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Diagnosing Sports Injuries Difficult; Oftens Lead Athletes to Surgeons Such as Marc Philippon, MD for Second and Third Opinions

Orthopedic hip surgeon and sports medicine specialist, Dr. Marc Philippon, was recently mentioned in an article that ran in the Globe and Mail that states diagnosing sports injuries is never an exact science. While professional athletes receive the best medical advice and care on the sidelines, many are seeking out independent second and third opinions in order to make certain the correct injury is diagnosed and treated.

Annually, individuals trust the diagnosis and advice given to them by their doctors. They believe that what they are told is true, and that the injury and/or condition will be treated and made to go away. While this statement describes most people’s interactions with doctors, it’s the sports medicine segment that oftentimes gets the brunt of the blame when the diagnosis proves to wrong.

The Globe and Mail feature highlights the argument that sports medicine can be a messy and immensely complicated business, and that the wrong diagnosis and treatment pattern can lead to additional injury, more time on the bench, and for some, early retirement.  While it is true that team doctors face pressures from many directions, including satisfying their employers and their patients, they also realize that a mistake can end an athlete’s career.  For some athletes with severe injuries and a lot riding on their return to the sport, they are choosing to get independent, second and third party advice in order to get the best medical care and diagnosis. Dr. Marc Philippon is one such doctor being sought out for these particular types of special assessment cases.

 

NHL Penguins general manager Ray Shero, states, “Every plane ticket, every operation, it doesn’t matter. I’ll send guys for third opinions because we want to be right and I want the players to know they’re getting the best possible medical care.”

To read the full story:

Diagnosing sports injuries never an exact science

  • American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons
  • American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine
  • International Society for Hip Arthroscopy
  • Arthroscopy Association of North America