Sports Medicine Specialist

Coastal Orthopaedics and Sports Medicine

Peter Candelora, MD

Orthopaedic Surgeon located in New Port Richey, FL

What does it mean when a practitioner like Dr. Peter Candelora with Coastal Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine in New Port Richey, Florida, specializes in sports medicine? It's a very common question because the terminology is vague. Dr. Candelora extended his training after completing medical school and his residency to study sports medicine at Hughston Sports Medicine Clinic in Columbus, Georgia. Today, he uses that training to help patients looking to prevent or treat injuries related to sports and exercise. You can schedule your consultation with Dr. Candelora by calling, or using his easy online scheduling tool.

727-314-2832

Sports Medicine Q & A

What is sports medicine?

Sports medicine is a growing branch of medicine that focuses on physical fitness and treating injuries that occur in the process.

Dr. Candelora works with to prevent common injuries that can occur when you work out or play a sport. For example, he can discuss different kinds of running shoes, dietary supplements, or protective gear based on your sport or training regimen.

What are some common sports related injuries?

Of course, they vary based on the sport or type of exercise, but some of the more common injuries seen in sports medicine include:

Concussions
Muscle cramps
ACL sprains
ACL tears
Ankle sprains
Shin splints
Muscle strains

The goal is not only to treat the problems when they occur but to prevent further incidents that may lead to more extensive damage.

Are sports medicine and orthopaedic specialties the same thing?

These are two medical disciplines that often go hand-in-hand because they both involve diseases or injuries of the musculoskeletal system. Sports medicine focuses more on health interventions, joint protection, injury prevention, nutrition, and training.

Orthopaedics involves repairing damage to the musculoskeletal system which may or may not be related to sports or exercise and can involve:

Degenerative diseases
Infections
Tumors
Trauma
Congenital defects

Do you need to be a professional athlete to see a sports medicine doctor?

Certainly not. As a sports medicine doctor, Dr. Candelora works with patients that do play professional and amateur sports, but he also helps those looking to improve their nutrition, start working out more and develop an overall fitness strategy.

Most orthopedic injuries do not require an orthopaedic surgeon. Instead, they respond well to conventional treatment protocols like rest and icing. As a physician that specializes in both orthopaedics and sports medicine, Dr. Candelora is there to treat the injury, supervise the rehabilitation and create a program to prevent further damage while allowing the patient to remain active.

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