By using this site, you agree to the Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.
Accept
Health Works CollectiveHealth Works CollectiveHealth Works Collective
  • Health
    • Mental Health
    Health
    Healthcare organizations are operating on slimmer profit margins than ever. One report in August showed that they are even lower than the beginning of the…
    Show More
    Top News
    mosquito misting spray to fight malaria
    Avoid Malaria with Mosquito Misting Systems
    June 12, 2023
    Medical Surveys
    Beyond the Clinic: Medical Surveys Are a Roadmap to Passive Income for Doctors
    September 23, 2023
    Glutathione
    What Are The Benefits of Glutathione?
    January 22, 2024
    Latest News
    6 Easy Healthcare Ways to Sit Less and Move More Every Day
    September 10, 2025
    7 Most Common Healthcare Accreditation Programs: Which Should You Use?
    August 20, 2025
    Hospital Pest Control and the Fight Against Superbugs
    August 20, 2025
    Hygiene Beyond The Clinic: Attention To Overlooked Non-Clinical Spaces
    August 13, 2025
  • Policy and Law
    • Global Healthcare
    • Medical Ethics
    Policy and Law
    Get the latest updates about Insurance policies and Laws in the Healthcare industry for different geographical locations.
    Show More
    Top News
    Tips for Older Travelers
    April 14, 2012
    Anti-RUC Suit Challenges Process for Setting Doc Pay Scales
    October 25, 2011
    Math Matters: Dosing Errors Can Be Deadly
    May 1, 2012
    Latest News
    Healthcare at a Crossroads: Why Leadership Matters More Than Ever
    September 9, 2025
    How Social Security Disability Shapes Access to Care and Everyday Health
    August 22, 2025
    How a DUI Lawyer Can Help When Your Future Health Feels Uncertain
    August 22, 2025
    How One Fall Can Lead to a Long Road of Medical Complications
    August 22, 2025
  • Medical Innovations
  • News
  • Wellness
  • Tech
Search
© 2023 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
Reading: Sports Medicine’s Conundrum: How To Treat Pain Without Opioids
Share
Notification Show More
Font ResizerAa
Health Works CollectiveHealth Works Collective
Font ResizerAa
Search
Follow US
  • About
  • Contact
  • Privacy
© 2023 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
Health Works Collective > Policy & Law > Health care > Sports Medicine’s Conundrum: How To Treat Pain Without Opioids
DiagnosticsHealth care

Sports Medicine’s Conundrum: How To Treat Pain Without Opioids

Larry Alton
Larry Alton
Share
6 Min Read
Sports Medicine’s Conundrum: How To Treat Pain Without Opioids
SHARE

Athletes, both amateur and professional, can take a real beating, landing them in the doctor’s office in search of relief. Unfortunately, this natural chain of events has left countless athletes dependent on opioids for pain management, and has even forced some to seek out illicit drugs. But when serious injuries are involved, is there really a safer option for athletes? Sports medicine professionals Athletic Edge Sports Medicine are actively exploring their options as healthcare providers across specialties seek to reduce opioid prescribing.

Contents
  • The State of The Field
  • Advancing Alternatives
  • Managing The Transition
  • Speaking Out

The State of The Field

Despite declining opioid prescriptions across many specialties, athletes continue to struggle with overprescribing. For example, the Secondary Student Life Survey revealed that male athletes were 86% more likely to be prescribed opioids than their non-athlete male peers. Furthermore, overtraining and early specialization means that overuse injuries are affecting younger and younger athletes. One young player, Roman Montano, could throw a 90 mph fastball in high school, but also developed a heroin addiction by graduation after being prescribed OxyContin for a foot injury. At higher levels, pro athletes have almost limitless access to opioids through team doctors – at least until recently – because coaches and managers were desperate to keep them on the field.

