Aspen Orthopedic Specialists Advises on Sports Safety for 2020-21 Athletes
As fall sports move forward under COVID-19 restrictions, the sports medicine specialists at Aspen Orthopedic Specialists offer guidance to help keep athletes safe and healthy. Parents and athletes seeking expert bone, joint and muscle care are encouraged to call (262) 395-4141 to schedule a safe appointment at Aspen Orthopedic Specialists in Brookfield, New Berlin, Oak Creek or Madison. Same-day appointments for new orthopedic injuries and conditions and telemedicine visits are also available. For details, locations and hours, visit www.aspenors.com.
“As sports medicine providers for several area teams, we know that parents, guardians, coaches and schools want to keep our student-athletes safe, and so do we,” says Dr. Ryan Kehoe, sports medicine specialist and board-certified orthopedic surgeon at Aspen Orthopedic Specialists. “To help navigate coming moving forward into the fall season, our sports medicine team and I have developed some simple rules for athletes to follow to reduce not only the risk of viral spread but also the risk of injury.”
As practices continue and competitions resume, following the principles and protocols listed below will help keep the athletic community safe and help student-athletes protect their health, development and performance.
- Stay safe: You should continue to physically distance yourself from others and respect the guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as best as you can. You should follow any COVID-19–related regulations set forth by local health authorities, your school or athletic association.
- Stay healthy: Keep up on proper nutrition, hydration and personal hygiene. Wash your hands, avoid touching your face and wear face masks or coverings when appropriate. Be sure to also stick to safety practices during workouts as well, and do not push too hard or overexert yourself.
- Stay prepared: One of the best things you can do to prepare for your sport is completing a physical with a medical provider if you have not already for the 2020-21 year. This will help ensure it is safe for you to participate in training and competition and allow you to address any problems before they become dangerous with higher activity levels.
- Stay steady: Guidelines for COVID-19 safety have kept many indoors and at home for extended periods, leading to muscular and cardiovascular deconditioning. Even for those who have tried to stay active, you will need to take training and conditioning slowly, increasing activity cautiously and respecting the limits of your body. Building back strength and endurance should be slow and steady; too much exertion too quickly can lead to injury as well as immunosuppression.
“At Aspen Orthopedic Specialists, we have dedicated ourselves to safely keeping athletes in the game and performing at their best,” says Dr. Jonathon Printz, board-certified orthopedic surgeon and sports medicine provider for Wauwatosa East High School. “While this season presents a number of new challenges, we are here and stand ready to help our area athletes overcome sports-related injuries and conditions so they can keep doing what they love.”
Offering safe in-office appointments throughout the region, Aspen Orthopedic Specialists has remained committed to seeing patients safely for all their orthopedic needs. As part of that commitment, the practice offers telemedicine visits in addition to Same-Day Ortho appointments to provide consultation for bone, joint and muscle problems. Through Same-Day Ortho, the practice offers specialized same-day care acute orthopedic needs, such as sports-related injuries.
To learn more or to schedule an appointment with the sports medicine experts at Aspen Orthopedic Specialists, please call (262) 395-4141.