Athletes and active individuals may sometimes develop medical problems that arise from their physical activities.

The Division of Sports Medicine encourages safe and enjoyable participation in physical activities by managing sports-related problems. Our aim is to help individuals recover quickly so that they may return to their sport.

Accurate diagnosis

This is greatly facilitated by understanding the mechanism of sporting injury, skilled history-taking and physical examination, and the appropriate use of diagnostic tools. For example, an ankle sprain is a collective term that indicates an injury to a number of possible structures – therefore the Sports Physician needs to identify the specific structure that is damaged in order to prescribe the appropriate treatment.

Rectification of root causes

After the injury has healed, it is likely to recur unless the root cause has been identified and removed. For example, one of the causes of a pulled hamstring is muscle weakness. If a sprinter who has just ‘recovered’ from a torn hamstring returns immediately to sprinting, without first strengthening his hamstrings to a level higher than before the injury, he is very likely to tear the muscle again. The root cause may lie in the technique, training method, body structure, muscle strength or flexibility, agility, fitness, position awareness, equipment selection, or training surfaces.

Intensive rehabilitation

For an athlete, being able to walk comfortably after an injury is simply not good enough – he needs to be able to train and compete at or above the pre-injury level. For most injuries, this requires intensive and stepwise rehabilitation. A good rehabilitation programme comprises more than just resting and pain relief. Electrotherapy modalities, correction of malalignment, taping, core stability, strengthening, plyometrics, agility, proprioception (position awareness), stretching, technique modification, etc. are just some examples of the many components of a rehabilitation program.

Integrated approach

A Sports Physician does not work alone. Adopting a holistic management approach, he works with the Sport Physiotherapist, Sports Trainer, Sports Orthopaedic Surgeon, Dietitian, Physiologist, Biomechanist, Sport Psychologist, Podiatrist, Coach, etc. where necessary. In cases where surgery is required (less than 10% of the time), the Sports Physician will refer you to a surgeon.

Those who will benefit from Sports Medicine services include recreational and competitive athletes, physically active individuals, performing artists like dancers and musicians, scuba divers, and those with medical problems (e.g. obesity, diabetes, hypertension, asthma) who wish to embark on an exercise programme.

Most athletes would seek help after sustaining an acute and severe injury. However, it may be difficult to differentiate a mild to moderate chronic injury from the normal ‘aches and pains’ that are part and parcel of sports training. If in doubt, see a doctor.

It is best to seek help as soon as you are injured, as chronic injuries are harder to treat and may lead to long term consequences. Some injuries can end an athlete’s career. Applying some simple first aid (e.g. R-I-C-E or Rest, Ice, Compress, Elevate) immediately after an injury while waiting to see your doctor, will help to minimize the damage. Try not to wait till the injury is so severe that it affects activities of daily living (e.g. walking, climbing stairs, going to the toilet, and changing clothes) before doing something about it.

At Changi Sports Medicine Centre, we are athletes ourselves, so we understand sports related injuries.

To make an appointment, call the Appointment Centre at 6850 3333.

Our operating hours are:
Monday to Friday – 8.30am to 5.00pm
Saturday – 8.30am to 12.00noon