Introduction
Sports medicine is basically an interdisciplinary subspecialty of medicine. It primarily deals with the treatment and preventive care of athletes, sportspersons and non-athletes.
Professionals who are trained in the field of sports medicine are capable of serving as specialists in various fields, including the likes of personal trainers, fitness trainers and health guides in general.
In this section, we’ve discussed the various important aspects of the job of a sports medicine physician along with a brief outline of the education and eligibility required.
The Pre-Requisites
There are a vast range of educational qualifications and training facilities available to facilitate specialization for the sports medicine physicians.
In most of the cases, the aspirants for specialist positions in the field of sports medicine must fulfill the following to the minimum:
1. Satisfactory physical examination results
2. Capability of injury assessment and management
3. Knowledge of caring for sports-related and general medical needs of athletes
4. Ability to handle special athlete groups, such as the elderly, disabled, women and the like
5. In-depth knowledge of sports psychology issues
6. Ability to address substance abuse
7. Thorough knowledge of counseling on illness and injury prevention
8. Ability to coordinate with other members of the sports medicine team such as athletic trainers, physical therapists, personal physicians, along with other medical and surgical specialties
9. Ability to maintain smooth communication between athletic trainers, coaches, school administration, and athletes along with their families
Generally, there are additional forums that add to the expertise of the sports medicine physicians, which include continuing education in sports medicine and membership and participation in sports medicine societies.
Questions to ask
Before you actually seek professional advice in the field of sports medicine, it is important to analyze your own needs and what help you want from your sports medicine physician.
We’ve furnished a quick set of pointers on what all you need to know about your sports medicine physician before you decide to avail his/her services.
1. Check for proper qualifications, eligibility criteria and required accreditations
2. Seek and verify referrals as far as possible
3. Prepare your own set of questions to ask from the sports medicine physician, in context of your individual concerns
4. Carry all the documents that could be possibly required by your sports medicine physician to examine you properly, especially on the first visit
5. Keep yourself informed of the latest developments in the field and take up your concerns with your specialist accordingly.
In addition, it is always helpful to discuss your previous medical history in detail, along with the details of any specific injuries or illnesses.
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