Pediatric Sports Medicine

Same-Day Appointments Available!

The bones, muscles, ligaments, and tendons of a growing child’s body are much different than that of an adult’s body. When your child suffers a sports-related injury, you want a pediatric orthopedic specialist who understands these differences and knows how to address the unique concerns of pediatric orthopedic injuries.

Orthopaedic doctors who only treat adults may not accurately diagnose your child’s problem, or they may not understand the best way to treat injuries according to the age of the child.

Dr. Martin evaluates and treats the following sports medicine conditions:

• Apophysitis
• Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) Injuries
• Fractures
• Little League Elbow
• Little League Shoulder
• Meniscal Tears
• Nursemaid’s Elbow
• Osteochondritis Dissecans
• Patellar Dislocation
• Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome
• Shin Splints
• Stress Fractures

Children are particularly susceptible to orthopedic injuries because of their growth plates. For a torn ACL, Dr. Martin has performed more skeletally immature ACL reconstruction surgeries than anyone in Georgia using a reconstructive procedure that best preserves the growth plate and gets your child back to their sport as soon as possible.

She is also the first person in the southeast United States to perform an ACL tightening/augmentation and bridge procedure, which uses the stretched but intact native ACL, shortening and reinforcing it.

Dr. Martin offers comprehensive pediatric orthopedic care. From ACL tear reconstructions and meniscus tear repairs to casting and minimally invasive surgery, our goal is to speed the healing process safely and effectively so your child can return to the game they love.

We offer a number of conveniences for our pediatric patients including:

• Same-day appointments for early intervention of traumatic injuries
• On-site radiology and DME (durable medical equipment) including boots, braces, straps, and other supportive devices
• Injury prevention program including FMS assessments (functional movement screens) to evaluate movement patterns to improve performance and reduce risk of injury

Injury Prevention

To help pediatric athletes understand the risk of injury in their sport and prevent injuries from occurring, Dr. Martin developed a “pre-hab” program to identify areas of weakness for each individual athlete related to their specific sport. Advanced training and physical therapy to decrease the risk of injury during sports participation can then target these areas.

Because a child’s body heals faster than an adult’s body, it is important to seek treatment for an injury as soon as possible. The earlier your child is accurately diagnosed and treated, the sooner they will get back to their sport – and with the ability to perform at a higher level.

In addition, early injury management is easier and typically shorter in duration, and may respond to physical therapy or rehabilitation rather than surgery.

When your child is injured, visit Dr. Martin at Performance Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine. We are conveniently located in metro Atlanta with offices in Atlanta, Duluth or Snellville. Call (404) 973-2444 today or request an appointment online.