If you’ve been involved in sports before, you’re probably familiar with sports injuries. When a sports injury occurs, it’s important to seek medical attention and assess the severity. When going for treatment, you’ll want to have an experienced doctor that can provide quality care. Dr. Altchek is one of the best orthopedics in New York City. Keep reading to learn more about common sports-related orthopedic injuries.

 

What Might Put Me At Risk For a Sports Injury?

There are a few factors that may put you at risk of a sports injury. Those factors are:

• Not being regularly active
• Don’t warm up before exercising.
• Playing contact sports

 

Other Factors

There are some other factors that increase your risk for sports injuries. 

• Children- Children are at risk for sports injuries because of how active they are. Children also many times might not know when to listen to their bodies to stop. This leads to over-exertion and is more likely to result in injury. 
• Age- Age increases the odds of injuries taking longer to heal. If you’ve experienced injuries in the past, new injuries might aggravate old ones.
• Overuse- Listening to your body is very important. Injuries may start out small, but overuse can get worse. 
• Being overweight- Many issues come with being overweight, and sports injuries are one of them. Having extra weight can put more strain on your muscles and joints, such as your hips, knees, and ankles. 

 

What Are the Different Types of Sports Injuries?

In the world of sports, there are different types of injuries. 

• Sprains- A sprain occurs when the ligaments are overstretched or tear. 
• Strains- Strains happen when muscles or tendons are overstretched or torn.
• Knee injuries- A common sports injury; usually occurs when there is an injury that affects how the knee joint moves.
• Fractures- Bone fracture or a broken bone.
• Dislocations- Occurs when a bone is dislocated out of its socket.
• Rotator cuff injury- A tear in any of the muscles located in the rotator cuff can cause injury to this area.
• Achilles tendon rupture- If your Achilles ruptures, you may experience pain or difficulty walking.
• Swollen muscles- swollen muscles may feel painful and weak.

 

If you’ve suffered one of these injuries, Dr. Altchek is a world-renowned orthopedic in New York City and can help get you back in the game in no time.

 

What Treatment is Available for a Sports-Related Injury?

There are both surgical and non-surgical treatments for sports-related injuries. Non-surgical treatment can be used for mild injuries, and those include:

• Rest
• Ice
• Elevation
• Compression
• Over-the-counter pain medication 

 

Serious sports injuries would require medical attention. Seek medical attention if you experience:

• A lot of swelling and pain
• Lumps, bumps, or other deformities 
• Sounds of popping or crunching when you try to use the joint
• Weakness
• Difficulty breathing
• Dizziness
• Fever

 

Serious sports injuries can be scary, but it’s vital to get them treated right away to avoid permanent or damaging injury. Dr. Altchek is a highly experienced doctor that has treated professional sports teams like the New York Mets and the NBA. As one of the best orthopedics in New York City, rest assured you’re in good hands.

 

Surgical Treatment: Orthopedics New York City

If your doctor deems your injury serious, you may need to undergo surgical treatment to correct the injury. Dr. Altchek can perform various services depending on your injury, such as:

• Arthroscopy of the shoulder, knee, and elbow
• UCL reconstruction
• Total shoulder replacement
• Total knee replacement
• ACL reconstruction
• Shoulder instability treatment

 

Sports Injury Prevention: Orthopedics New York City

You don’t have to wait for an injury; you can work on prevention. Some tips for preventing injury are:

• Making sure to stretch
• Practicing proper technique 
• Having proper equipment and protection
• Listen to your body, and don’t try to work through the pain

 

Dr. Altchek: Orthopedics New York City

If you’re searching for orthopedics in New York City, Dr. Altchek is a world renowned surgeon and is best known for his adjustment to the Tommy John technique. His credit trials proceed him, as he is one of the lead consultants for the NBA as well as working with the New York Mets. In addition, he is also the top doctor for many tennis athletes. Dr. Altchek is dedicated to providing quality care to each and every patient. If you are looking for orthopedics in New York City, look no further. Contact us to make an appointment today.