Sports and Shoulder Feature

No matter the sport, season, or type of injury, the sports specialists at Hope Orthopedics of Oregon can help you return to play safely. Drs. Tobin and Fan, along with Dr's. Ballard, Sewell, Zirschky and Yao at Hope Orthopedics care for athletes of all ages, from youth through college, to the retired athlete, as well as the occasional sports enthusiast.

Hope Orthopedics of Oregon has partnered with the Salem-Keizer school district, Corban University, and Western Oregon University to ensure athletes have proper medical care at prior to and during sporting events. The doctors at Hope Orthopedics are right there on the field, working with athletes across all sports to prevent injury and provide treatment when the worst occurs. They aren’t just there at game time; the doctors also hold clinics at the schools so that athletes can get treatment without even leaving their campus. In the Salem-Keizer school district, athletic trainers from Hope Orthopedics provide care for athletes along with the doctors. Their focus is getting athletes back on the field in a safe and effective manner, as well as introducing safety protocols for athletes and coaches to follow.

An added benefit is developing relationships with coaches, trainers, and the athletes themselves. When injured, athletes are able to quickly see one of the sports specialists at Hope Orthopedics, allowing them to quickly and safely return to play. In addition-Hope has Certified Athletic Trainers on staff to provide support to student athletes, and Licensed Physical Therapists at both the State Street clinic location and a PT only location in Keizer.

Dr. Tobin and Dr. Fan aren’t new to this game. They’ve both been treating sports patients over the course of their careers. They stay up to date on treatment procedures and teach their athletes and athletic enthusiasts proper protocols for preventing and recognizing injury. Most sprains and strains can be treated non-operatively but when surgery is necessary, our surgeons utilize the most up to date techniques and technology to provide the best results.

Common sports injuries include ACL and meniscus injuries in the knee, or injuries to the labrum or rotator cuff in the shoulder and elbow. Here are some injury prevention tips from Dr.

Fan and Dr. Tobin, to help keep you actively enjoying your chosen sport:

• Know your limits, and understand your body. Recognize injury and get evaluated before it becomes a larger problem. If you believe your injury is significant don’t ignore it.
• Get a preseason physical. Having a physical can help asses any problems that may be present and can help an athlete from injuring themselves further if a condition is present. Willamette Surgery Center offers free sports physicals for school aged athletes with the start of each new school year. If you’re not a school-aged athlete, a physical is still a great way to evaluate your body and to know what kinds of activity you may want to avoid.
• Focus on cross-training. Changing up your athletic routine allows you to work out different parts of your body. It’s important to change up 
• your exercise or sports regiments so you aren’t continuously putting stress on the same muscles and joints day after day.
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• Don’t forget to warm up! Warm ups and proper stretching are so important to prevent injury when playing a sport or participating in athletic activity.
• Hydrate. Hydrate. Hydrate. Water helps to regulate your body temperature and lubricate your joints. Both important things when participating in athletics!

When to see a doctor for your sports-related injury:

• If you consistently have pain during or after sports
• You notice new swelling around a joint, or swelling that comes up when you participate in an athletic activity
• You feel recurrent instability - joints "give way"
• You experience a painful “popping” of a joint
• You have pain that does not go away with rest

Not all injury can be prevented, but recovery and better quality of life are possible when you have great sports medicine specialists, athletic trainers, and physical therapists on your team.

Sponsored by Hope Orthopedics of Oregon. Visit our website at www.hopeorthopedics.com