Downtown Calgary Sports Medicine Clinic

Sports Medicine Clinic in Calgary

The most common question we get asked is: What is the difference between a physiotherapist and a sports medicine doctor?

While the two disciplines work closely together, they are also quite different. A sports medicine doctor is a primary care doctor with experience working with athletes or sports teams. In other words, they are a qualified MD with a passion for sports and athletics.

A sports medicine doctor’s scope of work includes:

• Injury diagnosis
• Concussion assessments and care
• Checking in throughout a patient’s recovery process
• And prescribing medication when and if they deem it necessary
• Ordering diagnostic imaging and interpreting the results

Frequently, your sports medicine doctor will work with a physiotherapist to guide and create your rehabilitation and exercise plan. Initially, you and your sports medicine doctor have an assessment appointment. This is often where a diagnosis is made. However, for more complicated injuries, an x-ray, MRI, or ultrasound may be required. In the meantime, your sports medicine doctor will help you determine an appropriate course of treatment to promote healing and recovery based on your current condition.

Once a diagnosis has been made, your doctor will likely work with you and your physiotherapist to continue to plan your treatment. This may include referrals to physiotherapists, massage therapists or other specialists. Throughout your recovery process, you may need to attend follow-up appointments to ensure the treatment plan is working. 

A sports medicine doctor may further provide consultations regarding general health, nutrition and many other factors related to your injury.

A sports medicine doctor may also help in the following cases:

• Acute sports injuries, such as broken bones, dislocations, sprains, or strains
• Chronic sports injuries, such as stress fractures or tendonitis
• Pre or post orthopaedic surgery care
• Concussions
• Sports injury prevention

An individual looking to become more active or to become more involved in sports may further benefit from an appointment with a sports medicine doctor. Your sports medicine doctor can make recommendations regarding safe training, nutrition, supplements and more.

Tower Physiotherapy: Your Calgary Sports Medicine Centre

At Tower Physiotherapy, we aim to provide the solution you need. With our reputable and experienced team consisting of physiotherapists, massage therapists, sports medicine doctors and Pilates instructors, we are confident that our team can determine an appropriate treatment path and get you back to your sport of choice. See below for our sports medicine doctors and their profiles.

MD, CCFP-EM, SEM, MPE, BSc

Tower Physio is proud to be in partnership with Dr. Daphne L. Anderson. She is a qualified MD with a passion for Sports Medicine and the care of high performance athletes and active individuals of all ages. She has familiarity working with sports teams and individuals, and personal experience in competitive sports and performing arts. Dr. Anderson's specialties lie in concussion management, musculoskeletal and soft tissue injury diagnosis as well as injury prevention and care.

Dr. Anderson has over 20 years of clinical practice experience of combined sports and exercises medicine, urgent care, and emergency medicine.

Credentials and certifications include:

• Canadian Academy of Sports and Exercise Medicine diploma (Dip. SEM)
• Canadian College of Family Physicians Emergency Medicine RIII trained
• Certificate in added Competence in Sports and Exercise Medicine (CCFP-EM-SEM)
• Masters in Physical Education/Biomechanics (MPE)
• Bachelor of Science (BSc)