The Team Approach to Sports Medicine
Sports medicine can have many different connotations. Many believe that the concept was exclusive to the treatment of athletic injuries. However, the emphasis is now leaning towards meeting the athlete's total health needs. The American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) defines it as follows -
Sports medicine is multidisciplinary, including the physiological, biomechanical, psychological and pathological phenomena associated with exercise and sports.
The Team Approach
Today's sports medicine is a team approach that includes coaches, Certified Athletic Trainers, Primary Care Sports Medicine physicians, and Sports Medicine orthopedic surgeons. Other specialists like physical therapists, internists, dentists, oral surgeons and optometrists can also be included. The primary goal of each specialist is the health, welfare and safety of the athlete. For athletes to receive optimal healthcare, these individuals must work together seamlessly as a team.
Along with the coach, the certified athletic trainer tends to have the most daily contact with the athlete. The athletic trainer is often the center of the team, responsible for the prevention, care and evaluation, and rehabilitation of the athlete's injuries and illnesses. To provide the athlete with the highest level of care, the athletic trainer will often refer or consult with medical specialists, then implement the appropriate care.
A team approach to sports medicine, when all specialists are working in concert, is imperative to ensuring that sports-related injuries are treated effectively and efficiently - returning the athlete to their sport as quickly and safely as possible.
St. Francis Sports Team
The St. Francis Sports Team is among the best in the Southeast. Our fellowship-trained Primary Care Sports Medicine Physician is highly skilled at the most advanced sports medicine techniques, while our Sports Medicine Surgeons treat a range of sports injuries (from torn ACLs to cartilage repair/restoration) while operating under the highest standards of care. And, our athletic trainers are nationally certified while our therapists are among the most experienced in the Upstate.
Meet the St. Francis Sports Team Elite
Primary Care Sports Medicine Physician:
Stephen H. Keiser, MD of Sports & Exercise Medical Center
Sports Medicine Surgeons of Piedmont Orthopaedic Associates:
Thomas E. Baumgarten, MD
John H. Paylor, III, MD
John R. Vann, MD
If you have any questions concerning an athletic injury you can contact one of the certified athletic trainers from St. Francis Sports Medicine at 675-HURT.
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