WAG Where do you go first for a gymnastics injury?

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Let me preface this by saying I live in Canada, so our healthcare system is a bit different here... So where/which doctor do you see first when you suspect an injury (particularly overuse)?
In my experience, I've found that general/family doctors aren't much help and will just say "rest it for 2 weeks", etc. without really understanding the sport. However, if you want to see a designated sports med doc, you need a referral and the wait list can be a bit long.
I usually go to PT first, but often they'll want an x-ray etc. (which they can't refer you for), so then I end up back where I started, trying to get an x-ray referral from a regular doc... There has to be a better way! Where do all of you go first?
 
I usually go to the family doctor first, he will suggest rest. I tell him I already took rest and it didn't help. Or I tell him I suspect something more serious is going on. Honestly the worst he can do is say no, so it's worth a try. He is usually the one who can refer you to anyone (for me I even need a referral for Pt)
 
Let me preface this by saying I live in Canada, so our healthcare system is a bit different here... So where/which doctor do you see first when you suspect an injury (particularly overuse)?
In my experience, I've found that general/family doctors aren't much help and will just say "rest it for 2 weeks", etc. without really understanding the sport. However, if you want to see a designated sports med doc, you need a referral and the wait list can be a bit long.
I usually go to PT first, but often they'll want an x-ray etc. (which they can't refer you for), so then I end up back where I started, trying to get an x-ray referral from a regular doc... There has to be a better way! Where do all of you go first?

Hi I'm Canadian too!!
I always found the same difficulties with my injuries (which I often self diagnosed...)...... which I also don't recommend.

Curious to hear what people say. But I did see a sports specialist a few times... They were able to order me the correct ankle brace I required, but the family physician refused to order for me because 'I should rest it...'

Anyways, I wish you luck!
 
Hi I'm Canadian too!!
I always found the same difficulties with my injuries (which I often self diagnosed...)...... which I also don't recommend.

Curious to hear what people say. But I did see a sports specialist a few times... They were able to order me the correct ankle brace I required, but the family physician refused to order for me because 'I should rest it...'

Anyways, I wish you luck!
Thank you! I'm not currently injured or anything, just curious to see other responses. This post was promtped by a post about chiropractors a few weeks ago, where people were discussing the use of chiros as a "first visit" after an injury. That seemed odd to me because hardly anyone around here views the chiro that way!
 
We usually go to the orthopedic walk in clinic if after hours and she needs to be seen — this is for any ortho type injuries. Our family dr would just add time to the process and really would add nothing. So ortho first for us. They will do X-ray and everything right in the office.
 
We can go to PT without a prescription - so if I suspect that an athlete had an overuse injury and I know that they have previously seen a PT, I will recommend that the parent start there. If it is an athlete who hasn’t previously seen a PT then I would recommend going to an orthopedist who specializes in sports medicine if possible (there are several in our area, and we will recommend docs if a parent doesn’t have one). I would say pretty much none of the competitive kids I coach will go to their pediatrician for a gymnastics injury - they all go to an orthopedist (depending on your insurance you don’t always need a referral). Obviously if it is an acute injury or a suspected fracture/dislocation we send them to an ER/urgent care center (and then make sure that they follow up with an orthopedist after).
 
We can go to PT without a prescription - so if I suspect that an athlete had an overuse injury and I know that they have previously seen a PT, I will recommend that the parent start there. If it is an athlete who hasn’t previously seen a PT then I would recommend going to an orthopedist who specializes in sports medicine if possible (there are several in our area, and we will recommend docs if a parent doesn’t have one). I would say pretty much none of the competitive kids I coach will go to their pediatrician for a gymnastics injury - they all go to an orthopedist (depending on your insurance you don’t always need a referral). Obviously if it is an acute injury or a suspected fracture/dislocation we send them to an ER/urgent care center (and then make sure that they follow up with an orthopedist after).
Yes of course urgent care for injuries like that! What exactly is an ortho? I keep hearing that on chalk bucket but I don't think we have those here...
 
Our chiropractor (also a trained PT). For medical issues (infections, illness etc) we go to family doc, for soreness/sprains/kinked backs/muscle spasms what have you, we go to chiro. If there would ever be (knock on wood) something more serious injury at gym/dance we would obviously go to urgent care/ER and then ortho or whatever specialist recommended!
We *have* had our chiro recommend we go to our family doc and get referral to either ortho or Xray/MRI on a few occasions. It is a really good partnership. We have never had our family doc disagree (blind tested several times) with the chiro assessment when there have been specific injuries suspected that needs further imaging or ortho care.
We are in the US. We are allowed (per our insurance) to go to chiropractor directly without referral. For everything else, it is MUCH easier if the family doc gives a referral (like the chiro COULD do a write up for an Xray, but it will be much faster and better results insurance wise if family doc does it).
 
