Sports are organized, governed by a complex set of rules or traditions, that ensure fair play, and enable consistent adjudication of a winner. In most organized sports, statistics of past performances are maintained, and this information can be widely announced or leaked to the media in support of a sportsman. However, in informal sports, much less information is normally available, and the sportsperson is forced to study his game more carefully to understand why he is performing so poorly. In this way, the root cause can be found and corrected before it leads to an even greater disaster.
Many sports, such as, tennis, badminton, billiards, swimming, wrestling, boxing, gymnastics, aerobics, surfing, track and field, and hockey, have evolved over the years to become very professional sports. Almost every country has at least one major sports team, with professional leagues ranging in size from the English premiership soccer league, to the National Football League in the United States. Professional sport games and sports bars are extremely popular all over the world, with a large percentage of the population attending some form of sports event each week. Even though many of these sports are now much more popular amongst the general public through televised sports events, many people still enjoy playing the sport themselves. This has led to the development of many new sporting disciplines, including, but not limited to; ice hockey, American football, cricket, American football, motor car racing, cricket, snooker, billiards, table tennis, basketball, softball, golf and running.
Medicine has developed tremendously over the years as a direct result of the increased interest in physical activity, and this has been shown in the area of sports medicine. The application of this discipline may not always directly relate to a sport or recreational activity, but it certainly permeates them. Sports medicine has made great progress in recently diagnosing and treating a range of physical conditions which can affect the brain and spinal cord, which can result in debilitating loss of function.
The primary objective of sports medicine healthcare providers is to provide a safe and effective treatment programme for patients suffering from traumatic brain injury, acute traumatic brain injury, cervical spine fracture, head injuries or head trauma, or any other type of severe physical trauma resulting from contact sports. Some types of preventable accidents, such as skiing, diving, cycling, swimming, playing contact sports or playing an instrument, are covered. Each individual is treated differently depending on their own unique circumstances and situation. A good sports medicine specialist will be able to provide a detailed treatment programme for the patient, depending on the nature of the injury. The programme will take into account the severity of the symptoms, the history of the patient’s symptoms and their family history of similar injuries.
Some sports medicine healthcare providers specialise in treating patients who have suffered whiplash as the neck can be a central area of stress on the body during certain types of physical activity. Whiplash can be caused by sudden acceleration or deceleration during movement. Sports people who have whiplash may experience pain in the neck during sporting activities, weakness in the neck and arm or difficulty breathing. They may also be unable to use their arms after having participated in a sports activity and may find it difficult to swallow.
There are many other injuries which sports medicine healthcare providers are able to treat and this can include contusions, muscle cramps, sprains, strains and sports-related knee injuries. A sports medicine specialist can treat sports related whiplash as well as treating sports related accidents and injuries. If you have sustained any of these injuries, it is important to contact a professional immediately for advice and a suitable treatment. The sooner you seek medical attention the better your chances of making a full recovery.