Sports Medicine

One of the specialty areas at the INSTITUTE FOR ORTHOPAEDIC SURGERY is Sports Medicine.
The entire team has a focus of managing and treating musculoskeletal injuries with a goal
of returning the athlete to his/her sport as soon as possible. At IOS, a multidisciplinary team
of physicians, physical therapists, and an orthopedic surgical staff are trained in the diagnosis,
treatment, prevention, and when indicated surgical repair of athletic injuries. IOS offers
outpatient invasive diagnostic procedures including arthroscopy; arthroscopic surgical
repairs including anterior cruciate ligament repairs; and other surgical repairs of injuries.
If a patient’s injury requires inpatient surgical treatment, a patient is admitted to the
inpatient "Over Night Care Unit". The IOS Rehabilitation Department through
physical therapy and occupational therapy treats injuries that have undergone invasive
intervention and those that have not.

Prevention of sports injuries is also a key focus. IOS staff cooperates with the
Orthopaedic Institute of Ohio (OIO), in conducting pre-participation sports physicals.
These physicals are done annually in the spring on the OIO/IOS campus. Another key
area of Sports Medicine is the regional involvement of many of the
IOS Medical Staff Orthopedic Surgeons as team physicians for universities and high
schools in the area. As team physicians they work closely with the athletic trainers in the
area in preventive and sports medicine treatment modalities.

Return To Sport (Golf)

The therapy team at IOS understands that returning to sport may be the number one concern
for an injured athlete. Recognizing the physical requirements of each sport is a critical
component in preparing the injured athlete to return to sport. Identifying the physical demands
placed upon the recreational and competitive golfer is one example of how we help return
patients to their sport.

Participating in the sport of golf has continued to be a priority for many of the patients we treat at the Institute for Orthopaedic Surgery. With the repetitive nature of the sport, there is a significant number of golfers who suffer from back, shoulder and other orthopaedic conditions. Regardless of whether the injury was a direct result of participating in golf, we recognize the importance of returning to competition.

The Physical Therapists at the Institute for Orthopaedic Surgery perform comprehensive evaluations to identify the physical limitations which may impede performance on the golf course. Following the evaluation process, the Physical Therapist design's a comprehensive treatment program to address limitations in strength, flexibility, balance and coordination. With the assistance of a well-designed treatment program, patients have been able to return to the sport they love and prevent future injuries.

Prevention Tips

Five Quick Prevention Tips

• Have a physical exam before starting a strenuous exercise program
• Have properly fitting equipment designed for the sport, including good shoes
• Use proper protective equipment, i.e., mouth guard, helmet, hand, wrist, knee guards
• Drink plenty of water to stay hydrated during strenuous sports activity
• Do stretches and warm-ups before beginning activity

Safety Equipment

• When purchasing sporting/fitness equipment, purchase the safety equipment that goes along with it, at the same time.
• Spend the time to obtain the correct fit. Without the correct fit, most safety equipment will not provide the level of protection it was designed for. When needed, ask for professional help. The correct fit means the item will not be too loose or to tight.
• Do not purchase protective equipment for children that is too large, with the expectation that the child will grow into it. The device will not provide the needed protection during this time.
• The safety equipment should fit snug enough to insure that it will move with the body part.
• Include kids in the selection of safety equipment when possible. This may increase their acceptance and improve compliance with the use of safety equipment.
• Regularly check safety equipment for damage. Even minor damage can decrease the effectiveness of safety equipment.
• With the majority of injuries occurring during practice, it’s imperative to wear the protective equipment during practice and games.

Stretches, warm-ups, and cool downs

Prior to participating in sports or other strenuous activity, we recommend completing a brief warm up and stretching program. To get the most from this activity we suggest you keep the following tips in mind

1. Perform a five minute warm up prior to exercises such as biking, walking or light jog.
2. Perform three repetitions of each stretch and hold for 30 seconds.
3. Take the muscle to the point of pulling, stop prior to pain.
4. Do not bounce when holding the stretch.
5. Performing the stretches again upon completion of strenuous activity is a beneficial part of the cool down process.

Acute Injury Management

Rest

Ice

Compression

Elevation