Specialties & Services

Sports Medicine

We recognize that weekend warriors deserve the same level of medical attention as professional athletes. That’s why we offer world-class sports medicine services. We’ll get you back to your favorite activity quickly and safely.

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Why choose us for sports medicine?

BJC HealthCare works with WashU Medicine physicians, BJC Medical Group, and providers across the region to deliver extraordinary care. Any injury can be devastating when you enjoy an active lifestyle. We can help, whether you’ve suffered an on-field injury or pain is keeping you from fully participating in everyday activities. We offer:

  • Easy access: You won’t have to wait long to feel better when you're hurt. Some of our specialists offer virtual visits. They are also available in after-hours orthopedic injury clinics. We see patients 5 and older with concerns such as sprains, strains, dislocations, and fractures.
  • Elite-level sports medicine: We are the team doctors for the St. Louis Blues of the NHL and St. Louis CITY SC of MLS. We also prevent and treat injuries at the high school and college levels. You can expect the same high-quality care we provide these teams and their athletes.
  • Expertise: Orthopedists with advanced training in sports medicine guide your care. You also have access to specialists in hand and wrist, shoulder and elbow, hip and knee, and foot and ankle conditions. We are at the leading edge of sports medicine care helping people with complex injuries—fractures, sprains, strains—get back in the game. We commonly treat ACL tears, Achilles tendonitis, bursitis, plantar fasciitis, and tennis elbow.
  • Team mindset: Sports medicine doctors collaborate with physiatrists (physical medicine doctors), physical therapists, athletic trainers, and rehabilitation specialists. We coordinate all the services you need so you have a seamless experience.

What is sports medicine?

If you are injured while doing any type of physical activity, you may be advised to see a sports medicine healthcare provider for treatment. This could be exercising or playing sports.

About sports medicine specialists

Sports medicine healthcare providers have special training to help injured people get moving again as soon as possible. They are experts in preventing illness and injury in active people. Sports medicine healthcare providers do work with professional athletes. But they also treat children and teens involved in sports and adults who exercise for personal fitness. They also treat people who have physically demanding jobs, like construction workers.

Sports medicine is not a medical specialty itself. Most sports medicine healthcare providers are certified in other specialties. These can be internal medicine or emergency medicine. They can also be family medicine, or another specialty. Then they get more training. Other providers specialize in treating injuries in children and teens. Their growing bodies can be quite different from those of adults. These specialists are usually board-certified in pediatrics or family medicine and also have training in sports medicine. Some sports medicine providers have surgical training., The training is usually as orthopedic surgeons.

Other experts who are not medical doctors may work with a sports medicine specialist to provide care including:

  • Physical therapists. They help people rehabilitate and recover from injuries.
  • Certified athletic trainers. These trainers provide rehab exercise routines to help people regain strength. They also develop conditioning programs to prevent future injury.
  • Nutritionists. They may help with needed weight loss or weight gain. They can provide dietary advice to help people.

Reasons to see a sports medicine specialist

You may see a sports medicine healthcare provider for an injury such as:

  • Ankle sprain
  • Fracture
  • Knee and shoulder injury
  • Tendonitis
  • Exercise-induced asthma
  • Heat illness
  • Concussion
  • Eating disorder
  • Cartilage injury

Sports medicine healthcare providers give advice on nutrition and exercise. They can also advise supplements and ways to prevent injury.

When to call a sports medicine healthcare provider

If you have a major injury during exercise or sports, go to an emergency room. Don't wait to see a sports medicine specialist. Some signs of a major injury include severe pain and swelling. They also include numbness, and an inability to put any weight on the injured area. If your child doesn't have these symptoms, have them rest at home. Call your child's healthcare provider for guidance. You may want to ask for a referral to a sports medicine specialist.

Most sports injuries don't need surgery. Treatment for a sports injury can include taking pain relievers, putting ice on the injured area, and keeping it immobilized with a cast or sling. In some cases, surgery may be needed to fix torn tissue or realign bones.

Search for a specialist

Our highly trained team of specialists offers advanced treatments as well as compassionate, personalized care.

Sports medicine testing and treatments

Depending on the sports injury, our sports medicine specialists may recommend non-surgical or surgical treatment. We offer:

Aquatic therapy

 Doing exercises in water takes pressure off painful joints so you can get moving earlier in your recovery.

Custom splints and adaptive devices

 These devices fit the unique shape of your body. They hold the affected area in a position that provides support and relieves strain.

Therapeutic injections

 We inject medication directly into your area of concern, which can speed healing. Real-time imaging helps deliver them with precision.

Therapeutic massage

 Licensed massage therapists help loosen stiff tissue, which increases blood flow to injured areas and promotes healing.

Achilles tendon repair

 We reconnect torn tendons. We may remove damaged tissue if there is wear and tear. Sometimes, we replace the tendon with a new one.

Cartilage repair

 Surgeons use a variety of techniques to restore healthy cartilage. These techniques include making small cuts in nearby bones to stimulate new tissue development.

Knee ligament reconstruction

 We replace torn or damaged knee ligaments with healthy tissue from elsewhere in your body. Sometimes donor tissue is used.

Plantar fasciitis release surgery

 Experts make small cuts in the band of tissue that runs from the heel to the toes. Or, they may place incisions in one of the two calf muscles.

Shoulder instability repair

 We use a variety of techniques to stabilize your joint, like tightening ligaments, fixing worn-down bones, or repairing cartilage tears.

Tennis elbow surgery

 Surgeons remove damaged parts of the elbow tendon and strengthen the remaining tissue with stitches.

Tommy John surgery

 We replace torn elbow ligaments from throwing injuries with healthy tissue from other areas of the body—also known as ulnar collateral ligament reconstruction.

Locations near you.