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OUR PHYSICIANS:
- Kirk D. Clifford, MD
- Mary Beth Deering, MD
- Michael P. Dohm, MD
- Michael Dolecki, MD
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- Robert L. Frazho, MD
- James S. Gebhard, MD
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- Michael T. Reeder, DO
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Helping to heal tough blows in high school sports
Student athletes afforded free medical help for healing injuries
Posted: September 23, 2010
Reporter: Kelly Asmuth
GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. (KKCO) - The 122,000 Colorado athletes facing off in high school sports often sacrifice more than a few bumps and bruises.
"We see everything, concussions, broken bones, spinal injuries, etc.," says Dr. Richard Price of the Rocky Mountain Orthopedic Associates.
The high school sports most prone to injury are football, wrestling, girls basketball and girls soccer, according to the American Journal of sports Medicine. District 51 students receive medical attention through exams, x–rays and therapy at Rocky Mountain Orthopedics, without getting tackled by huge bills. The free clinic Monday nights has cared for high school competitors for 12 years.
"We don't want a kid to have a nagging injury and not do anything about it, and over the long run it gets worse," says District 51 Athletic Director Paul Cain.
"We just donate our time to do it and keep the athletes healthy and to keep them going," says Dr. Price.
Trainers on the sidelines are partial volunteers, helping athletes on impact. Cain says he's grateful for the generous help.
"There's a lot of places in Western Colorado and throughout the state that don't have trainers, or they don't have physicians on their side lines," says Cain.
Sports doctors say injuries from over–worked muscles are on a continual replay. "Now they're playing competitive sports year-round and not giving their body time to recover," says Dr. Price.
Parents are often as antsy as their kids to get the game started once again post-injury. "Some parents are very cautious and want their kids to be conservative. Some parents are probably pushing their kids to get back too quickly. That's probably where we probably get more challenges, where the parents want their kids to get back too fast," says Dr. Price.
The best game plan after getting wounded- don't race back onto the field.
