Sports Medicine Surgery
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Cody Covington, MD
Orthopedic Surgeon located in San Antonio, TX
Sports medicine surgery requires a unique approach, one that balances your health needs, your desire for a quick return to your sport or activity, and your long-term function. At his office in San Antonio, Texas, Cody Covington, MD, offers honest assessments and compassionate orthopedic care to help athletes and others who’ve suffered sports injuries get back in the game. Dr. Covington can explain your treatment options, including sports medicine surgery, to help you achieve your health and fitness goals. Book your appointment online or call the office today.
Sports Medicine Surgery Q&A
What is sports medicine surgery?
Sports medicine surgery is a group of procedures that address traumatic injuries, wear-and-tear damage, and repetitive use damage in athletes. Although sports injuries can occur in almost any part of the body, the knee, shoulder, and hip are all common injury sites.
The goal of sports medicine surgery is to restore your function so you can resume your sport or activity. Dr. Covington offers a wide range of orthopedic sports medicine procedures to help you do so safely.
When might I need sports medicine surgery?
After a sports injury, Dr. Covington usually recommends nonsurgical treatment to ease your pain and other symptoms. Your body often can repair itself given time and rest.
If anti-inflammatory medication, physical therapy, and other conservative care don't help with your sports injury, Dr. Covington may recommend joint injections.
Joint injections can reduce inflammation (steroid injections), compensate for cartilage loss (viscosupplementation), or help you regrow damaged tissue (stem cell injections).
If nonsurgical measures don't work for you, or if you have certain conditions that can't heal naturally, Dr. Covington may recommend sports medicine surgery.
For example, an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tear usually requires ACL surgery because the ligament has no blood supply and can't heal naturally. Another example is a severe bone break, which may require fracture surgery to heal in the right position.
A few other sports injuries that may require surgery include meniscus tears, chronic tendinitis, and tendon ruptures.
How does sports medicine surgery work?
Whenever possible, Dr. Covington performs minimally invasive surgery for sports injuries. In most cases, he performs arthroscopy — a procedure in which he views your joint through a tiny camera — to diagnose and treat sports injuries.
Arthroscopy requires just 2-3 buttonhole-sized incisions, which means minimal bleeding, reduced risk of infection, and less pain, as well as a faster return to your sport.
Dr. Covington frequently performs knee arthroscopy, and it's also a common method used in shoulder surgery. Arthroscopy is usually an outpatient surgery that takes less than an hour.
It’s rare to need major surgery, like a total knee replacement, for a sports injury. But, in certain cases, such as severe post-traumatic arthritis that doesn’t respond to conservative treatments, Dr. Covington might recommend joint replacement surgery.
If you need an effective and efficient solution for a sports injury, call Cody Covington, MD, or book a consultation online now.