Sports Medicine Nonsurgical Treatments

Depending on your condition, your sports medicine specialist may prescribe nonsurgical options such as:

Anti-inflammatory oral medications are intended to decrease pain and swelling and include non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, such as aspirin, ibuprofen, and naproxen.

Physical therapy and rehabilitation programs provide personalized treatment plans for both inpatient and outpatient therapy.

Injection therapies can be helpful in treating conditions ranging from golfer’s elbow to arthritis. Our doctors administer in-office injection therapies such as:

• Cortisone/corticosteroid injections can lessen your pain. Often injected into the joints, this anti-inflammatory medicine can take five to seven days to provide relief.  Your doctor may administer the injection with a local anesthetic.
• Platelet rich plasma injections take advantage of your blood’s healing component, platelets. For this therapy, we draw blood and process it to separate out a high concentration of platelets. We then administer the prepared substance into the site of your injury where the platelets have the potential to speed your healing process.
• Stem cell injections use stem cells from your bone marrow. This treatment involves injecting your body’s own regenerative cells into your injured joint. Our researchers are investigating use of stem cell injections for treatment of arthritis and other orthopedic conditions.
• Viscosupplementation injections are a treatment for arthritis. It involves injecting hyaluronic acid, a natural substance found in joint fluid, into your injured joint. The fluid improves lubrication to help relieve your pain.