Where Can I Get Non-Surgical Treatment for Sports Injuries in Long Island?

You can visit Total Orthopedics & Sports Medicine for non-surgical sports injury treatment in Long Island. Our sports medicine specialists evaluate your injury, activity level, and recovery goals before recommending treatment. Depending on your condition, treatment may include activity modification, bracing, targeted injections, or other conservative options to restore function.

Whether you have an injury to your shoulder, elbow, hip, knee, foot, or ankle, our sports medicine specialist, Dr. Brett Spain, provides specialized care tailored to the affected area. He focuses on restoring comfortable movement and function while addressing the specific demands of your injury. As you recover, he will adjust your treatment based on your progress to help you safely return to your usual activities. Call 855-321-6784 to book your appointment.

Why Choose Total Orthopedics for Non-Surgical Sports Injury Treatment?

At Total Orthopedics & Sports Medicine, our physicians and sports medicine doctors use a comprehensive diagnostic approach to understand your injury before recommending treatment. We identify the source of your symptoms, assess the structures involved, and determine the severity of the damage. Based on these findings, our doctors can develop a treatment plan that directly addresses your diagnosis.

In addition to a diagnosis-based treatment approach, you can benefit from the following specialized services in our sports medicine practice:

Sports Medicine Expertise

Our sports medicine physicians treat athletes of all ages and at different levels of competition, whether they participate in indoor or outdoor sports. We also treat chronic overuse injuries that develop gradually from repetitive loading. Since every sport requires different patterns of movement, strength, and control, we assess the physical demands specific to your activity. Then, our doctors analyze how your injury affects the movements required for your sport. Based on these findings, we can address the limitations affecting your overall sports performance.

Coordinated Specialist Care

Sports injuries involving multiple structures sometimes require additional orthopedic expertise. In these cases, our sports medicine team can consult with our in-house orthopedic surgeons who have extensive experience treating the affected joint or tissue. This collaboration helps us evaluate complex findings more accurately. Based on that information, we can recommend the treatment options that best align with your condition.

Ongoing Recovery Guidance

Improvement in pain is only one sign that your injury is recovering. Our doctors also evaluate your mobility, strength, and response to increasing activity over time. These functional aspects of recovery help us determine whether you are ready to progress or need additional time at your current stage. If your recovery takes longer than expected, we can reassess your condition and adjust your treatment accordingly.

Streamlined Patient Support

Total Orthopedics & Sports Medicine gives you convenient access to important resources throughout your care. For example, through our Patient Portal, you can manage key information, request medical records, review insurance details, and access necessary forms. We also provide a dedicated referral process to simplify communication with referring providers. These services help streamline the administrative tasks involved in your orthopedic care.

Multiple Long Island Locations

You can access expert orthopedic care at multiple locations across Long Island, including Syosset, Massapequa, East Meadow, and Deer Park. With multiple locations across Long Island, you can access orthopedic care without having to travel to the same distant location for every appointment. Some locations also provide extended hours to accommodate busier schedules. This accessibility can make follow-up visits easier to manage throughout your recovery.

Injury Prevention Planning

Before you resume a regular exercise regimen, our doctors assess factors that could increase stress on the previously injured area. These may include weakness, limited mobility, rapid changes in training intensity, and inadequate training between training sessions. Then, our doctors recommend specific changes to your conditioning and training routine based on the problems identified during your evaluation.

Depending on your sport, we may recommend proper warm-up exercises, cool-down exercises, or the use of properly fitted protective gear. These changes can help prevent sports related injuries by reducing avoidable stress as you return to activity. If you work with coaches or personal trainers, we may also advise essential activity restrictions during your recovery.

Can You Get Same-Day Care for a Sports Injury?

Yes, you can get same-day care for a sports injury at Total Ortho Express. If you develop sudden pain, swelling, muscle strain, or difficulty using the injured area after sports accidents, you can receive prompt orthopedic evaluation without waiting for an appointment. During your visit, our team evaluates the severity of your injury and decides whether you need imaging, immobilization, or further orthopedic treatment.

