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Cost of sports medicine doctor visit by state

The following estimated costs are based on cash prices that providers have historically charged on average for sports medicine doctor visit and will vary depending on where the service is done. The prices do not include the anesthesia, imaging, and other doctor visit fees that normally accompany sports medicine doctor visit.

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StateName Average Cash Price
$83 - $123
$112 - $167
$94 - $140
$82 - $122
$103 - $153
$91 - $135
$99 - $147
$97 - $143
$96 - $142
$91 - $135
$86 - $127
$87 - $128
$84 - $125
$95 - $142
$87 - $129
$79 - $117
$82 - $122
$84 - $124
$93 - $138
$84 - $125
$99 - $147
$102 - $151
$94 - $139
$106 - $157
$85 - $125
$84 - $124
$87 - $129
$85 - $126
$90 - $133
$90 - $134
$109 - $162
$83 - $123
$103 - $152
$82 - $122
$92 - $136
$86 - $127
$92 - $136
$93 - $139
$96 - $143
$103 - $153
$88 - $130
$82 - $121
$82 - $122
$89 - $132
$93 - $138
$91 - $135
$89 - $132
$99 - $147
$89 - $132
$94 - $139
$91 - $135

Sports medicine physicians are doctors who diagnose and treat sports-related injuries. These include:

  • Fractures
  • Sprains
  • Injuries to the shoulders or knees
  • Muscle, ligament, and tendon injuries
  • Concussions
  • Heat illnesses
  • Cartilage injuries
  • Asthma caused by exercise

Sports medicine physicians diagnose and treat musculoskeletal problems, order and analyze diagnostic imaging or lab results, and perform physical examinations for their patients. They also provide treatment plans, prescribe medication, and supervise rehabilitation after injury.

Although sports medicine doctors can perform micro-invasive surgical procedures, they do not conduct large-scale surgeries.

A sports medicine doctor must obtain Board Certification in one of several medical specialties, such as family medicine or emergency medicine. Sports medicine physicians must graduate from an accredited medical school, complete three to four years of residency training, and one to two years of fellowship training.

They must also take and pass a national certification and licensing exam.

You should see a sports medicine doctor if you are are experiencing an acute musculoskeletal injury, overuse injury, or would like guidance on starting or maintaining a healthy, active lifestyle.

Sports medicine doctors can help diagnose and treat strains, sprains, fractures, and tendonitis. They can administer injection therapies, such as platelet-rich plasma or stem cell injections, to help with conditions like osteoarthritis and manage conditions like asthma and diabetes.

They can also help you with diet and lifestyle changes that can improve physical performance when exercising or playing a sport.

A sports medicine visit is similar to a primary care provider visit. Your sports medicine physician obtains your medical history and asks about your current medical concerns during the visit.

They perform a preliminary exam to determine whether further testing or diagnostics are necessary. Following these procedures, your sports medicine physician discusses your results and provides you with a treatment plan.

Your sports medicine doctor visit may be partially or fully covered by your health insurance plan. Sports medicine is considered a subspecialty within orthopedic medicine, so check with your insurance provider for coverage prior to scheduling your visit.

Both sports medicine doctors and orthopedic surgeons have training in musculoskeletal medicine. However, orthopedic surgeons are trained to perform full-scale operative procedures for musculoskeletal conditions.

If you require any of the following procedures, you likely need to see an orthopedic surgeon rather than a sports medicine doctor:

  • Joint replacement surgery
  • Internal fixation
  • Bone fusion
  • Arthroscopy
  • Soft tissue repair
  • Osteotomy (bone repositioning)

Around 90% of musculoskeletal injuries do not require surgical intervention, so you may choose to see a sports medicine doctor before visiting an orthopedic surgeon for treatment of non-musculoskeletal injuries.

Sports medicine doctors can help you treat back pain. They specialize in treating musculoskeletal conditions caused by overuse or injury to ligaments or tendons. Back pain is often brought on because of muscle overuse, such as lifting heavy objects or repetitive motions.

Your sports medicine physician can prescribe treatment options, such as specific stretches or heat application. They can also run diagnostic testing to pinpoint the cause of your back pain and prescribe medications if necessary.

* Savings estimate based on a study of more than 1 billion claims comparing self-pay (or cash pay) prices of a frequency-weighted market basket of procedures to insurer-negotiated rates for the same. Claims were collected between July 2017 and July 2019. R.Lawrence Van Horn, Arthur Laffer, Robert L.Metcalf. 2019. The Transformative Potential for Price Transparency in Healthcare: Benefits for Consumers and Providers. Health Management Policy and Innovation, Volume 4, Issue 3.

Sidecar Health offers and administers a variety of plans including ACA compliant and excepted benefit plans. Coverage and plan options may vary or may not be available in all states.

Your actual costs may be higher or lower than these cost estimates. Check with your provider and health plan details to confirm the costs that you may be charged for a service or procedure.You are responsible for costs that are not covered and for getting any pre-authorizations or referrals required by your health plan. Neither payments nor benefits are guaranteed. Provider data, including price data, provided in part by Turquoise Health.

The site is not a substitute for medical or healthcare advice and does not serve as a recommendation for a particular provider or type of medical or healthcare.