Man crouching to hold injured knee on a pickleball court

How Sports Medicine Can Help You Recover From Injury

Sports injuries can affect your physical health, your emotional well-being, and your quality of life. At Long Island Spine Rehabilitation Medicine, all of our doctors understand the impact of these injuries and design comprehensive sports medicine programs to help each patient recover quickly and effectively. Dr. Chator, the dynamic physiatrist who is the newest member of our team, comes to us with impressive credentials and an outstanding skill set when it comes to treating sports injuries.

How LI Spine Broadens the Scope of Sports Medicine

At Long Island Spine Rehabilitation Medicine, we believe in a holistic, nonsurgical approach to sports medicine. Our highly trained physiatrists integrate traditional medical treatments with complementary therapies to provide a well-rounded recovery plan, customized to meet your particular needs. This approach ensures that all aspects of your injury are addressed, promoting overall health and preventing future injuries.

Traditional and Complementary Treatment Options

We offer a wide range of treatment options. Since we believe that healing is a collaborative process between doctor and patient, we take your personal concerns and preferences into account in developing a therapeutic plan just for you.

Common Sports Injuries on Long Island

Sports injuries can vary greatly depending on the activity. Below are some of the sports injuries we treat frequently, most of which are tied to overuse or a traumatic incident while running, playing football, baseball, soccer, basketball, and a host of other sports:

  • Achilles tendon injuries ranging from mild strains to complete rupture of the tendon connecting the calf muscles to the heel bone.
  • ACL tears — injuries to the anterior cruciate ligament in the knee.
  • Ankle sprains — ligament injuries caused by twisting or rolling the ankle.
  • Golfer’s elbow — inflammation of the tendons in the elbow that causes pain on the inside of the affected arm.
  • Tennis elbow — inflammation of the tendons in the elbow that results in pain on the outer side of the arm.
  • Hamstring strain — acute, intense pain along the back of the thigh due to overstretching the hamstring muscles.
  • Meniscus tears — cartilage tears in the knee from sudden twists and turns.
  • Rotator cuff injuries — strains or tears in the shoulder muscles and tendons.
  • Runner’s knee — pain around the kneecap due to overuse and repetitive motion.
  • Shin splints — pain along the shinbone caused by overuse.

Of course, each of these injuries can and do also occur in the course of engaging in work, chores, or other activities. Needless to say, our treatments work equally well no matter what the cause of your “sports” injury.

Our Array of Effective Sports Medicine Treatment Options

Included in our wide range of therapeutic treatments are:

Corticosteroid injections 

These can be administered in the spine as epidurals or elsewhere in the joints or muscles to reduce inflammation and relieve pain.

Knee Viscosupplementation

Knee viscosupplementation involves injecting hyaluronic acid into the knee joint to lubricate and cushion the joint, reducing pain and improving function in athletes with osteoarthritis.

Customized Physical Therapy

Our physical therapy programs are tailored to each patient’s specific injury, focusing on strengthening, flexibility, and functional training to promote recovery and prevent re-injury. They may administered with or without electrical stimulation.

PRP Therapy

Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) therapy uses the patient’s own blood platelets to accelerate healing. PRP is effective for treating tendon injuries, ligament injuries, and other soft tissue damage.

PEMF

Pulsed Electromagnetic Field (PEMF) therapy uses electromagnetic fields to stimulate cellular repair and reduce inflammation, accelerating recovery from sports injuries.

Acupuncture

Acupuncture is an ancient form of Chinese therapy, now widely accepted by modern medicine, involving the insertion of hair-thin needles into specific points on the body to promote healing and relieve pain. 

Prolotherapy

Prolotherapy is an injection-based treatment used to repair chronic musculoskeletal injuries.

Contact Our Exceptional Sports Medicine Specialists Today

Recovering from a sports injury requires a well-tested, individualized approach. Contact Dr. Chator or one of the other fine doctors at Long Island Spine Rehabilitation Medicine. We are all dedicated to helping you heal as quickly as possible so you can re-energize and get back in the game.