When Should You See a Sports Medicine Doctor?

You should see a sports medicine doctor if your injury continues to limit movement, strength, or your ability to return to activity. You should also schedule an evaluation if pain or swelling keeps returning, the injured joint feels unstable, or chronic injuries continue to worsen when you resume activity.

Here are some other signs that may require a sports medicine evaluation:

• Persistent Bruising: Significant bruising persists instead of gradually fading as the injury heals.
• Visible Deformity: The injured area looks noticeably different after a sports accident.
• Joint Locking or Catching: A joint repeatedly catches or becomes stuck during movement.
• Numbness or Tingling: Altered sensation develops around the injury or travels into the arm or leg.
• Difficulty Bearing Weight: You cannot comfortably stand or walk on the injured leg.
• Reduced Coordination: You begin to lose normal control of the injured arm or leg during movement.
• Recurring Injury: The same area gets injured repeatedly despite adequate recovery time.
• Symptoms at Rest: Discomfort persists even when you are not using the injured area.
• Nighttime Symptoms: The injury repeatedly interrupts your sleep.
• Noticeable Loss of Function: You can no longer perform movements or everyday tasks that were comfortable before the injury.

Note: If we identify a ligament, tendon, cartilage, or joint injury at your urgent care visit that requires specialist care, we can direct you to the Total Orthopedics & Sports Medicine specialist without any delay.

Is Non-Surgical Treatment an Option for Your Injury?

Yes, many sports injuries respond well to conservative care without requiring surgery. In these cases, our physician, Dr. Brett Spain, assesses the injured structures and the severity of the damage to determine whether conservative treatment is helpful. For example, injuries involving structures such as the anterior cruciate ligament require careful assessment of stability, tissue damage, and your activity demands before treatment is selected. If the injury can heal without surgical repair, he begins with non-surgical care and adjusts treatment as your injury progresses.

How Are Hip and Knee Sports Injuries Managed?

Dr. Brett Spain may recommend activity modification, bracing, anti-inflammatory medications, or targeted injections to treat hip and knee sports injuries without surgery. Depending on the injury, he may also advise temporary immobilization, supportive taping, or orthotics to restore joint function. Rather than using the same approach for every injury, he selects the treatment based on the injured structure and the extent of tissue damage.

A prospective study of adolescents and young adults with femoroacetabular impingement found that 70% of hips were successfully managed with rest and activity modification alone during follow-up. However, patients who did not improve sufficiently with initial conservative care were successfully managed with a steroid injection without progressing to surgery.

Depending on the source of your hip or knee pain, Dr. Brett Spain may recommend one of the following injections:

• Corticosteroid Injections: These injections may provide short-term relief by reducing inflammation and pain within or around the affected joint.
• Platelet-Rich Plasma (PRP) Injections: PRP uses concentrated components from your own blood and may help selected tendon injuries or conditions that commonly involve joints.
• Hyaluronic Acid Injections: These injections supplement the natural hyaluronic acid in the knee joint and may help reduce pain caused by osteoarthritis.

When extra placement accuracy is needed, our doctors may use ultrasound-guided injections to deliver medication directly to the targeted area. Real-time imaging helps guide the needle while allowing the doctor to view surrounding soft tissues and joint structures during the procedure. After the injection, the doctor may recommend avoiding exercise immediately and resuming activity gradually based on the treatment used and the area treated.

What Are the Treatment Options for Shoulder and Elbow Injuries?

Our sports medicine specialist treats elbow and shoulder injuries with throwing restrictions, rest breaks, progressive tendon loading, strengthening exercises, anti-inflammatory medications, and image-guided injections. Our doctor may also reduce throwing volume or painful overhead movements to limit repeated stress on the injured tissue. As recovery progresses, he gradually increases your activity based on your strength, motion, and comfort during movement. This approach may help manage soft tissue injuries without exposing the affected structure to unnecessary stress.

