By Thomas Plut, DO, Virtua Sports Medicine Specialist

The phrase “sports medicine” conjures images of competitive athletes being treated on the sidelines following an injury.

But you don’t have to be Carli Lloyd or Carson Wentz to receive a sports medicine consultation. People of all ages and levels of activity can benefit from the care sports medicine specialists provide.

Whether you have back or joint pain, tendonitis or carpal tunnel syndrome, we can pinpoint the source and recommend a course of treatment—often without surgery. If you are looking to increase your physical activity, we can help create a personalized training plan based on your body, your goals, and interests that minimize your risk of injury.

Conditions we treat include:

• Arthritis
• Back pain
• Bone spurs
• Bursitis
• Carpal tunnel syndrome
• Elbow problems, such as tennis and golfer’s elbow
• Ankle injuries
• Knee problems, including ACL strains or tears
• Shoulder pain, including rotator cuff issues
• Foot pain, including plantar fasciitis and arch pain
• Leg conditions, such as shin splints, calf, and hamstring injuries
• Hip pain

Our team will assess the severity of your injury and coordinate care with athletic trainers, physical therapists, and surgeons. We focus on nonsurgical solutions, providing braces and supports custom fitted in the office for ideal comfort and function, as well as referrals for physical rehabilitation, corrective muscle therapy, and other treatments as needed.

We are also skilled in Tenex, a minimally invasive treatment performed in the doctor’s office to relieve tendon or plantar fascia pain by removing damaged scar tissue.

Together, we will help you determine when you are ready to get back to your normal activities.

And, if you are a competitive athlete, you’ll often find us working as team physicians. We provide injury assessment and treatment, and share insight and direction for nutrition and supplements, as well as making healthy lifestyle choices.

So whether you are a competitive athlete, a weekend warrior, or just interested in increasing your physical activity, consulting with a sports medicine specialist can help you reach your goals and minimize the chance for injury.

Download the Virtua Health Guide to Back Pain or call 856-246-4272 to request a consultation with one of our back pain specialists.