Sports Medicine
Sports Medicine care at Andrews Institute for Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine is led by James Andrews, M.D., a worldwide leader in the field for more than 50 years. During that time, he’s been affiliated with many collegiate and professional teams, including Auburn University and the University of Alabama at the collegiate level, the Washington Commanders in the NFL, Major League Baseball’s Tampa Bay Devil Rays and the Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA).
Sports Medicine is a branch of orthopedics that includes surgeons and non-operative physicians. Physicians in sports medicine help athletes dealing with pain and injury. Their specialties cover a wide variety of ailments, some treatable in a single visit, others requiring surgery and a continuum of care synonymous with Andrews Institute. We treat the athlete in everyone. From professionals to weekend warriors, our team of fellowship-trained sports-medicine specialists will skillfully evaluate an injury and design an individualized treatment plan to help. Our goal is to help the people we serve be healthy and return safely to their sport or fitness routine.
Not every injury is the same. If rehabilitation is needed, our physicians work closely with physical therapists and athletic trainers to ensure the strength and flexibility goals needed to resume an active lifestyle are met.
Below is information on our typical sports medicine patients, their injuries and what a patient can expect in our care.
Typical Ages of Patients
Many of our sports medicine patients are between the ages of 14 and 25. However, the ages of our college athletes, professional athletes and weekend warriors can extend beyond those parameters.
Common Injuries
There is a long list of injuries or types of pain that may lead you to seek out a sports medicine physician. Those include, but are not limited to:
- Acetabular labral tears
- Acromioclavicular (AC) joint separation
- Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries
- Concussions
- Glenoid labral tears
- Golfer’s elbow (medial epicondylitis)
- Plantar fasciitis
- Runner’s knee (patellofemoral pain syndrome)
- Shoulder injuries (rotator cuff tears, frozen shoulder, impingements)
- Tendinitis
- Tennis elbow (lateral epicondylitis)
- Torn meniscus
- Ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) Injury (typically overuse of overhead motions or throwing)
- And more
What to Expect
From a patient’s first visit to their last, the continuum of care at Andrews Institute is second to none. First visits typically consist of a history review of the chief concern, X-rays when appropriate, a treatment plan (physical therapy, injections, surgery, specialty consults, etc.) and further workup (MRI, C.T., labs, etc.) if needed.
Physicians and their teams work closely with each patient to develop a plan that puts their health goals first, serving the patient best and for the long term.