Injury management
Many and varied are the treatments available to the
public, some come with credentials, others are new and
results may vary. Many are covered under extended health
plans.
- The sports medicine physician will assess and
diagnose the problem. He may need to order medical
imaging (e.g. x-ray, ultrasound, bone scan, CT, or
MRI). Once the diagnosis is established, you will be
referred to the appropriate management specialist. He
may also request an opinion from an orthopedic surgeon
should the need arise.
- The physiotherapists (RPT), specialist in manual
and modality treatments of specific problems. Do not
hesitate to ask for credentials beyond their
registration. Many actively pursue advanced courses and
become specialists in one area or another. My
preference is usually to seek the advice of a manual
therapist.
- Athletic therapists specialize in return to play
and often work with modalities and manual techniques.
- Massage therapists (or MT) are totally manually
oriented. They work on muscles and joints in an effort
to return to normal function.
- Chiropractors usually work manually, but also use
modalities. Their methods are variable. Make certain
you know what you are getting.
- ART (active release technique). This is often used
by chiropractors and other therapists. It is a fascial
release technique for soft tissue and is often very
effective.
- Acupuncture. This has found its way to mainstream
medicine many years ago, and is an effective method in
treating many injuries. Many of the above practitioners
also include acupuncture in their armament of
treatments offered.