Region's Sports Medicine Authority Offers Safety Tips for Fall Athletes

As school districts and athletic leagues prepare to resume practices and reopen schools for the fall after COVID-19 closures, the specialized sports medicine doctors at Advanced Orthopedics of Oklahoma offer guidance to help protect the health and safety of local student-athletes. As sports medicine providers for two professional teams, an elite club, six universities and 19 high schools, Advanced Orthopedics of Oklahoma serves as the region’s sports medicine authority. Athletes or parents and guardians can call (918) 494-AOOK (2665) to schedule a safe in-office or telemedicine visit for remote bone, joint and muscle care consultation.

“At Advanced Orthopedics of Oklahoma, we provide medical coverage for over 4,000 athletes, and we are committed to keeping all local student-athletes safe and healthy,” says board-certified, fellowship-trained sports medicine surgeon Dr. Bradford Boone. “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 workouts and practices move forward, student-athletes should exercise caution to help reduce viral spread and also reduce the risk of injury by adhering to these guidelines:

• Keep health your number one priority: Keep up a proper diet, stay hydrated and avoid overtraining. You should practice good hygiene as well. Wash and sanitize your hands, especially before eating, and also avoid touching your face. Wearing a face covering whenever it is appropriate and avoid close physical contact with others.
• Sports physicals are a must: While many schools and leagues require a pre-participation physical before sports and school seasons resume, athletes should get a physical 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.
• Don't rush: COVID-19 measures have been restrictive for many as far as activity and fitness, and athletes will need to slowly increase their training and exercises. Cardiovascular and muscular strength may need reconditioning after months of indoor sheltering, and it is important to pay attention to your limits and pains to avoid injury. Overtraining can also affect your overall health and lead to illness or immunosuppression. 
• Stick to the rules: Maintain social and physical distancing of six feet as best as possible, respect guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and follow any state, local, school, league and venue regulations set for COVID-19.
• Use caution outdoors: With summer picking up, the risk of heat-related illness is high, especially for those who have spent more time indoors than usual while following local COVID-19 guidelines. Athletes may need to slowly acclimate themselves to sun and heat. You should also stretch before activities, stay hydrated and stick primarily to shaded areas.

“As athletics resume, we know it poses a number of risks, including injuries and conditions related to overtraining, overuse, slips and impacts,” says Dr. Boone. “We are here for our local athletes, and we will 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.”

Advanced Orthopedics of Oklahoma offers telemedicine visits so patients can access remote consultation for bone, joint and muscle problems from the comfort of their home or office. 

To learn more or to schedule an appointment with the sports medicine experts at Advanced Orthopedics of Oklahoma, please call (918) 494-AOOK (2665).