Whenever we watch a sports game, we admire athletes and their physical prowess. It could be a high-flying dunk in the NBA, or a record-breaking swim at the Olympics. What we see is the end result, and what we don’t get to see are the countless hours of practice. This kind of dedication often comes with some wear and tear. Athletes, as well as most people who are physically active, are no strangers to injuries, and the heroes that come to the rescue are traumatologists.
This branch of orthopedic medicine deals with damage inflicted to bones, muscles, ligaments, joints. The injuries range from very mild to severe, and traumatologists have developed certain methods and techniques to help the body regain its normal state. Go here to find out more.
Our bodies usually suffer a trauma as a result of violent action. One type is blunt force trauma, or a blow by some object that can result in broken bones, or even concussions. Another type is penetrative trauma, which, as the name suggests, damages the skin by creating open wounds. Both can be equally dangerous for our health and require immediate attention.
Tools of the Trade
Traumatologists need to be extremely skillful and efficient in situations that involve any kind of injuries. To determine the severity of the damage, they use diagnostic imaging such as magnetic resonance, ultrasound, CT (computerized tomography) scan and so on. Every modern clinic for orthopedics and traumatology is equipped with this technology.
Before dealing with more complicated procedures, the doctor has to make sure that the patient is breathing properly. This is usually done with the help of an oral airway, which doesn’t let the tongue cover the epiglottis and obstruct the breathing. This is also a way of checking if there’s any hemorrhage, and also controlling blood circulation. Then, the traumatologist must evaluate the responsiveness of the patient by checking the nervous system, both central and peripheral.
Depending on the injury, doctors perform a variety of surgical procedures. Be it your shoulder, spine, hand, hip, knee, hand or something else, they employ minimally invasive techniques (unless the situation requires a more extreme measure) and mend your broken places. In case of degenerative disease of, say, the joints, they use replacement surgery, which is usually very effective. It relieves the pain and improves the joint’s functionality.
Shock wave therapy is used with people who suffer great pain. You can visit sites like https://ortopedistaraulrodas.com/ for more expert advice on the subject. Whatever their condition might be, sometimes the pain is unbearable, and these acoustic wave pulsations are applied to painful spots, reducing the pain to a great extent.
Traumatologist or Rheumatologist?
These are two different kinds of medical specialists. It’s important to distinguish between the two so that you know where to go in case of injury.
Traumatologists are orthopedic surgeons who specialize in pathologies of traumatic origin. They treat your joints, bones or tendons using the abovementioned techniques. The conditions are varied: it could be a sprain, or joint twisting that is quite severe and could result in tearing of the ligament. Or it could be tendinitis: this happens when the tendon gets irritated or inflamed, followed by great discomfort or pain. Fractures are even more troublesome – they can impair your mobility and even deform you.
On the other hand, rheumatologists deal with issues in the locomotor system. A common example would be arthritis, resulting in pain and swelling of the joints. Rheumatism of the soft tissue is also quite common, and affects tendons, peripheral nerves etc. Autoimmune diseases, such as lupus, are also treated by rheumatology experts.
Now, to get the most accurate diagnosis and treatment, it’s best to go the rheumatologist first, and then seek the opinion of the traumatologist. These two specialists complement each other by targeting different areas of your body, providing you with a complete image of your musculoskeletal system.
Damage Prevention
The skeletal structure in children and adolescents is not fully developed. This means that they are more prone to injury, especially if they are physically active, playing sports at school etc. Probably the most affected areas are the feet, specifically the ankles, and knees, as there is a lot of running involved.
The most common type of injuries among children are overuse injuries. They can either happen suddenly, after a fall, twist or something else, or develop gradually by stressing parts of the body that are not given the necessary time to heal. They can affect tendons, muscles, bones and so on.
Young athletes can also be victims of bone stress injuries. The developing skeleton replaces old bones with new ones, so naturally, children’s bodies are more sensitive physically. When they practice sports regularly, this bone replacement process is much faster, and sometimes the body can’t keep up, which can result in stress fractures. If the sport is more physical, like American football, players are likely to suffer a trauma sooner or later, which can sprain their ligaments, strain their muscles or even fracture their bones.
There are certain strategies you can use to prevent sports injuries and avoid doctors. The most obvious one would be physical condition. There’s a reason why even top athletes spend a great portion of their time sweating away at the gym: you have to be in shape to perform physical tasks. Our bodies are not machines. They are sensitive, prone to injury, but the more we work on them, the more resilient we become.
Another important issue to consider is use of equipment. Handling weights improperly, for instance, can have disastrous consequences on your body. Lifting heavy weights off the floor with incorrect body posture can damage your spine severely. Make sure to seek professional opinion whenever you attempt a more challenging activity for your own sake.
Nutrition is essential to a good physical condition, and is often overlooked when it comes to children. Providing an all-encompassing diet for your children, with all the necessary vitamins, proteins, fats, carbohydrates, minerals etc, gives them high quality fuel to be burned during intense physical activity.
