Sports Medicine: What It Is, What to Expect, and Whether It's Right for You
Sports medicine is one of those terms people hear often but rarely understand fully. Is it only for professional athletes? Do you need a referral? Will they just tell you to rest and ice it? I’ve heard versions of these questions often. Here are the ones that come up most.
What does a sports medicine doctor do?
A sports medicine physician specializes in the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of musculoskeletal injuries and conditions, meaning anything involving muscles, bones, tendons, ligaments, and joints. That covers a lot of ground.
In my practice, a visit might involve evaluating a runner's knee injury and determining whether it needs a cortisone injection, PRP therapy, or a movement and training modification. It might involve using diagnostic ultrasound to look at a shoulder in real time, then performing an ultrasound-guided injection on the same visit. It might involve osteopathic manipulation to address a movement restriction that is contributing to chronic back pain. Or it might simply be a thorough assessment, a diagnosis, and a clear plan - which a surprising number of patients have never actually received.
The short version: a sports medicine doctor helps you figure out what is wrong, why it happened, and how to fix it without defaulting to surgery.
Do I have to be an athlete to see a sports medicine doctor?
Not at all. The name is misleading. I treat competitive athletes, but I also treat people who work physical jobs, people who are trying to stay active into their 50s and 60s, people dealing with chronic joint pain, and people who just want to understand why something hurts and what to do about it.
If your injury or pain involves a muscle, joint, tendon, or bone, sports medicine is likely the right fit. You do not need to be training for anything.
Do I need a referral?
No referral needed, and no insurance required.
At Leeward Health + Wellness you can book directly with me without having to be referred by anyone first. You do not need prior authorization, and you will not be waiting weeks for a specialist slot to open up.
We do not bill insurance, but we offer transparent, a la carte pricing and membership plans designed to make consistent care affordable. Many patients find the out-of-pocket cost here compares favorably to their specialist co-pays and deductibles, without the friction. HSA and FSA funds are typically applicable, and we can provide documentation for out-of-network reimbursement.
What conditions do you treat most often?
In a typical week I see knee injuries including meniscus tears and runner's knee, shoulder injuries including rotator cuff problems and impingement, ankle sprains and Achilles tendinopathy, back and spine injuries including disc issues and SI joint dysfunction, tendinopathy in all its forms (tennis elbow, plantar fasciitis, patellar tendinitis), and stress fractures in endurance athletes.
The common thread is that these are all conditions where the right diagnosis and the right treatment at the right time can dramatically change the outcome. Waiting, guessing, or getting generic advice rarely helps you get better.
What is PRP, and is it right for me?
Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) therapy uses a concentrated sample of your own blood, spun down to isolate the growth factors and platelets, and injected into the injured area to stimulate healing. It is not a miracle treatment, but for certain conditions it can meaningfully accelerate recovery in cases where the body has struggled to heal on its own.
I use PRP most often for chronic tendon injuries, partial tendon tears, shoulder and hip impingement and labral tears, meniscus tears, knee and hip osteoarthritis, and chronic pain that is not responding to conservative care. I also offer PRP gel injections for arthritic joints, which combines PRP with a viscous scaffolding, all from your own blood, that creates an extended-release PRP for longer-lasting relief than cortisone alone.
Whether PRP is appropriate for you depends on your specific injury, how long you have had it, and what you have already tried. I go through all of this at the initial consultation before recommending any injection.
Will you just tell me to rest and come back in six weeks?
I understand why people ask this. It has been the experience of a lot of patients before they found their way to a sports medicine physician who actually digs in.
My goal at every visit is to leave you with a clear diagnosis, a concrete plan, and a realistic timeline. That plan might include an injection, hands-on manipulation, a specific exercise progression, gait adjustments, nutritional guidance for tissue repair, or a return-to-sport protocol. Sometimes rest is genuinely part of the answer. But it is rarely the whole answer, and it is never delivered without context.
How is your practice different from other traditional sports medicine clinics in Portland, Maine?
A few ways. First, access: you can book directly, often within the same week, without a referral chain. Second, time: I spend 45-60 minutes with new patients, not 12. Third, integration: because I am also trained in osteopathic medicine, I can combine hands-on manipulation with injection therapy and rehabilitation guidance in a single visit when appropriate. Fourth, continuity: membership patients have direct messaging access to me and priority scheduling, so follow-up does not mean starting from scratch. Fifth, coordination of care: whether it’s connecting you with the right physical therapist, or teeing you up for an appropriate surgical consultation, I will make sure it happens!
The experience is built around what is actually useful for you, not around what a billing system can accommodate.
Ready to book?
If you have been dealing with an injury, chronic pain, or a nagging limitation that is keeping you from doing what you love, I would be glad to help you figure it out.
Book at leewardhealth.me - no referral needed.