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Different doctors specialize in treating different things. You’ll see a podiatrist for your feet and an optometrist for your eyes. If you’re active, you might also want to find a sports medicine doctor.
These healthcare providers specialize in your musculoskeletal system. That means they can help you avoid or treat sports injuries, and even improve your performance.
William T. DeCarbo, DPM, FACFAS, offers dedicated sports medicine care here at Greater Pittsburgh Foot & Ankle Center in Wexford, Pennsylvania. He applies his expertise to treat injuries from plantar fasciitis to Achilles tendon problems. Beyond that, he also helps athletes and active people protect their bodies against injury and, ideally, even optimize their performance.
Here are a few things Dr. DeCarbo can do through his sports medicine care:
#1: Treat injuries
Most people see a sports medicine expert for the first time because they have an issue. Maybe you sprained your ankle or strained your back. Maybe you’ve been dealing with runner’s knee or tennis elbow. Whatever the case may be, seeing a healthcare provider who’s trained in sport medicine helps.
This kind of doctor has expertise in diagnosing and treating the wide range of injuries that can be caused by sports and other types of exercise. If you’re experiencing heel pain, for example, they’ll know the difference between plantar fasciitis and bursitis pain.
Sports medicine training has equipped Dr. DeCarbo to identify issues, then help you treat them both quickly and effectively. He knows that most active people don’t want to spend a lot of time away from their sport or exercise of choice. As a result, he tailors treatment to help you heal while getting you back to doing what you enjoy as quickly as possible.
#2: Avoid injury and reinjury
Dr. DeCarbo can help you whether you’ve had an injury in the past or never been hurt.
If you’re avoided injury up to this point, that’s great. Between aging and overuse injuries, though, your risk for experiencing an issue goes up over time. Dr. DeCarbo can come alongside you to identify your risk factors and develop a plan to mitigate them. That might be as simple as the right shoes or something more involved, like physical therapy.
If you have a past injury, Dr. DeCarbo can help you create a plan to avoid reinjury. From bracing and taping to proper footwear and orthotics, he offers a lot of tools to help protect against a recurring issue.
#3: Optimize performance
Besides an injury, one of the main reasons people see a sports medicine expert is to improve performance. By helping you avoid injury and support your musculoskeletal system, Dr. DeCarbo may be able to help you see improvement in your activity of choice.
Clearly, a sports medicine specialist can do a lot to help you stay active. Whether you’re dealing with an injury or want support for your sport or exercise of choice, don’t hesitate to see Dr. DeCarbo. Call our office or book your appointment online today.