Injury Challenges Addressed Before Soccer Combine

Fort Lauderdale, FL—January 4, 2011

Sports medicine professionals, athletic trainers and physical therapists will learn about the latest research in the treatment and prevention of soccer-related injuries at the Soccer Industry Medical Symposium, presented by Hospital for Special Surgery in conjunction with Major League Soccer (MLS) on Saturday, January 8, in Fort Lauderdale.

As soccer players descend upon the area for the 2011 adidas MLS Player Combine, the symposium will bring together some of the country’s foremost sports medicine professionals to discuss managing sports-related injuries.

“We’ve made great strides in the past few years in the ways that professional sports injuries are assessed and treated,” said Riley J. Williams, III, M.D., symposium director and orthopedic surgeon in the Sports Medicine Service at Hospital for Special Surgery in New York. “This course is designed to help medical teams treating high school, collegiate and professional soccer players to better identify and prevent soccer-related injuries.”

Sessions at the January 8 symposium that will be of particular interest for physical therapists, soccer trainers and other members of the care team include:

• Common Foot and Ankle Injuries in the Soccer Athlete
  • David S. Levine, M.D., foot and ankle orthopedic surgeon, Hospital for Special Surgery
• Rehabilitation of Hip, Pelvis and Abdominal Wall Injuries in the Soccer Athlete
  • Peter Draovitch, P.T., M.S., ATC, CSCS, clinical rehabilitation director, Hospital for Special Surgery
• Platelet Rich Plasma: What Is It? What Does It Do? When and How Should It Be Used?
  • Brian C. Halpern, M.D., sports medicine physician, Hospital for Special Surgery
• Musculoskeletal Disorders of the Hip Joint
  • Bryan T. Kelly, M.D., co-director, Center for Hip Preservation, Hospital for Special Surgery
• Muscle and Tendon Problems of the Pelvis and Proximal Leg
  • Robert H. Brophy, M.D., assistant professor of orthopedic surgery at Washington University School of Medicine. Dr. Brophy is also the head team physician for the St. Louis Athletica professional women’s soccer club and assistant team physician for the St. Louis Rams.
• Return to Play Criterion: Integrating the Doctor, Therapist, Trainer and Strength Coaches in Optimizing Player Performance Following an Injury
  • Riley J. Williams, III, M.D., sports medicine orthopedic surgeon, Hospital for Special Surgery
  • Head Team Physician, New York Red Bulls Soccer Club
  • Head Team Physician, Nets Basketball

“Caring for injured athletes requires a long-term commitment by the players, physicians, coaches and trainers,” emphasized Dr. Williams, who is also head team physician for the New York Red Bulls. “New technological advances and improvements in clinical management arise all the time, but unless the athlete’s care team is working in close coordination, the full benefits of these improvements may be diluted.”

Team physicians and surgeons who treat athletes all over the country will participate in the symposium. “It’s clear that, while individual players and soccer teams possess unique qualities and traits, care teams confront similar injuries over and over,” Dr. Williams added. “Getting trainers and physicians all in a room together will allow them to identify the functional similarities and differences in the treatment and management of injuries.”

Additional guest faculty from around the country includes:

• L. Michael Brunt, M.D., professor, Washington University School of Medicine
  • Team surgeon, St. Louis Blues
  • Sports Hernia Specialist
• John Gallucci, Jr., P.T., M.S., ATC, DPT, president, JAG Physical Therapy
  • Medical coordinator, Major League Soccer
• Michael B. Gerhardt, M.D., Santa Monica Orthopedic Group
  • Team physician Chivas U.S.A.
• Eric Harrison, M.D., FIFA Consultant for Football Turf
• Bert R. Mandelbaum, M.D., DHL, assistant medical director, Santa Monica Orthopaedic and Sports Medicine Group and U.S. Soccer Men's National Team Physician since 1991

Media interested in attending the event or speaking with Dr. Williams, please contact Tracy Hickenbottom, Public Relations at Hospital for Special Surgery, at (212) 606-1197, hickenbottomt@hss.edu.