Bryce’s Treatment is a Home Run

Bryce’s Treatment is a Home Run

by | Sep 30, 2023 | Sports Medicine

Header image courtesy of Eddie Kelly/ProLook.

When an injury threatened to keep Bryce off the baseball field for nine months, he and his family turned to Scottish Rite for Children to get him back in the game.

Bryce has always loved baseball. “I’ve been playing baseball pretty much ever since I could walk and get a ball in my hand,” he says. His mother, Johnette, first saw glimpses of Bryce’s outstanding athletic ability when he was 4. “When the other team was batting, it didn’t matter where Bryce was playing, he would go all over the field to get the ball,” she says. “He was kind of like a one-man-team.” Bryce started pitching when he was 8, and Johnette saw a drive and a passion that were unlike what she saw in other young athletes. When Bryce became a teenager, he played on select baseball teams, and he spent several summers traveling for games. Bryce’s drive and determination paid off his freshman year at McKinney High School when he made the varsity baseball team.

Like many star athletes, Bryce played several sports, and enjoyed football when he wasn’t playing baseball. Sport diversification can help prevent injuries caused by overuse, but unfortunately contact injuries are harder to prevent. In his junior year, he and his team had made it to the second round of the playoffs. During practice, to get ready for the big game, Bryce went for a block and, after contact, felt his arm go completely numb. “I thought it was just some bumps and a bruise because it’s football,” says Bryce. “So, I played that second round, and played every snap on offense and felt fine, but it turns out, it wasn’t too great.” The day after the game, he and a friend went to the baseball field to throw the ball around, but Bryce quickly realized that there was a problem. “I couldn’t even throw the ball five feet, because it was hurting so bad,” he says. 

Bryce had sustained a labral injury to his shoulder, which likely occurred when he subluxated (shoulder almost dislocated) or possibly dislocated (shoulder completely out of the socket) his shoulder. When the shoulder joint is injured this way, it can cause damage to the structures around the joint, including the labrum. The labrum is a ring of cartilage around the socket part of the ball and socket joint of the shoulder. When torn, the labrum is commonly thought to need surgery, but not always. 

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Initially, Bryce was told that surgery was necessary in order to return to sports and may take as long as nine months. This news devastated Bryce, so when his parents returned, they turned to the Scottish Rite for Children Orthopedic and Sports Medicine Center for another opinion. Pediatric orthopedic surgeon Henry B. Ellis, M.D., reviewed Bryce’s files and MRI, and felt that they could get him back to baseball with physical therapy instead of surgery. He felt with proper rehabilitation (physical therapy) and allowing enough time to allow the labrum to heal, Bryce could avoid a surgery and possibly be back to baseball sooner. However, this did mean that Bryce would have to give his shoulder enough time to heal before throwing a ball again.

Though encouraged by the option to avoid surgery, Bryce remembers being a little shocked at how difficult physical therapy was from the start. “It kind of killed my confidence a little bit and frustrated me, because I’ve always played a lot of sports and I always want to be the best that I can be. But once I saw improvement in how my body and my shoulder felt, I finally started getting back my confidence, so it was good.” Scottish Rite coordinated with the McKinney High School athletic trainers on a program to get Bryce back on the field as soon as possible.

Bryce was cleared to play in February, right before the team began preparing for the upcoming season. After all the hard work he had put into building back his shoulder, he was very excited to be with his team again. They were glad to have him back too – in Bryce’s first week back, he hit three home runs. Things were going great until COVID-19 forced an early end to the season. “All this is a little different,” says Bryce. “It’s like a curveball being thrown at us. But you just have to adapt and be able to adjust and focus on what you are there for.”

Bryce has complete confidence in his shoulder now. “I feel like I can do anything and everything that I’ve always been capable of doing,” he says. “If it wasn’t for Scottish Rite, I wouldn’t be where I am now.” Bryce recently verbally committed to play baseball at Northeast Community College in Mount Pleasant, Texas, and plans to continue his journey to Major League of Baseball.

Bryce is very grateful to Dr. Ellis. When others were recommending surgery, Ellis presented the pros and cons of a nonoperative plan. Bryce says he learned a lot from his experience. “When you go through hard times, you always have to keep your head straight and focus on the main goal, because you are going to go through ups and downs, but you just have to focus on the end result, and that was big for me. Not focusing on the negatives, but on getting back to where I needed to be.”

 

Has your child been seen in the Sports Medicine clinic here? Fill out this form to tell us about your MVP. 

Individualized Care for ACL injuries

Individualized Care for ACL injuries

by | Sep 27, 2023 | Sports Medicine

The experts at our Center for Excellence in Sports Medicine see hundreds of young athletes for the treatment of knee and anterior cruciate ligament, or ACL, injuries every year. Our multidisciplinary team knows working together to tackle every angle of an ACL injury – from diagnosis using imaging techniques, surgical reconstruction with a pediatric orthopedic surgeon to rehabilitation in physical therapy and even checking in with a pediatric psychologist – will give our active and growing patients the best outcomes.

