Where a businessperson relies on computers and phones to do their work, and a delivery driver relies on their car and an active license, a major athlete's body is their tool. Keeping it in tiptop shape, and recovering quickly from injuries, is critical to their performance and perhaps even their livelihood. That's why it's important to know the doctors that can best help them keep their bodies in top condition and make a quick recovery when injured.
Just about every sport requires an athlete to be on their feet. This makes foot and ankle injuries incredibly common. A podiatrist specializes in foot and ankle injuries with years of training in musculoskeletal problems in those areas of the body. They can help athletes recover from a foot or ankle injury, but they can serve other purposes as well. They may assess the athlete's gait, make orthotics, and perform biomechanical analysis.
Chiropractors treat a variety of musculoskeletal conditions throughout the body. A chiropractor's treatments relieve pressure in different parts of the body. Because there is no need for a prescription and some problems can be solved with very few treatments, this is often a first line of treatment for many athletes. They get regular treatments to avoid injury and seek out their chiropractor for more natural methods of treating pain and injuries.
Part of recovering from an injury is rehab and recovery. This is helped by working with a physical therapist who subspecializes in sports medicine. A physical therapist is rarely a major athlete's first stop because physical therapists don't diagnose the injury. Instead, they treat an injury based on the clinician's diagnosis. A quality physical therapist will integrate rehab and training into injury recovery and is an enormous asset to an athlete.
Athletes are often under a unique internal and external pressure to succeed both on and off the field. This pressure is stressful enough on a good day, but after an athlete has suffered an injury, it can feel even more intense as they're trying to quickly recover and get back on the field. A sports psychologist can help an athlete manage their stress before and after an injury. They also assist in improving sports performance, managing emotional balance, provide mental skills training, and otherwise assist in address the emotional and mental well-being of their athletes.
There are never any guarantees when someone is an athlete. They can be injured anytime and quite severely. But with the right doctors on their roster, major athletes can increase the chances of a full recovery and getting back into the game they love.
Meghan Belnap is a freelance writer who enjoys spending time with her family. She loves being in the outdoors and exploring new opportunities whenever they arise. Meghan finds happiness in researching new topics that help to expand her horizons. You can often find her buried in a good book or out looking for an adventure.