Expert Sports Injury Care in San Diego
Every year, millions of Americans face sports-related injuries that sideline their active lifestyles. In fact, in 2023 alone, 3.7 million individuals in the United States were treated in emergency departments for injuries linked to sports and recreational activities, with exercise, cycling, and basketball being the most frequently associated activities.
At San Diego Performance Orthopedics and Regenerative Therapy (S.P.O.R.T.), Dr. Sanjum Samagh is dedicated to helping patients overcome these setbacks. By combining advanced orthopedic techniques with cutting-edge regenerative therapies, Dr. Samagh tailors each treatment plan to restore movement, enhance performance, and improve quality of life.
Read on to discover how Dr. Samagh's expertise as the best sports medicine doctor in San Diego can support your journey back to peak activity.
Four Ways the Top Sports Medicine Doctor in San Diego Can Help You
Whether you’re recovering from a recent injury or managing chronic joint pain, knowing your treatment options is the first step toward getting back to what you love. Here are five key ways Dr. Samagh delivers expert care tailored to athletes and active people in North San Diego County and beyond:
1. Advanced Shoulder Surgery for Active Patients
People who stay active, whether by working out or participating in sports, often encounter shoulder injuries that require specialized care that combines cutting-edge surgical techniques with a patient-focused approach. Shoulder joint issues typically stem from:
- Repetitive overhead activities such as swimming, surfing, pickleball, tennis, and baseball
- Traumatic impacts during contact sports
- Workplace overuse
- Age-related degeneration
- Sudden falls
The complex anatomy of the shoulder, comprising multiple joints, muscles, tendons, and ligaments, makes it particularly vulnerable to acute injuries and chronic conditions. When conservative treatments prove insufficient, surgical intervention is necessary to regain a pain-free lifestyle and return to activity. The most common types of shoulder surgeries in San Diego include:
- Rotator cuff surgery
- Capsular release
- Labral repair
- Shoulder hemiarthroplasty
- Total shoulder replacement
- Reverse total shoulder replacement
- Shoulder fracture surgery
2. Expert Knee Surgery for Lasting Relief and Mobility
Knee injuries commonly occur during everyday activities and sports when the joint twists awkwardly or absorbs too much impact. Athletes like skateboarders, snowboarders, runners, football players, and surfers often damage their ACL or meniscus when changing direction suddenly, landing incorrectly from jumps, or experiencing contact with another player. Even regular activities like walking on uneven surfaces or squatting incorrectly can lead to chronic knee pain and damage over time. When these injuries happen, expert surgical care offers important solutions.
Modern knee surgery in San Diego uses tiny cameras and specialized tools to repair torn ligaments, damaged cartilage, and other knee problems through small incisions. This allows skilled surgeons to remain minimally invasive while still effectively reconstructing torn ACLs, repairing or trimming damaged meniscus tissue, and fixing broken tendons to restore stability and function. With proper surgical care and rehabilitation, most patients can return to their active lifestyles with reduced pain and improved mobility, getting back to the activities they enjoy most.
Common knee injury surgeries that Dr. Samagh provides include:
- ACL reconstruction surgery
- ACL repair
- Meniscus surgery
- Patellar or quadricep tendon repair
3. Hip Surgery Focused on Joint Preservation and Performance
Depending on the type of hip injury, leading orthopedic experts turn to joint preservation rather than rushing into total hip replacement. Hip preservation targets the root cause of pain, whether from sports injuries, repetitive movements, or early arthritis, with customized treatment plans.
The goal is simple: fix what's wrong now to help prevent bigger problems later, while keeping you moving and doing what you love with less pain and better performance. This approach means getting back to sports and activities faster with better movement for athletes and active people.
The following procedures can repair torn cartilage, reshape misformed bones, or remove damaged soft tissue using small incisions and cameras that reduce healing time:
- Hip Arthroscopy
- Hip Arthroscopic Labral Repair
- Hip Arthroscopic Labral Debridement
- Hip Arthroscopic Labral Reconstruction
- Hip bursa removal
4. Non-Surgical Regenerative Treatments for Sports Injuries
This cutting-edge approach uses the body's natural healing abilities to repair damaged tissues, reduce pain, and speed up recovery. Orthobiologic treatments include:
- Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) therapy: Includes taking a small amount of your own blood, concentrating the healing components, and injecting them directly into the injured area to boost healing.
- Stem cell therapy: Using special cells that can transform into different tissue types to help rebuild damaged muscles, tendons, or cartilage.
All of these treatments help with common sports injuries like tennis elbow, golfer’s elbow, runner's knee, rotator cuff tears, and muscle strains. The best part is they typically require little downtime compared to surgery, allowing you to return to activities sooner. Other advantages of nonsurgical treatment include:
- Reduced risk of blood clots
- Return to being physically active sooner than after conventional types of surgery
- Can return home the same day
- Reduced swelling compared to surgical procedures
For many athletes dealing with chronic pain or injuries that haven't responded to traditional treatments, these regenerative options provide an effective middle ground between basic care and major surgery.
Where to Find Personalized Sports Medicine and Injury Care in San Diego
When you get injured playing sports or being active, you need a specialist who will create treatment plans designed just for you. This includes having a surgeon who will take the time to understand your injury, your sport, and what you want to achieve.
As San Diego’s best orthopedic surgeon, Dr. Samagh combines traditional, tried-and-true treatments like physical therapy with cutting-edge techniques like:
- Personalized rehabilitation exercises
- Advanced imaging for precision diagnostics
- Minimally invasive procedures that cut recovery time
- Natural bone and tissue preservation
- Orthobiologics
With the help of his dedicated sports medicine team, Dr. Samagh is committed to helping you recover faster and prevent future injuries. Whether you're a weekend warrior, high school athlete, or professional competitor, our state-of-the-art practice focuses on returning to your activities safely and quickly.
Are you in Encinitas, Leucadia, Del Mar, Solana Beach, Cardiff, Carlsbad, Oceanside, Torrey Pines, or North County San Diego and ready to return to the sports you love with the help from the leading sports medicine doctor in the area?