June 2003 Bulletin

What is an Orthopaedic Sports Medicine specialist?

Orthopaedic sports medicine specialists have cognitive and psychomotor skills that make them proficient in the following areas:

• Recognition of conditions and diagnostic procedures for sports injuries in general and for specific sports;
• Non-operative management of injury conditions preventing participation;
• Surgical techniques to optimize short term return to athletic activity and to ensure physical activity and health over the long term;
• Conditioning, training and fitness as it relates to athletic performance;
• Athletic performance and the impact of dietary supplements, pharmaceuticals and nutrition on athletes’ short- and long-term health and performance;
• Coordination of medical care within athletic team settings including other health care professionals, such as athletic trainers, physical therapists, and non-orthopaedic physicians;
• On-the-field evaluation and management of sports medicine-related illnesses and injuries with detailed knowledge of sports-specific musculoskeletal injuries and medical problems;
• Soft tissue biomechanics, injury healing and repair;
• Principles and techniques of rehabilitation that enable the athlete to return to competition as quickly and safely as possible; and
• Knowledge of athletic equipment and orthotic devices (braces, etc.) and their use in prevention and management of athletic injuries.