According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 46 percent
of children admitted to trauma centers for winter sports injuries have
been diagnosed with a head injury – the majority of them from
snowboarding, sledding, skiing, ice skating or ice hockey. Pediatric
sports medicine is a growing field and is a direct response to how
active today’s children are in competitive and recreational sports.
As many young adults prepare to perform extreme feats in the Winter
Olympic Games, many children and teens will watch and try to imitate
these competitors on the slopes and ice. Experts from The
Children’s Hospital in Denver offer a pediatric perspective on
proper training tips as well as practical advice on how parents can
recognize symptoms of and help to prevent concussions and sports
injuries as awareness of these issues increases during the Winter
Olympic Games. The Children’s Hospital’s sports medicine experts include:
Brooke
Pengel, M.D.: medical director of the sports medicine
program at The Children’s Hospital and fellowship director for Pediatric
Sports Medicine. Specializing in concussions and orthopedics, Dr.
Pengel has been instrumental in creating a quality service line
dedicated to the comprehensive care of the school-aged athlete. During
the last few years, this program has experienced unprecedented growth in
clinical volume and staff. The sports medicine team is dedicated to
excellence in clinical care and community education and service. In
2009, Dr. Pengel was recognized as a 5280 Magazine “Top Doctor”
in sports medicine.
Frank
Chang, M.D.: director of orthopedic surgery, medical
director of the Hospital Sports Program (HSP), co-founder and co-medical
director of the Center
for Gait and Movement Analysis (CGMA) (or Gait Lab). Dr. Chang
specializes in orthopedic surgery. His interest in computerized gait
analysis started about 18 years ago, after observing how the Olympic
Freestyle Ski Team was using technology to assist in understanding
complex motions in athletes. On the weekends for the past 23 years, he
has volunteered as medical director of The Children’s Hospital’s HSP,
providing kids with guidance related to orthopedic issues, treatment,
care in the event of injuries and encouragement on the slopes.
John
Polousky, M.D.: surgical director of sports medicine at
The Children’s Hospital. Dr. Polousky is a regional expert in
pediatric orthopedic knee surgery and specializes in ACL reconstruction
in adolescents and children; cartilage injuries; and in minimally
invasive surgery of the knee, shoulder and elbow.