Orthopaedics

Exercising by participating in recreational and organized sports is a great way to maintain health and prevent disease.  Involvement in physical activity, whether organized or individual, has increased significantly for all age groups of Americans in the past 20 years.  Adults over the age of 55 have been taking a much more active roll in their health and finding new ways to stay fit.  Since 1987, health club memberships for this age group have skyrocketed by 266 percent.  Studies show that this age group will continue with fitness participation well into their 70s, 80s, and perhaps even 90s.

With increased participation in physical activities comes the possibility of a sports-related injury in athletes of all skill and age levels.  Most commonly, these sports-related injuries involve the musculoskeletal system, meaning the muscles, tendons, ligaments, and bones.  Injuries can include sprain, strains, simple and stress fractures, as well as more chronic problems related to sports. These injuries can happen suddenly or slowly during work-outs and eventually limit the ability to exercise.  In an average year, about 65 percent of all runners will experience some sort of sports-related injury.

To more effectively meet the demands of the active population, Dreyer Medical Clinic has added two new sports medicine specialized physicians with the Orthopaedics Department.  Neena S. Szuch, M.D., an orthopaedic surgeon, completed a sports medicine fellowship at Toledo Orthopaedic Surgeons in Toledo, Ohio.  Jodi A. Pelegrin, D.O., a primary care physician, completed a sports medicine fellowship at Hennepin County Medical Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota. 

Together, these physicians and other health care providers specifically work with the active population to accurately diagnose injuries, prescribe the most effective treatment, and help patients safely return back to their regular physical activities.  The most effective way to deal with sports-related injuries is to visit a specialist who is trained in sports medicine.  Activity-related injuries must be rehabilitated correctly so they do not reoccur.  Additionally, factors such as poor strength or flexibility that contribute to injuries should be identified and corrected to prevent future problems.

Services provided by the sports medicine physicians include joint injections, management of rehabilitation programs, conditioning and nutritional information, compartment testing, manual manipulation, and correct fitting of equipment and bracing.  Additionally, the services of other specialists are consulted by the sports medicine physicians when appropriate to a specific patient. These specialties include cardiology, pulmonology, infectious diseases, gynecology, ophthalmology, ENT, podiatry, physical therapy, nutrition, exercise physiology, and kinesiology.