Once you begin tolerating activity, the focus shifts to restoring the specific function affected by your shoulder or elbow injury. For rotator cuff or labral injuries, recovery may focus on restoring shoulder stability and control through progressively demanding overhead movements. However, chronic injuries such as tendonitis, strains, tennis elbow, or UCL injuries may require a different approach because gripping and throwing can place repeated stress on the affected tissues.

Can Foot and Ankle Injuries Heal Without Surgery?

Yes, many foot and ankle injuries can heal without surgery, especially when the damage is mild to moderate and the joint remains stable. Our doctors treat acute injuries such as stable fractures, sprains, strains, as well as overuse-related conditions. Depending on the injury, treatment may include bracing, activity modification, or short-term immobilization. However, severe fractures, major tendon injuries, or ongoing instability may need surgical care.

The following non-surgical treatments may also help reduce symptoms and support recovery, depending on the type of injury:

• Anti-Inflammatory Medications: These medications may help reduce pain and swelling during the early stages of recovery.
• Ice and Compression: Applying ice and gentle compression can help control swelling after an acute injury.
• Custom Orthotics: Shoe inserts may improve foot alignment, reduce pressure, and support painful areas while you walk.
• Supportive Footwear: Properly fitted athletic shoes can reduce stress on injured joints, tendons, and ligaments.
• Taping: Athletic or kinesiology tape may provide temporary support and improve comfort during movement.
• Targeted Injections: Your doctor may use selected injections as part of tendonitis treatment or to manage persistent inflammation when appropriate.
• Regenerative or Biologic Treatments: Selected biologic treatments, such as PRP, may help manage persistent tendon or soft-tissue problems when other non-surgical options have failed.

How Do Doctors Treat Concussions in Athletes?

Athletes with concussions usually recover through symptom-guided activity and a gradual return-to-sport program. As you heal, the doctor monitors headaches, dizziness, balance, concentration, and exercise tolerance to see how your brain responds to increasing activity. Based on your progress, your doctor decides when you can safely return to training and competition.

A gradual return-to-sport program usually progresses through the following stages:

• Light Aerobic Activity: You may begin with walking, stationary cycling, or other low-intensity exercise that does not significantly worsen symptoms.
• Sport-Specific Exercise: Once tolerated, you can add noncontact running, skating, or other sport-specific movements.
• Non-Contact Training: If sport-specific exercises do not worsen your symptoms, your doctor may progress you to drills, strength work, and non-contact practice.
• Full-Contact Practice: After medical clearance, you can return to normal practice and controlled contact activities.
• Return to Competition: If you complete each stage without symptom recurrence, you may return to unrestricted competition.

This gradual increase in activity is also supported by research on early aerobic exercise after concussion. A randomized clinical trial published in JAMA Pediatrics studied adolescent athletes with sport-related concussion. Athletes prescribed subsymptom-threshold aerobic exercise recovered in a median of 13 days, compared with 17 days for those assigned stretching. The researchers concluded that individualized aerobic exercise during the first week can speed recovery.

How Do Doctors Choose Treatment Based on Your Injury?

Dr. Brett Spain selects treatment based on your injury mechanism, physical examination, imaging findings, tissue damage, and current functional limitations. He also evaluates whether the injury developed suddenly or over time. This helps him match treatment intensity with your healing potential and return-to-sport goals.

In addition, our sports medicine specialist focuses on which treatments you have already tried and how your symptoms responded to each one. For example, persistent pain despite activity modification or bracing may require a different non-surgical option. In that case, he may recommend a more targeted treatment based on the specific structure still causing your symptoms.

One challenge with sports injuries is that different conditions can cause similar symptoms, which may lead to treatment that does not address the true source of pain. An inaccurate diagnosis can also delay recovery or allow symptoms to worsen. For example, joint pain, tendon irritation, and soft-tissue injuries may feel very similar. Therefore, Dr. Brett Spain carefully identifies the underlying problem before recommending any treatment, helping you avoid unnecessary treatment. Book an appointment today to get a proper diagnosis and a treatment plan tailored to your condition.