ACL injuries are on the rise. According to the National Institutes of Health, in the United States alone, approximately 100,000 to 200,000 experience an ACL tear or sprain every year. While ACL injuries may be treated nonoperatively in some cases, reconstruction is typically the treatment method for those with higher levels of activity such as young athletes. After surgical reconstruction, a careful plan for recovery and return-to-play is followed, involving the patient, surgeon and physical therapist. Since secondary ACL tears are a big concern, the recovery process takes nine to 12 months or more before an athlete can get back to their sport at their previous level.

Recently, our sports medicine experts and pediatric orthopedic surgeons Henry B. Ellis, M.D., and Philip L. Wilson, M.D., helped author a study looking at how young athletes in different sports recovered from their ACL injury and reconstruction. In the study, findings showed that young athletes, especially females, demonstrated sport-specific differences in functional testing scores. They also found that soccer players were cleared to return to play sooner than football players and that the level of competition influenced functional testing scores in all athletes. These results point to a clear need for individualized treatment and recovery for ACL injuries.

For our sports medicine experts, this study validates efforts that customize ACL treatment and recovery for each athlete. Our sports medicine team continues to conduct research to improve the treatment strategies, recovery timelines and patient outcomes. Additionally, our experts actively share what they learn about ACL treatment and recovery with others in the medical and sports fields to help update the standards of care for young athletes everywhere.

Learn more about our Center for Excellence in Sports Medicine.

D Magazine: Scottish Rite and By Way of Dallas’ Custom Prosthetics Collab

D Magazine: Scottish Rite and By Way of Dallas’ Custom Prosthetics Collab

by | Sep 21, 2023 | Events, Press Coverage

Scottish Rite For Children and Hance Taplin’s By Way of Dallas fashion line are coming together to create one-of-a-kind influencer-designed prosthetics for children to flip the perception of those with prostheses.

The orthopedic children’s hospital is teaming up with the in-demand Dallas-based designer to launch the first streetwear collaboration in the history of prosthetics, turning prosthetic limbs into works of art with the help of artists, athletes, and local influencers. Dak Prescott, Dude Perfect, Dwight Powell, Hance Taplin, NIL marketing consultant Jordan Rogers, and many others are collaborators on the project.

“Scottish Rite’s remarkable mission of giving children back their childhood through the very best care goes beyond our medical and technological expertise,” says Robert L. Walker, president and CEO of Scottish Rite for Children. “Scottish Rite for Children is thrilled to collaborate with By Way of Dallas through artwork contributed by advocates to give our patients the ability to celebrate their individuality and keep them active and happy.”

Scottish Rite’s in-house team creates custom prosthetics for patients regardless of their ability to pay, and patients will have the opportunity to customize their prostheses. At an event to celebrate the partnership’s launch, Scottish Rite’s Senior Director of Communications McKay Hendershot described how the idea started with customizing the soles of prosthetic feet and grew to what it is today. “This allows us to change the conversation on inclusivity,” she says.
A man wearing a blue scrub top with louisiana on it 

The collaboration is about bringing together a diverse group of people for the betterment of patients, artists, and providers. By Way of Dallas’ mission is to rebrand Dallas and diversify the community, and Taplin says this project aligned with the brand’s goals. “It’s not easy to do something that transcends the medical campus on a different medium,” says Taplin, By Way of Dallas’s founder and creative lead.

Patients who need prosthetics are usually on the receiving end of complex diagnoses and poor prognoses. Scottish Rite was motivated to improve outcomes for these patients and change the conversation around prostheses. Allowing children to participate in the decision-making process around the processes can benefit social and emotional health. What may have been an anxiety-inducing introduction can become a conversation starter for patients and their peers.

Scottish Rite for Children is a leader in the treatment of pediatric orthopedic conditions that include sports injuries and fractures and also focuses on arthritic, neurological, and learning disorders, such as dyslexia. The hospital currently has three locations in North Texas.

“To inspire the kids who inspire us — that’s our goal,” Taplin says. “Prostheses are beautiful extensions of an individual, and we hope to remind each kid to live boldly and champion movement with a bit of extra style.”

Read the full article.

Botulinum Toxin: How Botox Injections Help Treat Children with Cerebral Palsy and other Neuromuscular conditions

Botulinum Toxin: How Botox Injections Help Treat Children with Cerebral Palsy and other Neuromuscular conditions

by | Sep 15, 2023 | Pediatric Developmental Disabilities

At Scottish Rite for Children, our experts in Neurology and Rehabilitation Medicine care for patients with cerebral palsy using a variety of treatment methods. Treating the symptoms of CP can take many forms, and one common treatment for spasticity, or abnormal muscle tightness and stiffness, is the use of botulinum toxin (BT) injections. Known under name brands like Botox or Dysport, pediatric physical medicine and rehabilitation physician Fabiola I. Reyes, M.D., shares what parents need to know about this treatment.
 
