Sports and fitness keep you active and are an essential part of a healthy lifestyle. If you are a professional athlete, gym-goer, runner, dancer or ever play at least recreational sports, in some days of your life the injuries interrupt your habits. If the mild ache settles quickly with rest then that is one thing but if there is ongoing pain, swelling, joint instability or loss of movement then this in most instances signifies a cartilage or soft tissue injury which requires specific management.
Injury related to sports, exercise and work-related activities are the focus of a Sports orthopaedics surgeon. The purpose is not only to treat pain but also to treat the underlying injury, retain and / or restore dead joints where possible, and rehabilitate patients to their desired level of activity.
Dr Nagraj Shetty is an experienced arthroscopy and sports orthopaedics surgeon with a subspeciality interest in complex knee preservation, shoulder surgery, and arthroscopic techniques. He is affiliated with many hospitals in Mumbai, where he performs surgery and provides specialist care.
What Does a Sports Orthopaedics Surgeon Do
A Sports orthopaedic surgeon is specialised in injuries of joints, ligaments, cartilage, tendons and other structures which are needed for movement. Such damage can happen suddenly, perhaps from landing awkwardly after a fall or turning the ankle, but it may also occur gradually due to chronic strain and overuse.
Some sports and activity-related conditions which you may be experiencing include:
- ACL and other ligament injuries
- Meniscus tears
- Cartilage injuries
- Shoulder instability
- Rotator cuff injuries
- Tendon injuries
- Joint instability
- Sports-related knee pain
- Specific kinds of ankle, hip, and elbow injuries
Treatment varies based on what the injury is, and may consist of activity modification, rehabilitation, medication care (as appropriate), injections when warranted or surgery, if necessary. Techniques of arthroscopy: Arthroscopy is one of the minimally invasive techniques that can be used in the management of many joint conditions.
Dr Nagraj Shetty has specialised Work in Arthroscopic and Reconstructive Surgeries of Knee and Shoulders like ACL Reconstruction, Meniscus Repair, Cartilage Procedures, Complex Knee Preservation And Ligament Injuries
Sports Medicine Specialist vs Sports Orthopaedics Surgeon
A Sports medicine specialist specializes in competition-related conditions and their diagnosis, treatment and rehabilitation. Yet when such an injury needs to be surgically approached, a sports orthopaedics surgeon fitted with academic know-how can examine the scenarios and find out if surgery is essential.
Not every sports injury needs surgery is an important lesson learnt. The clinical assessment and relevant investigations help decide the grade of injury and thus guide management.
In athletes and fitness enthusiasts the goal is to return to function after surgery at their sports level, their mechanical demands through training/sporting events.
What are the indications to see a sports orthopaedics surgeon?
Not every muscle soreness from exercising needs to see a Sports orthopaedics surgeon. But, there are symptoms that cannot be ignored.
Pain That Does Not Improve
Post-exercise soreness, commonly called Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness (DOMS), is something everyone experiences from time to time and can be alleviated with appropriate rest. If joint or muscle-related pain persists, recurring during exercise, or gradually worsening state should deserve a clinical examination.
Swelling After an Injury
Especially when swelling occurs after a twisting movement, fall, or event in a sporting context.
A Feeling of Instability
A knee that buckles, where your knee may feel like rolling or slipping out of place while walking, running, going up and down the stairs or playing sports can be a sign that there is ligament or other structural damage. The same goes for recurring dislocations of the shoulder or a nagging sense that the shoulder is about to slip out of position.
Restricted Movement
This can often be as being unable to bend/straighten a joint all the way, lift the arm, or move like one used to prior and signals a structural problem.
Pain During Gym Exercises
Pain at the gym should never be ignored and worked through. If you feel recurring pain with squats, lunges, when running, jumping or overhead (or weight training / resistance exercise) it may be indicative of an injury.
If symptoms continue even after reducing or stopping your workout, a specialised assessment can provide the insights needed to get you back on track.
Gym Injury or Early Evaluation?
Hypothesis : The condition of people looking for gym injuries treatment in India can be entirely different. You cannot compare a shoulder that was injured weight training with an ACL in a sport, these would each be assessed separately.