Advancing Alternatives

One factor that’s helping sports medicine specialists develop alternative pain management methods is a growing understanding of what causes pain. Drawing on a framework published by the International Olympic Committee (IOC), for example, more sports medicine doctors are recognizing the difference between nociceptive pain from inflammation, nociplastic pain from altered pain signaling, and neuropathic pain from nervous system injury, among others. These different categories of pain occur in different types of athletes and respond to varying types of treatment. Among athletes with soft tissue injuries such as tendonitis or muscle and ligament tears, one option that’s been gaining traction is stem cell treatment. Stem cell therapy activates natural repair mechanisms in the body to fight inflammation and speed up cell regeneration in injured tissues. Many athletes have used stem cell treatments to avoid therapy and get back in the game more quickly with fewer lingering symptoms. Another interesting alternative treatment popularized by physical therapists and sports medicine practitioners is cryotherapy, which uses extremely cold temperatures to reduce inflammation. Why does this work? The general idea behind the treatment is that cold temperatures drive enhanced blood flow to the muscles, reducing inflammation and improving healing, while also boosting lympthatic detoxification. It’s much like icing a sprained ankle, but on a much more extreme scale. Finally, sports medicine physicians – especially those directly affiliated with sports teams – should be more aggressive in recommending the use of TENS units for muscle injuries, regional nerve blocks, and topical treatments during training and injury treatment. Minimizing the introduction of opioids, particularly for those predisposed to addiction, is the first step towards long term pain relief.

Managing The Transition

In order to reduce opioid use among athletes, sports medicine practitioners must not only cut back on prescribing, but also help athletes who are currently using opioids make the transition to healthier treatment modalities. Many athletes have developed serious dependencies and even addictions to their drug of choice, using opioids long after they’re medically necessary, and may need rehabilitative support to safely change treatments. In addition to traditional supportive care under medical oversight, these athletes can benefit from holistic approaches like art therapy, group meetings, and even virtual reality therapy. Rehabilitation professionals and pain management experts alike also rely on tools like chiropractic care and acupuncture to reduce opioid dependency and treat pain. Since many athletes suffer musculoskeletal injuries that affect bodily alignment, chiropractic treatments and massage can both provide significant pain relief. And while the scientific basis of acupuncture remains unclear, studies have shown it’s effective in reducing many different types of pain. Regarding popular alternative treatments, both stem cell therapy and cryotherapy are designed to treat injuries before they progress to the point at which they require opioids – or the types of surgeries that frequently come with an opioid prescription. So whether it’s a torn meniscus in the knee, a rotator cuff tear, or overuse injuries in young athletes, the goal of new treatments is to provide the body with a “tune-up” before taking it apart entirely.

More Read

Sleep Apnea
5 Serious Health Risks of Sleep Apnea
A Whole New Way To Look At Medicine And Healthcare Innovation
Why Are People Afraid Of Life Insurance?
What Is More Effective: Fighting Depression Or Denying It?
What’s the Cause of Chronic Abdominal Pain?

Speaking Out

As more professional athletes speak out about their experience with drug abuse and addiction, and as the opioid crisis continues to consume the media cycle, doctors and coaches are paying more attention to how we approach pain. Though pain may be normal for most athletes, opioid use shouldn’t be. Only doctors have the power to prevent opioid overuse before it starts.

Share This Article
Facebook Copy Link Print
Share

Stay Connected

1.5kFollowersLike
4.5kFollowersFollow
2.8kFollowersPin
136kSubscribersSubscribe

Latest News

a woman walking on the hallway
6 Easy Healthcare Ways to Sit Less and Move More Every Day
Health
September 9, 2025
Clinical Expertise
Healthcare at a Crossroads: Why Leadership Matters More Than Ever
Global Healthcare
September 9, 2025
travel nurse in north carolina
Balancing Speed and Scope: Choosing the Nursing Degree That Fits Your Goals
Nursing
September 1, 2025
intimacy
How to Keep Intimacy Comfortable as You Age
Relationship and Lifestyle Senior Care
September 1, 2025

You Might also Like

Health careWellness

How are people successfully handling work-related injuries?

July 24, 2018
Diagnostics

Breast Cancer Screening of Dense Breasts – Dr. Government Prescribes Bad Medicine

October 29, 2012

The Best Investments To Make In Your Health This Year

May 18, 2020
paramedics in surgical gloves and masks
Health care

How Health Choices and Legal Actions Intersect After an Injury

July 16, 2025
Subscribe
Subscribe to our newsletter to get our newest articles instantly!
Follow US
© 2008-2025 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
  • About
  • Contact
  • Privacy
Welcome Back!

Sign in to your account

Username or Email Address
Password

Lost your password?