Sports & Orthopedic Center in Bangkok
Sports are enjoyed by millions of people across the world. For some, undertaking a sports activity is for pure enjoyment, for others it is the way they earn their living. But the one thing in common that both motivations have in common is that they help to improve, and maintain, fitness.
Given the vast spectrum of sporting activities, it is obvious that some are physically more demanding than others. Boxing is considered to be the most physically demanding of all popular sports. However, there are many endurance and impact sports that put the body under excessive physical demands.
Other sports are considered to be more genteel, such as swimming, cycling, bowling, golf and yoga, just to name a few. Sports such as these, and many others, may be considered far less physically demanding than other endurance sports, but each and every sport that a person takes part in carries a level of risk to the body.
Sports, by their very definition, entail putting the body’s muscles, joints, and internal functions under greater levels of stress than they would otherwise experience. A 2023 study by Johns Hopkins Medicine at Baltimore University found that there were in excess of 3.5 million hospital admissions in the USA due to sports injuries every year.
The vast majority of sports injuries affect the bones, joints and muscles. Sadly, and all too often, sports injuries are not treated by physicians specializing in this demanding field of medicine. Accessing experts in sports injuries is essential to ensure complete repair and rehabilitation for any patient that has suffered a sporting injury.
Fortunately, there is a dedicated center, staffed by sports injury specialists, available to all. The Sports & Orthopedic Center in Bangkok are leaders in the field for the treatment and rehabilitation of those who suffer with sports injuries.
A State-of-the-Art Facility
The Sports & Orthopedic Center is furnished with the latest technology and hi-tech equipment specifically developed for the furtherance of treatment and care of patients that have suffered sporting injuries.
The center has taken isokinetic assessment of patients to new levels. Although the science of isokinetic training is not new, with modern machines and computerized results analysis, the specialists at the center are able to more accurately diagnose injuries and the extent of any muscular pathology and orthopedic damage.
The center utilizes the VO2 Max system of cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET). This computerized system accurately measures patients inhaled and exhaled gases. This aids the specialists in assessing a patient’s respiratory efficiency, metabolism rate and cardiovascular strength. The results are equated to the patient’s exact weight and give an accurate assessment of the patient’s fitness at the time of testing.
The third element of fitness evaluation is the center’s Balance System testing. The center has developed this system to accurately evaluate muscle control and stability. The results of the Balance System testing are essential as part of the diagnostic process, helping to pinpoint muscular malfunctions.
The center has multiple, modern outpatient department (OPD) assessment rooms, in addition to dedicated bone and joint OPD suites. The center’s surgical suites are second to none utilizing modern technology, equipment, and instrumentation. Additionally, there are minor surgical suits and dedicated rehabilitation suites.
Typical Non-Surgical Treatments
The majority of sports injuries can be treated without surgery, including those affecting tendons and soft tissues, muscles, bones and joints. Treatments may include orthobiologic therapies. This is where platelets are taken from the patient’s blood, bone marrow or tissues which are then used to enhance injury repair. This also includes the possibility of platelets rich plasma from a separate donor.
Dislocations caused through sporting activities are common. This is where a joint is put under excessive forces which forces it out of its joint, resulting in immobility and extreme pain. The center’s specialists will gently ease the bone back into place and follow this up with a customized program of physiotherapy designed to rebuild strength and mobility to the muscles and tendons.
Diagnosed musculoskeletal injuries such as strains, sprains, and pain though overuse, can often be treated by dry needling. This is a minimally invasive procedure which involves inserting extremely fine needles into precise trigger points. This acts to stimulate the body’s natural healing abilities. Post procedure, the patient experiences reduced pain, flexibility, and motion.
Muscle soreness and tension often benefit from osteopathic treatment, as well as having numerous additional health benefits. The center’s qualified osteopaths employ muscle manipulation and deep massage which increase blood circulation, reduce inflammation, and enhance the healing process.
Close monitoring and assessment are a vital part of patient treatment following a concussion injury, which is very common. A patient suffering concussion may experience headaches and dizziness and be in a state of discombobulation. Sensitivity to light and noise may also be experienced. These symptoms are closely monitored prior to the patient being slowly reintroduced to physical activity.
Typical Surgical Treatments
Surgical intervention to treat sports injuries is, at times, essential to injury recovery. Muscle tears are common, and the more sever tears will require repairs from a skilled surgeon. Muscle tears in the shoulders, such as the rotor cuff muscle, are common in sports where excessive load is imposed on the upper body, typical examples being tennis and badminton.
These, and similar tears, require a delicate surgical technique to sew the exposed edges of the muscle tear together. The center’s internationally trained, skilled surgeons are leaders in this area of surgery, and, post-surgery, will develop a customized program of rehabilitation to aid the patient in recouping strength and mobility to the muscle.
Surgical intervention is sometimes necessary following bone breakages, which may include the pinning of the bone. Meniscus tears of the knee cartilage and anterior cruciate ligament damage are now routinely repaired by the skilled surgical team at the Sports & Orthopedic Center in Bangkok.
Muscle, tendon, and cartilage tears often respond to non-surgical treatment, in many cases they do not. The labrum, found in the hip and shoulder, is often damaged following another peripheral injury. Laboral tears commonly require surgical intervention.
At the center, the skilled surgical team are able to perform surgical repairs utilizing endoscopic procedures. This form of surgery is far less traumatic than traditional open surgery and speeds up recovery and is esthetically more pleasing for the patient.
Samitivej Hospital’s Sports & Orthopedic Center in Bangkok now has a worldwide reputation in the field of sports injury treatment. The center treats, not only the indigenous population, but local expats and medical tourists from across the globe, endorsing their reputation throughout the world.