Sports injury evaluation

Sports injuries can interrupt your training, competition and everyday life. Novant Health Orthopedics & Sports Medicine specialists provide comprehensive sports injury evaluation and advanced imaging to accurately diagnose your condition and guide an effective sports medicine treatment plan. Whether you're a competitive athlete, weekend warrior or someone who enjoys staying active, our goal is to help you return to movement safely and confidently.

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What is sports injury evaluation and imaging?

Sports medicine, also known as sports and exercise medicine, focuses on preventing, evaluating and treating injuries related to physical activity. It also supports overall fitness, performance and long-term joint and muscle health.

Sports medicine isn't limited to elite athletes. Our team cares for patients of all ages and activity levels who experience pain, injury or limitations with exercise or daily movement. A sports injury evaluation combines a hands-on physical exam with advanced imaging, when needed, to pinpoint the source of pain and confirm a diagnosis. This is often the first step recommended when an injury doesn't improve with rest or when symptoms interfere with movement.

At Novant Health, sports medicine care is dedicated to understanding how you move, what activities matter most to you and how your injury affects your lifestyle. This personalized approach allows us to create treatment plans that support both recovery and future injury prevention.

Common reasons for sports injury evaluation and imaging

Many different injuries and symptoms can lead a patient to seek a sports medicine evaluation. Common reasons include:

Sprains and strains from twisting, overextending or overusing a joint or muscle
Sudden pain, swelling or a popping sensation during activity
ACL, PCL or meniscal injuries affecting the knee
Tendonitis or overuse injuries from repetitive motion
Shoulder dislocations or separations
Cartilage injuries
Fractures or stress fractures
Concussions or nerve compression injuries

Treatment options (surgical and nonsurgical)

Based on your evaluation and imaging results, your care team develops a treatment plan tailored to your injury and goals. Options may include:

Rest and activity modification to allow the injury to heal
Physical therapy to rebuild strength, stability and range of motion
Anti-inflammatory medications to manage pain and swelling
Guided injections for targeted relief
Bracing to support and protect the injured area
Minimally invasive surgical techniques, when surgery is recommended, followed by structured rehabilitation

Many conditions, including sprains, strains and some ligament injuries, can be successfully treated without surgery when identified early.

Recovery and rehabilitation

Recovery looks different for every patient, depending on the injury and treatment approach. In general, you can expect:

An initial period of rest, activity modification or immobilization for more serious injuries
Physical therapy to restore strength, flexibility and movement patterns
Follow-up visits to monitor healing and adjust your plan as needed
A gradual, guided return to sport or daily activity to reduce the risk of reinjury
Ongoing guidance on strength training, flexibility, proper equipment and warm-up routines to support long-term joint and muscle health

Your care team will walk you through what to expect at each stage so you understand your progress and next steps.

Risks and considerations

Every treatment plan comes with factors to consider, and your care team will review these with you before moving forward. Imaging procedures like X-rays, MRI and ultrasound are generally safe and noninvasive tools used to guide diagnosis. If surgery becomes part of your plan, your physician will discuss potential risks, what to expect during recovery and how to reduce complications. Your care team is always available to answer questions and help you feel confident in your treatment plan.

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Conditions we treat

Our expert team delivers expert care for a wide range of sports and activity-related injuries and conditions.

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Why treatment is important

Untreated sports injuries can limit your mobility and keep you from the activities you enjoy most. Seeking timely evaluation and treatment supports a smoother recovery and helps protect your long-term joint and muscle health. With the right care team by your side, you can move toward recovery with confidence.

Is joint pain holding you back?

It only takes a few minutes to help you stay active for years. Our joint health quiz shows you how to stay strong, flexible and moving freely through every stage of life.