worse when standing on toes
- Pain when squeezing the Achilles tendon; may be worse in the morning and improve with walking.
- Lower back pain that appears with twisting and lifting
- Extreme pain and back spasms resulting from continued exercise
- Pain when flexing the wrist backward or forward
- Constant pain whether moving or not
Symptoms vary in intensity from mild to severe and should be addressed to determine the optimal treatment plan.
Diagnosis
Medical History and Examination
During your visit, our sport medicine expert will talk to you about your symptoms and medical history. During the physical examination, your doctor will perform a comprehensive exam to assess the extent of the injury or source of pain.
Imaging Tests
Your doctor may conduct additional tests to confirm your diagnosis.
X-Ray: Can show whether the injury is associated with a broken bone.
Other Tests: Tests such as a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan or CAT scan may be ordered. These tests can provide more details about internal structures and can show soft tissues, such as cartilage, ligaments, and muscles more clearly than x-ray.
Depending on the type of injury or condition, your doctor may perform additional tests to determine the source of the issue and develop the optimal treatment plan.
Treatment Options
There are a number of non-surgical and surgical options to treat sports injuries.
Non-Surgical Options:
Using the RICE principle, rest, ice, compression, and elevation may help during the initial days post injury to reduce swelling and pain. Your physician may recommend conservative treatment for pain that may include physical therapy, anti-inflammatory medications, bracing, orthotics to improve foot stability, and steroid injections. Our sports medicine physicians may suggest changes to technique and equipment to prevent injury, as well as stretches to help athletes warm up and cool down to improve injury resistance.
Surgical Options:
If nonsurgical treatment fails to give relief, surgery is usually discussed. There are many surgical options and our team is skilled at the most advanced surgical techniques to inspect, diagnose, and repair injuries. The chosen course of surgical treatment should be one that has a reasonable chance of providing long-term pain relief so you can resume competitive or recreational activities.
Patient Education
We are pleased to provide a wide range of videos and informative handouts to help you understand different sports injuries, repairs, what to expect post-surgery, and when you can return to play. We also demonstrate common physical therapy exercises that can help you on the path to recovery.
Physical Therapy Exercises
We are committed to helping people stay active and as pain-free as possible. Our physical therapists, in collaboration with our physicians, have put together information to guide you on exercises to alleviate pain, strengthen core areas, and keep you active. It is important to discuss your exercise plan with your provider before initiating any exercises.
Sports Medicine Program for Women
We are pleased to now offers a sports medicine program geared specifically towards active women. Learn about our comprehensive approach that involves a multidisciplinary team that helps women remain strong and manage sports-related injuries or problems.
Our Sports Medicine Specialists
