Your schedule may not leave much room—or time—for an injury. A sore knee after tennis, a strained shoulder after skiing or an ankle that still hurts after a run can be easy to ignore when work, travel and family come first.
But pushing through pain can make an injury worse or delay your recovery. Knowing when an injury may improve with rest and when it needs medical care can help you stay active while protecting your health.
At Executive Medicine of Texas (EMTX), Performance Medicine takes a personalized approach to health, recovery and physical performance.
The Performance Medicine Programs bring together primary care and orthopedic expertise to give patients a broader view of their health, physical function and performance goals.
Here’s what to know about common sports injuries, when to seek care and how to reduce your risk of another injury.
Why Active Executives May Be at Risk for Sports Injuries
A demanding work schedule can make regular exercise difficult. You may spend most of the week sitting at a desk or traveling, then try to fit in a long run, tennis match, hike or hard work out into the weekend.
This sudden increase in activity can place more stress on your muscles, tendons, ligaments and joints than they are ready to handle. You can also get hurt when you increase the intensity or length of your workouts too quickly, even if you exercise regularly.
The bigger concern is a sudden change in how hard, how long or how often you exercise. Your body needs time to adjust to increased activity.
Travel can add to the challenge. Long periods of sitting, changes in your normal routine and not getting enough sleep can make it harder for your body to recover.
Staying active on a regular basis gives your body time to adjust and can help lower your risk of injury.
Common Sports Injuries in Active Professionals
Sports injuries can happen suddenly or develop over time. Common problems include:
- Sprains: Injuries to ligaments, which connect bones to each other
- Strains: Injuries to muscles or tendons
- Tendon injuries: Repeated stress can cause pain or damage in a tendon
- Overuse injuries: Problems that develop when the body does not have enough time to recover from repeated activity
- Joint pain: Pain in areas such as the knee, shoulder, hip or ankle that can have many possible causes
Acute Injuries
Acute injuries happen suddenly. You might twist your ankle during pickleball, fall while skiing or feel sharp pain after changing direction.
Severe pain, significant swelling or trouble using the injured area can be signs that you need medical attention.
Seek prompt medical care if you have:
- Severe or worsening pain
- Significant swelling or bruising
- Trouble putting weight on an injured leg or foot
- Trouble moving the injured area
- A joint or body part that looks out of place
- A pop or snap followed by severe pain or difficulty using the area
EMTX offers on-site X-rays to help evaluate sports injuries. Some injuries may require urgent or emergency care beyond Performance Medicine.
If you have severe symptoms or think you have a medical emergency, seek emergency medical care.
Overuse Injuries
Not every sports injury happens in one moment. Overuse injuries can develop gradually as repeated activity places stress on the body.
You may first notice mild soreness after exercise. Over time, the pain may become more frequent, last longer or begin to affect how you move.
If the same area hurts every time you train, symptoms are not improving with rest or pain is affecting your work or daily activities, an evaluation may help identify the cause.
When Should You See a Doctor for a Sports Injury?
Mild muscle soreness after a workout often improves as your body recovers. However, pain that is sharp, persistent, worsening or associated with swelling or bruising may be more concerning for an injury.
Consider getting medical care if:
- Pain is severe, gets worse or does not improve
- You have significant swelling or bruising
- You cannot put weight on the injured area or use it normally
- You cannot move the area as you normally would
- Pain returns when you resume exercise
- The injury affects your work, sleep or daily activities
- You keep having problems in the same area
- You are unsure whether it is safe to return to your normal activities
An evaluation can help you understand what may be causing your symptoms and what steps may help you recover. It can also help you make a safer decision about returning to exercise.
For a busy executive, getting answers early may help you avoid working around the same injury for weeks or letting it interfere with your schedule.
Treatment Options for Recovery and Performance
Treatment depends on the type of injury, your symptoms, your health and your performance goals. At EMTX, Performance Medicine takes a broader approach to recovery and physical performance, combining primary care and orthopedic expertise.
Depending on your needs, EMTX may recommend services that support recovery, including:
- Chiropractic Care: Addresses joint mobility, stiffness and movement concerns as part of your personalized recovery plan.
