Salt Lake Regional Medical Center

Any Athlete, Any Time Knee injuries, fractures and dislocations all have one thing in common — they're among the most common injuries athletes encounter, according to the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases. While some of these injuries result from poor athletic form or not stretching or warming up properly, they sometimes surface years after an athlete has hung up his or her equipment. "Sports injuries can be divided into two types: chronic and acute," says Andrew Cooper, M.D., director, Sports Medicine, at Sports Med Utah and orthopedic surgeon on the medical staff at Salt Lake Regional Medical Center. "When a person has an acute injury, there's an immediate story behind what happened — such as a skiing accident. People suffering from chronic injuries, however, typically have a more vague history of chronic pain." Plenty of surgical options for treating sports injuries exist, but many issues can be addressed effectively through nonsurgical methods. "The first step is evaluating a person's medical history and conducting a thorough exam," Dr. Cooper says. "Our approach is to keep invasiveness to a minimum, often starting with anti-inflammatories and lots of 'active rest' — staying active without overloading the body. If these fail to resolve symptoms, we look at more invasive options, such as injections and surgical procedures." EXPERT EVALUATION AT SPORTS MED UTAH Specialists at Sports Med Utah offer a wide variety of services in addition to orthopedic and physical therapy services, including: » Advanced diagnostic imaging. » Emergency services. » Indoor aquatic therapy. » Sports medicine primary care. » Access to hospital surgical services. "Our skilled health care team of athletic trainers, physicians and physical therapists at Sports Med Utah approach every patient the same way, whether he or she is a member of the U.S. Ski Team or a high school varsity athlete," says Dr. Cooper. "All patients have access to the treatment modalities and quality care available to professional athletes." For more information about Sports Med Utah's services and locations, visit sportsmedutah.com. For a free sports injury evaluation, call Salt Lake Regional Physical Therapy at 801-350-4593. NEW Advanced Treatment Options for Joint Pain For people struggling with osteoarthritis or other deteriorating pain, joint replacement surgery may offer welcome relief. Hip or knee, partial or full — whatever a patient's replacement need, the specialists at the Center for Precision Joint Replacement at Salt Lake Regional Medical Center have it covered. Orthopedic surgeons on the medical staff develop personalized treatment plans to address each patient's individual concerns. Minimally invasive procedures, including innovative MAKOplasty® surgeries, are performed with unparalleled precision. Compared to conventional joint replacements, minimally invasive techniques are associated with shorter hospital stays and quicker recovery times. The Center for Precision Joint Replacement offers free monthly seminars at SLRMC and in Sandy Utah (Jordan Commons). For upcoming events and to register, please call 1-866-431-WELL (9355).

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