OrthoAlabama Spine & Sports Offers Advice for Fall Student-Athletes
As sports competitions move forward for the fall for the fall with new COVID-19 restrictions, the specialty-trained sports medicine doctors at OrthoAlabama Spine & Sports are sharing ways to help protect the health and safety of local student-athletes. Safe, specialized bone, joint and muscle care and comprehensive student-athlete physicals are available in Birmingham at 1801 Gadsden Highway and in Hoover at 118 Mars Hill Road. Athletes or parents and guardians can call (205) 228-7600 to schedule a safe in-office appointment.
“At OrthoAlabama Spine & Sports, we are committed to keeping student-athletes safe and healthy,” says board-certified, fellowship-trained sports medicine surgeon Dr. Tyler Marshall. “To help our local athletic community have a safe transition back to training and competition, my team and I have put together a list of guidelines for student-athletes, parents, guardians and coaches.”
As practices and competitions continue, as well as during workouts, student-athletes should exercise caution to both reduce the risk of viral spread and also reduce the risk of injury by adhering to these general rules from OrthoAlabama Spine & Sports:
- Stay focused on your health: Keep up a proper diet, stay hydrate and watch out for overtraining. You should also practice wash your hands often, try not to touch your face (especially after touching things in public), wear a face covering or mask when appropriate and avoid close physical contact with others when you can.
- A physical is important: While many schools and leagues require a sports physical, athletes should get one from a medical professional as soon as possible, even if they’re training individually, to ensure the safety of their conditioning and intensity of their workouts. OrthoAlabama Spine & Sports offers safe, comprehensive sports screenings with specialty-trained experts.
- Slow down: With COVID-19, many individuals have had restricted levels of activity, and athletes will need to slowly increase training and conditioning. Building strength and endurance takes time, and pushing too hard can lead to injury or even illness.
- Follow protocols from your school or athletic association: Keep maintaining social and physical distancing as best as possible and respecting guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Players, parents and coaches should also follow any state, local, school, league and venue regulations set for COVID-19 public safety.
- Keep cool and hydrated outdoors: As summer continues, the risk of heat-related illness is high, especially for those who have remained indoors more than usual during COVID-19. You may need to get acclimated sun and heat exposure and you should stretch before activity, keep yourself well-hydrated and stay in the shade as much as possible.
“We know that athletics moving forward poses a number of risks, including injuries and conditions related to overtraining, overuse, slips and impacts,” says board-certified, fellowship-trained sports medicine surgeon Dr. Mark Rogers of OrthoAlabama Spine & Sports. “We are here for our local athletes, and we stand ready to provide highly specialized treatment and any return-to-play care plans they may need to get back in the game quickly and safely.”
To learn more or to schedule an appointment or sports screening with the sports medicine experts at OrthoAlabama Spine & Sports, please call (205) 228-7600.