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A free sports medicine clinic is now offered every Tuesday morning
from 7 to 9 in the ALMH Rehab Department. School-aged athletes are
welcomed to visit with a certified athletic trainer to learn more
about the care of their injury, whether they can safely return to
sports, or if a visit with orthopedic surgeon Dr. Rod Herrin or
their primary care physician is needed. These free clinic sessions
are available by appointment only and do not serve as a substitute
for primary health care. Call 732-2161, ext. 179, for an
appointment.
Joe Santillo, ATC/L, is a certified athletic trainer and sports
medicine professional from SportsCare. He and ALMH's wellness
coordinator, Sandy Morse, are visiting with area physical education
classes and athletic teams. Together, they teach coaches and their
students how to strengthen muscles and joints to protect against
repetitive action stress and other sports injuries.
Between the ages of 11 and 15, many kids' bones grow quicker than
their muscles. Often the joints just cannot keep up. In rapidly
developing bodies, this makes youth who participate in sports more
vulnerable to repetitive action injuries.
The basic exercises taught by ALMH and SportsCare staff can
prevent many of the orthopedic pain problems that have been sending
both athletic and more sedentary kids to physical therapy.
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 "The video game and sedentary culture is creating a generation of
kids with poor posture, which in turn can lead to upper back, neck
and shoulder pain," says ALMH physical therapist Todd Mourning.
"When kids hit sixth grade, we begin to see a lot of them in ALMH
Rehab with orthopedic growth-related pain."
SportsCare has been the leading sports medicine provider in
Springfield and the surrounding community for 22 years, offering
professional, high-quality, research-based programs that encourage
healthy, active lifestyles.
ALMH's Rehab Department includes physical therapy, occupational
therapy, advanced conditioning, treatment for speech-language
disorders and guided exercise classes.
For more information on the services provided by ALMH Rehab and
SportsCare, visit www.almh.org.
[Abraham Lincoln Memorial Hospital
news release] |
