Sports Orthopaedics

Sports orthopaedics deal with the prevention and treatment of sports related conditions or injuries. They specialise in identifying certain physical preconditions, detected during examinations, which may predispose an individual to injuries and then subsequently work to address these concerns accordingly.

Sports Orthopaedics at the Institute of Sports and Preventive Medicine

In contrast to the department of sports cardiology, the sports orthopaedics specialty at Saarbrücken was only established in 2008. Both specialties are now included within the Institute’s medical eligibility examination for competitive sports, which has resulted in the Institute serving as an out-patient-clinic for athletes affiliated with the Rhineland-Palatinate/Saarland Olympic County Centre. However, out-patients or non-affliated athletes also have access to the Institute’s facilities. Manual (non-surgical) therapy is the primary offered treatment in the orthopaedic department; surgical operations are not part of the treatment options. The focus is on providing guidance on further treatment options in case of chronic sports-related injuries that can be treated conservatively.  

The research emphasis is on football (soccer) injuries, their predictability and their prevention. 

Cooperation with other medical colleagues

The Institute of Sports and Preventive Medicine operates in close contact with other medical colleagues (out-patient-clinics as well as hospitals) to provide optimal support for athletes. This means that if a special problem arises, the Institute has nationwide contacts from which athletes can be referred, in order to have their condition/injury addressed by a known expert in the field of (sports) orthopaedics or related specialities.

• Medical eligibility examination for competitive sports 
• Out-patient-clinic for funded athletes of the Rhineland-Palatinate/Saarland Olympic County Centre
• Sports Orthopaedics out-patient-clinic (accessible for privately and publicy health insured patients)
• Focus: Manual therapy, functional diagnostic and treatment (kinetic chain), injury prevention