When you love to move, an injury can feel like everything stops. At UOA, our non-operative sports medicine team focuses on diagnosing and treating injuries without surgery when it’s the right approach. We know you want to get back to your workouts, games or weekend runs, and our job is to guide you through that in the safest way possible.
Our Approach
Our non-operative sports medicine specialists focus on helping you heal without surgery when it makes sense, but they also know that surgery can be the right option for certain injuries or conditions. We look at what your body can do on its own with the right support.
Our physicians are fellowship-trained and work with a full team, from athletic trainers to physical therapists to orthopaedic surgeons. This connected approach makes sure you get care that’s built around your goals, not just a standard protocol.
We use advanced imaging, like musculoskeletal ultrasound, to understand exactly what’s going on inside your joints, muscles or tendons. This imaging helps us diagnose and plan treatments with more precision and without exposing you to unnecessary scans.
Once we diagnose your injury or condition, we build a plan designed for your sport, your activity level and what you want to get back to doing.
Working Together for Complete Care
Our team doesn’t just treat your injury and send you on your way. We’re with you from start to finish. Your non-operative sports medicine care includes everything from the first visit and diagnosis to rehab and getting you back on the field or in the gym.
If surgery becomes necessary, your transition will be seamless. Our team works directly with UOA’s orthopaedic surgeons, ensuring you won’t feel like you’re starting over with new providers. Similarly, we collaborate closely with UOA’s rehabilitation center for physical therapy. We call this our continuum of care.
Non-Operative Treatments
Our non-operative sports medicine approach uses treatments that support natural healing and reduce pain. Some options include:
- Bracing
- Diagnostic musculoskeletal ultrasound
- Ultrasound guided injections
- Nerve hydrodissections
- Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injections
- Corticosteroid injections
- Viscosupplementation
- Regenerative medicine treatments
These treatments focus on supporting your body’s natural ability to repair itself, offering an alternative to more invasive procedures when appropriate.
Sports Injuries and Conditions Treated Non-Operatively
Below are some of the conditions we typically treat:
- Concussions
- Sports hernia
- Stress reactions and early stress fractures without displacement
- Infectious diseases in return to sport (i.e., mononucleosis, rashes/skin conditions in wrestlers)
- Exercise-induced asthma or exercise-induced bronchoconstriction
- Sports cardiology and clearance evaluation (abnormal EKG in athletes, pre-participation physicals in complex athletes, exertional syncope)
- Diabetes management in athletes
- Osteoarthritis
- Tendonitis/tendinopathies
- Workup for abnormal preparticipation sports physical examination
- Workup of chest pain and/or EKG changes in the athlete
- Return to play management in athletes with mononucleosis, COVID-19, etc.
Non-Operative Sports Medicine at UOA
At UOA, our non-operative sports medicine team is here to help you stay moving without surgery if possible. We believe in personal plans, teamwork and making sure you understand your diagnosis and treatment options. Our goal is to help you feel confident in your recovery and strong enough to get back to what you love.
If you’re dealing with a sports injury or condition, we’re ready to help. Reach out to us, and we’ll work with you on a plan that matches your goals and supports your long-term health. Request an appointment to start your path back to a more active, pain-free life.