What are botulinum toxin injections?
Botulinum toxin type A is a substance produced by the bacteria Clostridium botulinum. While toxic when ingested orally, the substance can be purified and safely injected locally in muscle tissue to treat a variety of conditions, including spasticity. It can be formulated in different ways and comes manufactured under different brand names like other pharmaceutical drugs.
 
How long has it been around?
BT injections have been used for patients with cerebral palsy for about 25 years. It was approved by the Food and Drug Administration in 1989 for eye conditions and muscle spasms in the face but has since been studied and approved for use with several other neuromuscular disorders.
 
How does it work?
Spasticity can make moving difficult, cause pain, loss of sleep and interrupt daily living activities due to the involuntary muscle tightness. When injected, BT injections work by blocking the chemical signal between nerves and muscles that cause contracting and tightening of the muscles. This can help relax muscles in the area around the injection site, although the effects are not permanent.
 
Is it safe?
BT injections have been used to safely treat spasticity in patients with cerebral palsy for more than 25 years. BT injections have been studied extensively by doctors and researchers all around the world and is approved to treat a variety of conditions and is even used for cosmetic purposes to prevent wrinkles.
 
BT injections were approved to treat spasticity in children with cerebral palsy in 2019. The safety and efficacy of the treatment has been backed by studies and trials in children ages 2 to 17 years.
 
Why use it for treatment?
In patients with cerebral palsy, BT injections have been found to improve range of motion, gait pattern, joint positioning and stability while reducing pain in the muscles, spasticity and tension.
 
BT injections are easy to administer, and the procedure can be performed in an outpatient setting. When giving injections, the provider will identify the muscles that need to be targeted. Multiple injections may be required for larger muscles or muscle groups, but the actual injection procedure only takes a few minutes.
 
How often does it need to be done?
Typically, BT injections prevent muscle tension in the injected areas for about three months, after which the effects may begin to decrease. The length of efficacy will differ for each patient.
 
What are the side effects?
The side effects of BT injections are minimal. The most common side effects are temporary weakness and injection site pain, but these effects occur in less than 10 percent of patients.
 
Learn more about our care for children with cerebral palsy.

Get to Know our Staff: Sandra Hatchel, Inpatient Nursing Unit

Get to Know our Staff: Sandra Hatchel, Inpatient Nursing Unit

by | Sep 6, 2023 | Spotlight

What is your job title/your role at Scottish Rite for Children? 
I am a registered nurse on the Inpatient Unit.
 
What do you do on a daily basis or what sort of duties do you have at work?
As a R.N., I am kind of a jack-of-all-trades. I do all the tasks needed to provide care for my patients and their families while trying to provide the best experience possible.
 
What was your first job? What path did you take to get here or what led you to Scottish Rite? How long have you worked here?
My first job was as a vet assistant – I learned fast that while I liked dogs, this was not for me. When I started out in college, I volunteered at a local hospital. I found nursing interesting and thought, ‘Yep, this is where I’m meant to be.’ Since that time, I’ve worked as a tech for 10 years, then became an L.V.N., then R.N., (with both an associate degree in nursing and Bachelor of Science in Nursing). I basically just keep upgrading.
 
A fellow R.N. buddy worked at Scottish Rite and loved it. They said it was a different environment than other places to work. She was right — the work environment is just a different vibe — hard to describe, but if you know you know. I had always considered working in pediatrics and have been here for the last 2½ years.
 
What do you enjoy most about Scottish Rite?
I love my fellow tight-knit band of coworkers. We are like family! We know how to lift each other up and are always willing to help out or answer any questions. Every day I learn something new.
 
Tell us something about your job that others might not already know?
I am a nurse, and a lot of people have an image of what that entails because what they see on TV, but the reality is not really like that. As a nurse, you are the advocate/cheerleader/friend/rule maker (the list goes on and on), but we truly are there for every up and down in our patient’s and family’s lives. It is awesome to see a kiddo who has been on the unit for a while go home, because you know you helped them get to that place of recovery. Our kiddos are very strong and some add a little sassiness to the mix. I love it!
 
Where is the most interesting place you’ve been?
Well, I have not done a lot of traveling outside of the U.S., but I would love to travel to Ireland and Spain. My dad is of Irish decent, and it would be nice to visit the beautiful country sides.
 
If you could only eat one meal for the rest of your life, what would it be?
Easy — tostadas or enchiladas! Well, anything TexMex. Yum!
 
If you could go back in time, what year would you travel to?
I would go back to the ‘80s era. It was my childhood and an awesome time.
 
What three items would you take with you on a deserted island?
A book, comfy clothes and some tea bags (I love unsweet tea – if you know me, you know this is true!)
 
What’s one fun fact about yourself?
I have a crazy sense of humor mixed with a little sarcasm. Even in the worst of times, we need to laugh.