4 Tips for Choosing a Sports Medicine Clinic
Whether you participate in an athletic activity of any kind or experience an issue requiring physiotherapy, you need to find the best place to receive treatment. Here are four tips for choosing a sports medicine clinic.
1. Determine Your Treatment Needs
There is no one sports medicine treatment because there is no one sports injury or sports-related condition. Instead, you need to get a diagnosis and then seek the recommended care for that diagnosis. If, for example, you have a concussion, your treatment will be vastly different than it would be for a torn ligament or a broken bone. You may also require multiple treatment regimens. For example, if you injure your Achilles tendon, you’ll need initial treatment to repair the tear and subsequent physical therapy to help strengthen your ankle and improve your range of motion.
2. Choose the Best Location
Some people are looking for general sports medicine or treatments that are relatively common. Others may have a serious injury or condition or may be seeking highly specialized treatment. The type of care you need and your ability to travel will influence where you seek care. For example, if you want to remain local, you should search for sports medicine options in your area, with keywords such as Sports Clinic Mississauga, whereas if you are looking for a specific treatment, you may instead seek out a place that specializes in that, regardless of location.
3. Talk To Your Doctor
Discuss your treatment options with your doctor before pursuing them. He or she can help you determine the best course of action and make decisions regarding where you want to receive care. While you know your body best and can provide input on what you want or feel comfortable with, your doctor is better equipped to diagnose your specific condition and make treatment recommendations
4. Get a Referral if Needed
Depending on your treatment needs, you may also need a referral from your doctor. This is because, while some sports medicine treatments are generalized and non-invasive, others may require working with specialists or the performance of invasive procedures. Your doctor will help you determine whether you need to see a certified athletic trainer, an orthopedic surgeon, a physical therapist or a different sports medicine provider. Then he or she will write you a referral if it’s required.
You should always do as much research as you can before making a decision regarding sports medicine. Each person, each injury and each course of treatment is unique.
