Women GP vs Sports physician

[gymgurl]

There is a rather long back story to this question so bear with me for a bit.

Back in december I fell awkwardly on my arm doing walkover relays when my legs went before my arms were ready. I heard a snap as did my coach who was next to me. My teammates mum is a physio and looked at it briefly and said that there was no need to go to ER so we booked a physio appointment for the next day. He looked at my elbow and said that ligament damage appears to be very small judging by movement etc. It was a few days before christmas when i did it and we left to go overseas on boxing day so only saw the physio that once. We then went skiing/touristing for a month and predominantly rested my arm (bar the rare handstand in front of a tourist site). When I got back I saw a physio and shortly after I injured my wrist and was in a splint (on the same arm) for about 3 weeks so more rest. I worked my way back slowly and there was still some pain in my wrist and elbow so I bought a pair of tiger paws which fixed the wrist problem. However, elbow is still giving me grief and I have decided I need to see someone about it and get it sorted because after coaching and spotting skills its really sore and if i do gym myself its almost unbearable. I am contemplating a comeback so I really need to get this sorted.

My question is should I go to a sports physician or a GP. On the Sports physician it says that it can refer you for an MRI straight away where as the GP cannot and must give you a referral for a specialist who gives you a referral for an MRI.

I am thinking of cutting out the middle man and going straight to the sports physician if i can. What would you guys recommend?

 

[raenndrops]

Sports doc... all the way. You will need an MRI and it is smart to cut out the extra step

Good luck!

 

[leotardmakermum]

Definitely sports doctor.

 

[Deleted member D3987]

for sure the sports Doc but i have no idea how your health care system works.

 

[leotardmakermum]

for sure the sports Doc but i have no idea how your health care system works.

I do, as we're in Australia, and currently using a sports doctor who referred for an MRI.

Gymgurl, you may just want to check that the MRI will be covered by Medicare, seeing you've bypassed your GP. Our MRI was not, but I'm not sure if that is because it was we didn't go via a GP, or if it was because of the body part the MRI was for.

 

[gymgurl]

Discovered after reading the fine print that a referral is needed for the sports doctor anyway (a new thing, you used to be able to go in without a referral) so GP it is to start with regardless, in regards to MRIs the sports physicians MRI referrals are rebatable with medicare, GPs are not, GPs must refer you to go to a specialist who can give you a rebatable MRI referal. However, not all MRI machines are rebate able so it would depend on where you go.

Hopefully going to see a GP today if i don't get called in to work and I will go from there. Thanks for all your help will keep you updated

 

[Pineapple_Lump]

Don't forget to make use of your membership insurance through JLT (maybe too much time has passed) Link Removed It will cover a lot of the out of pocket costs you may incur.

 

[leotardmakermum]

Thank you for posting about this, Pineapple Lump! I've never heard of this before, and am very pleased to. It might help us with our current expenses.

 

[gymgurl]

Update: Went to GP now have referral for X-rays and Sports physician

 

[gymgurl]

Update!

Went to the sports physician and he thinks the most likely injury with almost 100% certainty is that initially I had a grade 2 tear of the Ulna Collateral Ligament and a strained right pronator teres insertion (rare but looks like the most logical given pain locations). Going for an MRI to confirm but yay for having direction with this injury

 

[htimcj]

I am glad that you are finding out what is wrong. I hope it is easily fixed.