Diagnosis & Treatment for Sports Medicine

Virginia Mason Franciscan Health has been a leader in sports medicine for more than 30 years. Our Orthopedics and Sports Medicine specialists have cared for thousands of sports enthusiasts, from world-class athletes to "weekend warriors." The sports medicine team at Virginia Mason Franciscan Health is highly trained to help you recover from any musculoskeletal injury that may cause you pain or limit your activity level. In addition to their board certification in a primary care specialty, they are fellowship-trained in sports medicine and hold a Certificate of Added Qualification in Sports Medicine (CAQSM). Whether you're a college athlete, weekend warrior, or someone who enjoys daily walks, our team can help you heal and keep you moving.

From middle school to well beyond retirement, we provide sports-related injury prevention and care for nonsurgical sports-related injuries. Our team will work with you to help determine the source of your injury, recommending specific strength, and conditioning programs to help prevent reinjury going forward. While helping you heal, we can guide you through the process, referring you to physical therapy or occupational therapy as needed.

• Although the majority of injuries can be healed without surgery, we can expedite a referral to an orthopedic surgeon when surgery is necessary.
• We can also help you reach peak fitness and performance, with insight on injury prevention, nutrition, sleep, mental preparation, and more.
• Our goal is to provide individualized treatment to get you back to sports, work, and school as safely and quickly as possible.

The sports medicine specialists at Virginia Mason Franciscan Health help people with a variety of concerns, including:

• Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury
• Ankle sprains
• Finger and hand sprains
• Knee injuries
• Muscle strains
• Orthotics (selecting appropriate shoes for an active lifestyle)
• Shoulder injuries, including dislocation 
• Stress fractures
• Rotator cuff tendonitis
• Plantar fasciitis 
• Podiatric sports injuries
• Wear-and-tear arthritis
• Wrist and elbow injuries

We can also help with a variety of chronic conditions that may affect your performance such as asthma, diabetes, or infectious mononucleosis.

Concussions are mild traumatic brain injuries resulting from rapid impact to the skull that jostles the brain. It's especially important to have your child seen by a provider if a concussion is suspected, as a young athlete’s brain is still developing. Signs and symptoms can vary greatly from mild to severe and may develop at the time of injury or appear days later. Your student athlete may or may not lose consciousness. Some of the most common signs and symptoms of a sports-related concussion to watch for include: 

• Headaches
• Not feeling right
• Sensitivity to light and/or sound
• Trouble with concentration or memory
• Mood changes: sadness, nervousness
• Sleep changes

If you suspect a sports concussion, call your child’s primary care provider or go to the Emergency Services department for a medical evaluation. You may also be referred to our Sports Concussion Program for comprehensive testing and diagnosis.

Our sports medicine specialists provide care in our clinics throughout Washington state. Find a location near you.

For more information about our Sports Concussion Program, call us toll-free at 564-240-4000.

The sports medicine specialists at Virginia Mason Franciscan Health have a broad range of experience, allowing for the best, highly specialized care for your injuries. We offer the following treatment options:

• Concussion management
• Nutrition guidance
• Occupational therapy
• Orthopedic therapy
• Physical therapy
• Therapeutic joint injections, including ultrasound-guided injections