There’s a common misconception that sports medicine is a specialty that focuses only on high school, college and professional athletes. However, an active lifestyle doesn’t stop once you “retire” from your sport. Scott Arthur, M.D., a sports medicine specialist with the Bone and Joint Institute of Tennessee, says he sees all levels of athletes. “In the sports medicine field, we see everyone from professional athletes to kids to weekend warriors,” Arthur said. “When athletic injuries occur, no matter how minor, sports medicine specialists can often provide treatment early on to prevent bigger issues down the road.”

Common Injuries

The Institute is equipped to treat a wide variety of athletic-related injuries, but Arthur says overuse injuries, like strains and sprains from repetitive motions, are the most common and easily treated. “We see a lot of individuals come into the Institute with overuse injuries like sprained ankles, strained knees and pulled hamstrings that are relatively minor and conservatively treated,” Arthur said. “However, our team of eight sports medicine specialists also handle injuries like torn ACLs and rotator cuffs, dislocated shoulders and knees, or fractures that require more intensive and sometimes surgical treatment.” In the event surgery is necessary to treat an injury, the Institute boasts state-of-the-art surgical technology, including CT-guided shoulder replacement and robotic-assisted hip and knee surgery systems. While surgical intervention and physical therapy are necessary for some injuries, Arthur says the Institute focuses on a preventive approach to treatment.

Preventive Tips

No matter the sport or athlete, Arthur says patients who play year-round sports are at a higher risk for overuse injuries. Taking at least three months each year away from the primary sport played to focus on a different activity is highly encouraged. Precautions should be taken to prevent common injuries. Arthur’s top suggestions include:

• Vary your workouts to prevent overuse
• Ramp up your workouts at a steady pace
• Focus on flexibility and stretching

For athletes playing contact sports, injuries like dislocations and fractures are more likely. Wearing the appropriate equipment and ensuring contact is minimal and safe is key to preventing serious injuries. Focusing on increasing the strength and flexibility of joints like shoulders and knees can also decrease the risk of dislocation. When injuries do occur, however, Arthur says seeing a sports medicine specialist sooner rather than later is always the best course of action. “Sometimes it can be hard to know if an injury is serious or not, but patients should always come in and see us if an injury doesn’t improve after a couple of days,” Arthur said. “If there’s a doubt, come and get it checked on. We can usually help keep it from getting worse.”

About Scott Arthur, M.D.

Scott Arthur, M.D., is a board-certified orthopaedic surgeon specializing in sports medicine and shoulder and elbow care. After earning his medical degree from the University of Tennessee School of Medicine in 2000, Arthur completed an orthopaedic residency at the Campbell Clinic in Memphis and received fellowship training at the American Sports Medicine Institute in Birmingham, Ala. where he trained under world-renowned sports medicine specialist Dr. James Andrews. Arthur is currently the team physician for Brentwood High School and Brentwood Academy and the medical director for the Nashville Jr. Predators. For more information or to schedule a consultation, call (615) 791-2630.