- Neuromuscular Massage: Uses focused massage techniques to address muscle tension and soft-tissue concerns.
- StemWave Therapy: A noninvasive treatment offered by EMTX for certain muscle, joint and soft-tissue concerns.
- Performance Medicine: Takes a broader approach to recovery and physical performance.
Depending on the program and your needs, Performance Medicine may also include a Performance Medicine physical exam, orthopedic evaluation, InBody screenings, functional nutrition, chiropractic care and other services designed to support health and physical performance.
Your treatment should be based on your injury and health needs. The same treatment is not right for every person or every injury.
Preventing the Next Injury
Once you feel better, it can be tempting to jump right back into your normal routine. Giving your body time to rebuild strength and get used to more activity can help lower your risk of another injury.
For busy executives, injury prevention may also mean:
- Staying active regularly instead of saving most exercise for the weekend
- Increasing workout time and intensity gradually
- Building strength for the activities you enjoy
- Warming up before exercise
- Using equipment that fits your activity
- Giving your body enough time to recover
- Paying attention to pain that keeps coming back
- Adjusting your routine when travel or poor sleep affects your recovery
An Executive Physical also gives you time to discuss your overall health, activity level and physical goals with your physician.
The goal isn’t to stop doing the activities you enjoy. It’s to help you stay healthy enough to keep doing them.
Why Choose EMTX for Performance Medicine?
When you have a demanding career and an active lifestyle, getting care needs to fit into your life.
EMTX provides concierge family medicine and Performance Medicine in Southlake, Texas.
The Performance Medicine programs bring together primary care and orthopedic expertise, giving patients access to both a board-certified orthopedic surgeon and a board-certified primary care physician.
Depending on your program and needs, care may include orthopedic evaluations, physical performance assessments, nutrition, neuromuscular massage, chiropractic care and other services.
Patients in an EMTX Concierge Medicine Program also have direct access to their physician by phone, text, email and secure portal messaging. This can make it easier to ask about a new concern and find out whether you need an evaluation.
If an injury is getting in the way of work, exercise or daily life, you don’t have to keep working around it.
Frequently Asked Questions
What counts as a weekend warrior injury?
A weekend warrior injury can happen when you suddenly increase your physical activity after being less active during the week. Running, pickleball, hiking, cycling and other activities can all lead to this type of injury.
Even people who work out regularly can get hurt if they increase their training too quickly or do not allow enough time for recovery.
Should I see a doctor for a sports injury or just rest it?
Mild soreness that improves with rest may not require medical care. But severe or worsening pain, significant swelling, trouble moving, trouble putting weight on the area, pain that keeps returning or symptoms that do not improve are reasons to consider an evaluation.
If you are unsure whether it is safe to return to your normal activities, a medical evaluation can help you decide what to do next.
How is Performance Medicine different from urgent care?
Urgent care treats many short-term health concerns and minor injuries. Performance Medicine provides ongoing care focused on your health, physical function, recovery and performance.
At EMTX, Performance Medicine combines primary care and orthopedic expertise. Depending on your program and needs, care may also include performance assessments, nutrition, neuromuscular massage, chiropractic care and other services.
If you are enrolled in an EMTX concierge program, you can contact your provider first for guidance on where to seek care.
If you think you have a medical emergency, seek emergency care immediately rather than waiting for a response.
Can Performance Medicine help me avoid surgery?
Yes, some sports injuries can improve with nonsurgical treatment. At EMTX, Dr. Spencer offers platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injections, which may be appropriate for certain injuries.
Your evaluation can help determine whether PRP or another nonsurgical approach fits your needs. Some injuries still require surgery, and Dr. Spencer can explain your options based on your diagnosis, injury severity and goals.
Schedule Your Consultation
An injury can be easy to ignore when your calendar is full. But waiting for pain to go away on its own isn’t always the best approach.
If an injury is not getting better, keeps coming back or affects your work or activities, EMTX can help you understand what may be causing it and what care may be right for you.
Take the next step toward getting back to the activities that matter to you. Request an appointment online to learn whether Performance Medicine may be right for you.
