West Idaho Orthopedics Advises 'Summer Sense' for Young Athletes

July 30, 2012 - PRLog -- A group of Idaho sports medicine specialists want student athletes to train safely throughout the summer months and have recommended guidelines for smarter summer conditioning routines. Summer training programs bring their own challenges, so Dr. George Nicola, Dr. Charles Schneider, Dr. Michael Shevlin, Dr. John Q. Smith and Dr Robert Hansen of West Idaho Orthopedics and Sports Medicine have offered some tips for meeting those challenges and staying in good shape to start the season in any sport.

The doctors agreed that staying hydrated is vital to overall health as well as to musculoskeletal fitness. On scorching summer days, it's easy to lose large quantities of water to perspiration; drinking plenty of water replenishes that fluid. Sports drinks mixed with water are a good idea for strenuous or lengthy training sessions that cause electrolyte imbalances.

The weight room is a source of injury for many student athletes, says Boise Idaho orthopedic surgeon Dr. Charles Schneider. Having a trainer to correct form-breaks and maintain proper postures throughout lifting helps prevent muscle strains and tears that could leave an athlete on injured reserve for the season. Improper squatting and lifting while overburdened can damage knees and lead to arthroscopic knee surgery even in resilient high school and college athletes.

Dr Robert Hansen, a Meridian Idaho orthopedic doctor who specializes in treating hand and arm injuries, notes that too little attention to stretching can hamper any athlete's ability to absorb the force of throwing a football, making a tackle or pushing off from a pommel horse. Those repeated impacts on unprepared joints can lead to a rotator cuff tear or a more extensive injury that necessitates shoulder arthroscopic surgery. Although modern techniques in minimally invasive surgery reduce downtime, prevention is preferable.

Even the most carefully monitored training regimen can sometimes result in a tweak, strain or sprain. Rest, ice, compression and elevation, or RICE, can often alleviate the pain, suggests Dr. Michael Shevlin. The Boise Idaho orthopedic surgeon recommends icing an injury quickly to minimize soft tissue inflammation.

When minimally invasive surgery is inevitable, seek specialists who've performed hundreds of operations and use techniques that can have an athlete back on the field within weeks. A repaired rotator cuff tear, shoulder arthroscopic surgery or arthroscopic knee surgery doesn't have to mean an end to the season when it's performed well by a qualified orthopedic surgeon and followed up with expert physical therapy.

Idaho sports medicine experts such as Dr. George Nicola and Dr. John Q. Smith also suggest taking frequent breaks during the heat of the day. Even young athletes in good health are more prone to injuries when fatigued. It's best to see an orthopedic doctor who's able to treat a sports injury than to rely on guesswork. An injury may not seem serious, but letting a qualified orthopedic surgeon make that call could save an athlete's season.

West Idaho Orthopedics
206 E. Elm Street
Caldwell, Idaho 83605
208-459-4511

For more information please visit http://www.westidahoorthopedics.com/