Tennis and Sports Medicine Concerns
Many people do not realize that beyond the initial beginnings of tennis that the sport can actually be very dangerous. Yet at the same time even those who do realize that it is dangerous often do not realize just how important it is to have a good sports medicine doctor that you work with. Most tennis injuries are caused specifically by the sport itself, which makes the need to have a sports medicine doctor quite large. If you are playing tennis at an advanced level or even professionally or semi-professionally you must have a good sports medicine doctor. Those players who are on the lower levels can typically avoid using a sports medicine doctor; however it is still a wise decision to have a doctor.
If you are injured for any reason due to playing a sport, which includes tennis seeing a good sports medicine doctor can often speed up your recovery time greatly. While you may not realize it, taking the time and effort to find a good doctor can ensure that you are not sitting around in pain struggling to find a doctor that can see you after you have been injured. Being able to simply call someone up to take care of your needs is very important, however waiting until after you are injured is a recipe for disaster, especially since not all doctors take new patients at all times.
You should take your time selecting a good sports medicine doctor. With the list of acute injuries for tennis being rather large it is important to ensure that you are working with someone that you trust. You also need to ensure that your doctor is highly experienced in sports medicine and is readily available in the event that you have a problem. For example, if it would take two weeks for you to get an appointment with your chosen sports medicine doctor it would be a very wise decision to search for a new doctor that could see you sooner.
In addition to helping you stay healthy by treating your injuries a good sports medicine doctor should be able to help you prevent injuries as well. They should be able to recommend specific exercises and safety equipment that will help you to avoid being injured. If you are working with a doctor that barely wants to ever talk to you then again you need to find a new doctor. Sports medicine doctors are typically quite hands on, however there are some that are just not as hands on in their treatment methods. Typically a hands on doctor will give you much better results.
If you do not already have a sports medicine doctor picked out you should consider talking to your coach or instructor to see whom they recommend. Most coaches are fairly well aware of which sports medicine doctors are good and which are not as effective at treating tennis injuries. You may also discover that simply by taking the advice of your coach that you find the absolute best sports medicine doctor that is in the area.
Remember, one of the biggest keys to preventing injuries is prevention itself. If you want to avoid being injured it is important that you establish a good working relationship with your sports medicine doctor before you are injured. This will allow them to help you in prevention, and help you treat the injuries themselves much faster when they do occur.
