Physical activity is a double-edged sword — it’s great for your overall health and fitness, but puts you at risk for injury. Whether you get paid to play sports or you’re an amateur weekend warrior, every pivot, stride, jump, swing, and stroke puts stress on your muscles, ligaments, and joints, making them vulnerable to overuse, misuse, wear and tear, and acute injuries.
When physical activity takes its toll on your body, you want to approach the problem like an athlete who chooses the right equipment for your sport. Los Angeles-area athletes, both pro and amateur, choose Neil Ghodadra, MD, sports medicine specialist and orthopedic surgeon, to get them back in the game.
Here’s how the speciality of sports medicine can make a difference in your treatment, recovery, and future performance.
To specialize in sports medicine, physicians undergo additional training that gives them a deeper understanding of the conditions and injuries that physically active people often experience. Here’s a look at how Dr. Ghodadra is specially qualified as a sports medicine physician:
One of Dr. Ghodadra’s most important qualifications is his reputation for unsurpassed, patient-centered care. He’s known for his personable approach, listening well, and involving his patients in their treatment.
In addition to treating sport-related musculoskeletal injuries, Dr. Ghodadra offers expert comprehensive care for athletes and other physically active people. Seeking the care of a sports medicine specialist like Dr. Ghodadra has multiple benefits, including the following:
Injuries can cut your season short and have a devastating effect on your whole team. That’s why sports medicine focuses heavily on injury prevention.
Dr. Ghodadra helps you maintain your overall health and fitness, monitors past injuries, helps you understand your nutritional needs and fine-tune your diet, and analyzes your physical mechanics to make sure you’re doing all you can to keep performing at the top of your game.
For athletes, food is fuel, and much of what you choose to eat has the power to either help you get better or set you back. Dr. Ghodadra understands what your body needs for high-level performance, and he helps you create a meal plan that nourishes your body and supports your athletic goals. Depending on your needs, he may recommend supplements or nutritional therapy to keep your body running at peak performance.
Every sport requires precise movements — whether you play tennis, hockey, basketball, volleyball, or soccer, you use specific muscle groups and biomechanics. Executing these skills incorrectly puts you at risk for injury: If your joint is off by even the slightest degree, or if your faulty weight shift creates a ripple effect of misalignment and repetitive stress, injury is imminent.
Dr. Ghodadra understands your anatomical and biomechanical strengths and weaknesses, and he tailors your training and/or rehabilitation program to meet those needs precisely, so your body is well-equipped to perform your sport.
Dr. Ghodadra’s extensive experience and knowledge make him an integral member of your team, whether you play a solo sport or you’re part of a pro roster. As an athlete himself, he understands that you’re eager to get back in the game, but he also knows the danger of reinjury if you jump in too quickly.
He develops a customized rehabilitation plan that supports maximum tissue healing and the strengthening of supporting structures so you can re-enter your sport with every advantage and the lowest possible risk of injury recurrence.
About 90% of all sports injuries can be resolved without surgery, and that’s where sports medicine physicians excel. Dr. Ghodadra relies on a full lineup of traditional and conservative treatments, such as nonsteroidal, anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), bracing, and physical therapy, as well as innovative regenerative medicine treatments, including platelet-rich plasma (PRP) therapy.
If surgical intervention is the right course of action for your sports injury, you’re in the best hands with Dr. Ghodadra. As a board-certified orthopedic surgeon, he has mastered the art of minimally invasive arthroscopic surgery to lower the risks of open surgery, minimize tissue damage, reduce post-surgical pain, and accelerate recovery.
Injuries are always a possibility when you’re an athlete, so it’s good to team up with Dr. Ghodadra to prevent that eventuality. Likewise, if you find yourself suddenly sidelined, you can schedule a visit at Neil Ghodadra, MD, by calling either location in Santa Monica or Thousand Oaks, California, or by booking an appointment online at your convenience.