Of various gym-related injuries, some can be managed conservatively without surgery, while specific ligament, cartilage, meniscus or tendon trauma will need surgical treatment. Dr. Nagraj Shetty is a sports medicine specialist, and he has dealt with many injuries arising from sports or gyms like ACL injuries, meniscus tears, shoulder issues, etc.
It can also help you understand what is to be avoided and how to progressive safely towards recovery.
In what way can a Sports Orthopaedic Surgeon help an athlete?
For an athlete, recovery is more than just not being in pain. Your goal is to return the athlete to a state of stability, mobility, strength and function allowing them to safely return to their previous demands.
How can a Sports orthopaedics surgeon help?
- Understanding which structure may have been damaged following an injury
- Determining how bad an injury to ligament, cartilage, tendon or joint is
- Finding out if conservative treatment might be more suitable
- Doing arthroscopic (or reconstruction) when necessary
- Utilizing joint preservation methods when possible
- Appropriate rehabilitation for the patient
- Educating on realistic timelines for returning to activity
He has been in practice with special expertise in arthroscopy and sports orthopaedics since 2006, and his international fellowships relate to arthroscopy sports orthopaedics and shoulder surgery along with more advanced training in joint procedures.
Choosing the Right Time to Seek Treatment
A regular error for active people is that they train through chronic pain. Although some minor discomfort related to exercise may spontaneously resolve, symptoms that persist can be indicative of injury and warrant appropriate evaluation.
How a Sports orthopaedics surgeon can helpYou may need either time to rest and rehabilitate, further investigation or a surgical procedure; our Orthopaedic Surgeon Melbourne can provide advice on the option best suited to you. An early assessment can provide insight enabling an informed choice regarding the restoration of health.
Sports Orthopaedic Care with Dr. Nagraj Shetty
Dr Nagraj Shetty is an arthroscopy, sports orthopaedic, complex knee preservation and shoulder specialist. He is affiliated with various hospitals all throughout Mumbai. His expertise encompasses issues around complex knee and shoulder conditions, ligament injuries, meniscus injuries, cartilage disorders as well as other sports-related joint conditions.
If you are unable to exercise or play sports because of persistent pain, swelling, instability, or limited movement progress is obtained by an appropriate evaluation which will help identify the problem and recommend further treatment.
Conclusion
Sports injuries are not always synonymous with having to forget about physical activity forever. Proper diagnosis and treatment protects joint function, allowing a safe return to activity. In case of persistent pain, instability, swelling or difficulty in movement while exercising at gym or playing a sport you should consult expert Sports orthopaedics surgeons like Dr. Nagraj Shetty to assess the condition and discuss the treatment options.
FAQs
In the case of a suspected injury, a Sports medicine specialist will assess the injury and determine what might be causing it as well as devise a suitable management plan. Treatment consists of modification of activity, rehabilitation or disease-specific referral to surgical evaluation for structural injury in cases where this intervention is necessary.
For everyone with a gym injury, there is not a single best treatment. How you treat it will depend on the type and extent of the injury. Some conditions such as ACL capsule tears, meniscus injuries, cartilage defects and certain shoulder injuries can require specialised treatment, but other conditions may respond well to organised rehabilitation. Dr Nagraj Shetty has an expertise in arthroscopic and sports-related joint surgery.
When pain lasts for more than a few days, swelling keeps returning, your knee locks or collapses, movement is limited: it is time to visit a knee pain specialist. Especially if the injury occurred during sports, running, gym training or other physical activity work out.
A Sports orthopaedic surgeon is trained to diagnose sports-related injuries of the joints and soft tissues, evaluate their need for surgery, perform the appropriate arthroscopic or reconstructive procedures required, and assist patients in achieving a return to their activities safely. Dr Nagraj Shetty, a consultant orthopaedic and trauma surgeon at Aster MIMS Calicut specialties in arthroscopy & sports orthopaedics and complex knee preservation with several years of experience in dealing with sports injuries to the knee and the shoulder.