Can Sport-Specific Demands Affect Your Treatment Plan?

Yes, your treatment plan may change based on the physical demands of your sport because different activities stress injured tissues in different ways. In such cases, our doctor evaluates the movement patterns, force, repetition, and contact involved in your sport. Based on these factors, treatment is adjusted to protect healing tissue and support a safe return to play.

For example, a pitcher with an elbow injury may need temporary throwing restrictions and careful monitoring of throwing tolerance. In contrast, a runner with a knee or ankle injury may need limits on mileage, impact, and repetitive loading. A soccer or basketball player may need stricter control over cutting, jumping, and pivoting until the injured area can safely tolerate those movements. For competitive athletes, the doctor may also review feedback from athletic trainers to understand how symptoms change during practice and sport-specific drills.

Do You Need an MRI Before Starting Treatment?

No, you do not always need an MRI before starting treatment for sports-related injuries. The doctor may first rely on your examination and X-rays to identify the cause of the injury. However, if the injury may involve a ligament, tendon, cartilage, or another soft tissue tear, an MRI can help clarify the damage.

Furthermore, MRI findings can indicate the extent of structural damage and whether the injured tissue can still be managed without surgery. For example, the severity of a tear can help determine how much stress the injured tissue should tolerate during recovery. The degree of cartilage or ligament involvement may also help guide treatment choice.

Does Total Orthopedics Offer On-Site Imaging?

Yes, we offer on-site MRI services at our Massapequa and Syosset locations. If your sports injury requires advanced imaging, you can complete the scan within the practice. This helps your doctor review detailed images of the injured area and guide treatment without unnecessary delays.

What Can You Expect at Your First Visit?

During your initial consultation at our clinic, our doctors review how your injury occurred, your symptoms, and your activity goals. Then, we evaluate strength, motion, stability, and tenderness in the affected area. Once the evaluation is complete, we explain the findings and guide you through your treatment options.

Along with your evaluation, our team can help coordinate the additional services you may need during recovery, such as:

• Insurance Assistance: Our team can help verify your coverage, explain co-pays, and clarify any referral or authorization requirements.
• On-Site Diagnostics: If additional testing is needed, access to on-site imaging can help you avoid unnecessary visits to another facility.
• Coordinated Follow-Up Care: We help plan your follow-up visits to support steady progress throughout recovery.
• Specialist Coordination: If your injury requires advanced care, we can connect you with the relevant orthopedic specialist within our team.
• Return-to-Activity Support: As your recovery progresses, our team helps coordinate the care needed to support a safe return to training and sports.

Should You Bring Your MRI or Previous Records?

Yes, you should bring your MRI scans, imaging reports, and any previous medical records, if available. These records help our doctors review earlier findings, treatments you have already tried, and avoid unnecessary repeat testing. This information also helps us analyze how your injury has progressed over time.

Can You Get Treatment for an Older Sports Injury?

Yes, you can get treatment for an older sports injury, especially if pain, weakness, stiffness, or limited movement still affects you. In some cases, persistent symptoms from an older injury can also overlap with degenerative diseases affecting the same joint.

In addition, an older injury can alter movement patterns and place additional stress on surrounding muscles or joints. Our doctors can reassess chronic overuse injuries and identify problems that may have developed over time. Then, we address these compensatory changes and any other functional limitations to reduce strain, improve movement quality, and support a safer return to activity.

What Is the Recovery Time for Non-Surgical Treatment?

Recovery from non-surgical treatment usually takes about 6 to 12 weeks for many non-operative musculoskeletal conditions. However, serious sports injuries may require several months to heal completely. As you improve, our doctor may gradually progress your exercise program to restore strength, mobility, and function before you return to sports. Careful progression may also help reduce soft tissue injuries as you return to throwing or overhead activity.

