Physical therapy is often confused with sports medicine, but they are two different fields. Physical therapists help patients regain mobility and function by using hands-on treatments. Sports medicine doctors are more likely to treat injuries that occur during competitive events like football or soccer games. The best way to find out which type of practitioner you need is to talk with your primary care physician or specialist about your symptoms. They will be able to recommend the best course of action for you.
Sports medicine is a field of medicine that focuses on the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of sports-related injuries. Physical therapy is a field of healthcare that helps people regain or maintain mobility and function following an illness or injury.
So, what’s the difference? Sports medicine typically involves treating injuries that occur as a result of participating in sports or physical activity. Physical therapy can be used to treat a wide range of conditions, not just sports-related injuries. Additionally, physical therapists often provide exercises and stretches to help patients improve their strength and flexibility.
Physical therapy is a form of health care that focuses on recovery and healing. While sports medicine does often involve aspects of rehabilitation, it also involves other aspects such as performance enhancement or athletic training.
Physical therapists work with people who have injuries to restore their function and prevent further injury. They use exercise, manual techniques like massage and mobilization, modalities such as ultrasound and electrical stimulation, etc., to help the patient recover from an illness or condition caused by disease or trauma; to manage chronic pain; improve mobility around injured joints; increase endurance for patients in cardiac rehab programs; aid in pulmonary rehabilitation following treatments like bronchoscopy for lung cancer treatment among others things.
Both sports medicine doctors and physical therapists are medical professionals who enjoy helping people get better at their favorite activities, whether they be recreational games like baseball, fitness training routines designed by professional athletes, or just walking around town doing errands on Saturday afternoon. The main goal of both careers in terms of patient care is to improve through rehabilitation techniques that focus on injury recovery as well as preventative measures used in healthy individuals so surgery isn’t needed in the future.
If you’re suffering from a sports-related injury, you may want to consider seeing a sports medicine specialist. If you’ve recently suffered an illness or injury and need help getting back on your feet, physical therapy can be a great option.
Sports medicine doctors complete a sports medicine residency that focuses on musculoskeletal conditions and rehabilitation of the injured athlete before becoming certified in their particular area of interest such as orthopedics, family practice, or general surgery.
Physical therapists go to physical therapy school for three years after earning a bachelor’s degree and then become licensed by passing an exam administered by the state in which they reside. Thereafter, all 50 states require them to be re-licensed every two years based on continuing education requirements (CERs) mandated by each board of physical therapist examiners across the country.
Sports medicine doctors might work for hospitals or medical centers, but they can also find employment with teams like the NFL’s San Francisco 49ers.
Physical therapists often work in private clinics where they treat patients one on one. Some PTs who own their own practice may choose to hire other PT staff members when demand increases during busy times like summer months or winter holidays. Other physical therapists work for various sports teams.
One reason sports medicine is often confused with physical therapy is that the two professions share a lot of common ground. Both sports medicine and physical therapy are involved in helping people recover from injuries, although sports medicine doctors may also be involved in preventive care. However, there are some key distinctions between these two professions.
Sports medicine doctors typically have more medical training than physical therapists do. They may perform surgeries or prescribe medications to help patients recover from their injuries. Physical therapists, on the other hand, focus more on providing therapies like exercise or massage to help patients improve their range of motion and function.
If you are considering physical therapy or sports medicine, it is important to understand the differences between these two professions. Physical therapists often provide rehabilitation services for patients with injuries and disabilities. Sports Medicine doctors help athletes recover from injuries sustained during their event as well as educate them about risks of injury in the future. The training required for each profession varies greatly too so be sure to do your research before deciding where to go and which service to employ.
Dr. Chen sees patients at Saint Francis Memorial Hospital Center for Sports Medicine in Walnut Creek, California. He is a board-certified Pediatrician and Sports Medicine Doctor that specializes in the non-operative medical treatment of a wide variety of various musculoskeletal conditions, including back injuries. Dr. Chen graduated from St. George’s University School of Medicine and went on to complete Pediatric residency training at the University of Medicine and Dentistry in New Jersey (Rutgers), then went on to fellowship training in Sports Medicine at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, one of the perennially top-ranked children’s hospitals in the nation. There he provided sideline coverage for NCAA Division I athletics at the University of Cincinnati and Miami University (OH). Since graduating, Dr. Chen has continued his love of sports coverage by volunteering for the San Francisco Marathon, the San Francisco Giant Race, and as the team physician for Northgate High School in Walnut Creek. Being a part of The Center for Sports Medicine allows Dr. Chen quick access to a multidisciplinary team of orthopedic surgeons, podiatrists, physiatrists, and physical therapists to return you to your highest functional level quickly and safely. Click here to contact us for your next appointment!
925-934-3536
stephen.chen@eastbaysportsdoc.com