Yes of course urgent care for injuries like that! What exactly is an ortho? I keep hearing that on chalk bucket but I don't think we have those here...
Ortho stands for orthopedist. They are medical doctors who specialize in bone, muscle, and soft tissue injuries and deformities. Some are general but many of them specialize in specific areas like the knee, hand/wrist, shoulder, back. Some specialize in sports injuries.

For sports injuries, we go directly to the ortho urgent care clinic. You usually see a physician assistant but they can quickly evaluate with x-rays and can order additional tests or refer to the specialized ortho if needed. I find they get us appts into the specialist faster than if we went to the pediatrician or called for an initial appt. If we know the PT can handle the injury (not worried about a break), we will go straight to her instead.
 
For a first injury we started with their regular pediatrician partly as we could easily get an X-ray. Thigh we can see a peds sports doctor without referral so we go straight there usually now. Head injury went to urgent care.
 
Uk here :)

Acute injuries would go to A&e, walk in etc.

Anything long term or general niggles I’d probably go to GP for a referral to appropriate hcp or department. Sports physio, orthopaeds, imaging. Because they’re a child I can nearly always get a same day gp appt.

If i thought it was more of muscular/soft tissue I might go see a private sports physio first. £30 but it would also get me recommendations for practitioners/treatments i could the take to the GP for referral.
 
I usually go to the family doctor first, he will suggest rest. I tell him I already took rest and it didn't help. Or I tell him I suspect something more serious is going on. Honestly the worst he can do is say no, so it's worth a try. He is usually the one who can refer you to anyone (for me I even need a referral for Pt)
Pediatric orthopedic surgeon.
 
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Pediatric orthopedic specialist if you have the option, PT if it seems to be more of a nagging issue than an acute injury. Something urgent like a broken bone to an ER or urgent care.
Family Drs usually refer if they feel it's a legitimate issue, otherwise they just do the rest 2 weeks and see speech. I think sometimes it's more to appease the parent than because they actually feel like something is wrong. I see it more in new gym parents when their child will wake up sore after a tough conditioning session and they will race them to the Dr the next day. Almost always the Dr. will say "it's probably sprained. Rest for 1-2 weeks." Then the kid comes back 2 days later like nothing ever happened.
 
In Canada you cannot see a specialist, like orthopedics, without a referral. I have never heard of a ortho walk in clinic here, though it would be great.

We always went to the sports physio first, we never had any emergencies though. FOr an actual emergency it would be the ER.
 
In Canada you cannot see a specialist, like orthopedics, without a referral. I have never heard of a ortho walk in clinic here, though it would be great.

We always went to the sports physio first, we never had any emergencies though. FOr an actual emergency it would be the ER.
I figured as much, thanks for the confirmation! A walk in ortho clinic would definitely be a great thing to have.
 
Just a shortened version of “orthopedist”
I knew ortho = orthopedist (just didn't want to type the whole thing out on my phone!) but wasn't sure what an orthopedist was exactly. I had never heard of one before! I guess that is because they aren't common in my area according to a quick Google search.
 
I knew ortho = orthopedist (just didn't want to type the whole thing out on my phone!) but wasn't sure what an orthopedist was exactly. I had never heard of one before! I guess that is because they aren't common in my area according to a quick Google search.
Around here I've seen some docs spell it orthopedic, and others spell it orthopaedic. Same thing, different spelling.
 
Around here I've seen some docs spell it orthopedic, and others spell it orthopaedic. Same thing, different spelling.
Regardless of spelling, we don't seem to have many here! I'm sure there must be an orthopedic specialist near by, I just find it funny how uncommon they are here in Canada whereas for you American CB members, it seems to be where the majority of you turn for injuries. Here, most serious sports injuries end up getting a sports medicine referral (as opposed to orthopedist).
 
Regardless of spelling, we don't seem to have many here! I'm sure there must be an orthopedic specialist near by, I just find it funny how uncommon they are here in Canada whereas for you American CB members, it seems to be where the majority of you turn for injuries. Here, most serious sports injuries end up getting a sports medicine referral (as opposed to orthopedist).
I think it is more a difference in how the physicians and clinics are organized. In our area (not sure of other parts of the US), our orthopedic clinics have sports medicine drs. So when we say "ortho" it is just a generic term. Depending on the injury and sometimes depending on availability, you are more likely to see either the sports med dr or the ortho surgeon. Our urgent care clinics are staffed by physician assistants who are trained across all injuries, but mostly sports since that is the majority of ortho urgent care visits
 

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