Here are some research findings that highlight recovery timelines for different sports injuries:

• Elbow: A study of intercollegiate athletes found that athletes with medial elbow UCL injuries treated non-operatively had a 100% return-to-sport rate, returning in an average of 5 weeks.
• Shoulder: A study of NBA athletes found that players with shoulder instability treated non-operatively returned to play in an average of 3.6 weeks after a subluxation and 7.6 weeks after a dislocation.
• Hip: A systematic review of acute adductor injuries found that athletes with complete adductor tears treated non-operatively returned to play in an average of 8.9 weeks.
• Knee: A study of elite athletes found that grade 1–2 LCL injuries managed non-operatively had a median return-to-play time of 76 days (about 2.5 months).
• Foot/Ankle: A systematic review found that athletes with high ankle sprains managed non-operatively returned to sport in an average of 41.7 days (about 6 weeks).

When Is It Safe to Return to Sports After an Injury?

You can safely return to sports when you regain pain-free movement, adequate strength, and stability in the affected area. You should also complete sport-specific movements without worsening symptoms. Besides that, your doctor considers your specific injury, healing progress, risk of reinjury, and sport-specific demands before clearing you for unrestricted activity.

Additionally, most sports medicine doctors recommend a gradual return based on your recovery progress and the demands of your sports activity. As you gradually return to activity, a healthy diet can also help support your body’s recovery and overall physical health.

Can Early Treatment Help You Recover Without Surgery?

Yes, early treatment can improve your chances of recovering without surgery. Early treatment helps address the injury before symptoms or functional problems become severe. A prompt evaluation also helps your doctor identify the cause of injury and begin targeted treatment. In many cases, this approach can relieve pain, restore function, and support a safe recovery.

Important: Early evaluation does not guarantee that surgery can be avoided. Some injuries may still require surgical treatment depending on the extent of tissue damage, joint stability, symptoms, and activity demands.

Common Patient Scenarios

Many people have similar questions and concerns when deciding how to manage a sports injury without surgery. Here are some common situations patients may face while considering non-surgical treatment and returning to activity:

My Shoulder Feels Weak, but I Don’t Have Any Pain

Shoulder weakness without pain does not always indicate a serious injury, but persistent weakness can still impair normal shoulder function. Changes in strength may be linked to the rotator cuff, surrounding muscles, or nerves. An evaluation can help identify the cause, especially if the weakness limits lifting, throwing, or overhead movement.

I Have Cartilage Damage in My Knee. Is Surgery My Only Option?

Some knee cartilage problems may be managed without surgery, particularly when symptoms and functional limitations can be controlled with conservative treatment. The right approach depends on factors such as the location and extent of cartilage damage, associated joint problems, activity demands, and imaging findings.

My Knee Only Starts Hurting After I Run

Knee pain that develops after running may be related to repetitive loading of the joint, tendons, or surrounding tissues. Adjusting running distance or intensity may help in some cases, but persistent or increasing pain may need evaluation to identify the underlying injury and guide a safe return to training.

I Felt My Hamstring Pop While Sprinting. Can an Injury Like This Heal Without Surgery?

Many hamstring injuries that occur during sprinting can heal with non-surgical treatment. However, the treatment approach may vary based on the extent of the tear, the structures involved, and the resulting loss of strength. Severe injuries, such as a complete tendon tear or an avulsion from the bone, may require surgery.

Book an Appointment for Non-Surgical Sports Injury Care at Total Orthopedics & Sports Medicine! 

Persistent symptoms often mean the underlying problem has not been properly treated. If you continue training through pain, rely on rest, or receive treatment for the wrong condition, your return to activity may be delayed. As a result, you may start considering surgery even though suitable non-surgical options may still be available.

At Total Orthopedics & Sports Medicine, Dr. Brett Spain carefully evaluates whether your symptoms can improve with a non-surgical approach. He reviews how your injury affects movement, training, and daily function, then builds treatment around the specific demands you need to regain. He also adjusts treatment as your condition changes, so your recovery plan aligns with your progress. Call 855-321-6784 or visit us in Syosset, Massapequa, East Meadow, or Deer Park for personalized treatment.

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