Dr. Henry Ellis talked about sports injuries and some of the latest Scottish Rite for Children research.
This is a summary of a lecture provided by sports medicine physician Jacob C. Jones, M.D., RMSK, as part of the Coffee, Kids and Sports Medicine educational series.
Watch the full lecture.
Print the PDF.
Basic Ultrasound Physics
Most are aware that ultrasound uses sound waves to create an image, but that’s about where the knowledge stops. Here are a few key points to help with understanding the physics behind this technology:
To improve the images produced, different transducers, also called probes, are available and are chosen based on size of field area, tissue depth and other variables.
Indications, Advantages and Disadvantages for Ultrasound in Pediatric Sports Medicine
Pediatric orthopedists have leaned on ultrasound in diagnosing conditions in the infant hip for many years. With a continued evolution of the subspecialty of pediatric sports medicine, there is a recognition that some conditions can be diagnosed safely and effectively with ultrasound.
Indications include:
Diagnostics
Interventional
Advantages Over Traditional Imaging
A Few Disadvantages to Consider When Using Ultrasound
Watch the full lecture to hear case examples of how ultrasound augments musculoskeletal evaluations and interventions:
Changing Your Practice
This information does not necessarily need to change your practice. Ultrasound is a complement to many other evaluation tools and imaging resources.
For practitioners interested in learning more about ultrasound, Jones recommends looking for local workshops to get a feel for using a device before purchasing one. The learning curve is steep, but the flexibility and benefits over time make it a great option for some providers.
Musculoskeletal Ultrasound at Scottish Rite for Children
In addition to Jones use of ultrasound in his sports medicine practice, radiology staff and pediatric radiologists also provide ultrasound for sport-related conditions, hip dysplasia as well as other conditions. Patients referred to Scottish Rite for Children providers all have access to this resource.
About the Expert
Jacob C. Jones, M.D., RMSK, is a sports medicine physician caring for young athletes at Scottish Rite for Children Orthopedic and Sports Medicine Center in Frisco. After a pediatric sports medicine fellowship, he completed intensive training in a musculoskeletal ultrasound fellowship.
For all kids, managing stress is important. However, young athletes have an added layer of pressures and our team is here to provide tips on properly managing those stressors. Pediatric psychologist Emily Stapleton, Psy.D., works closely with our young athlete population at our Frisco campus. As a former athlete herself, she has a passion for supporting athletes’ mental health for optimal performance, injury prevention and rehabilitation outcomes.
Below are a few tips to help parents, athletic trainers and coaches of young athletes manage stress.
CONNECT and help problem solve.
When overwhelmed, teens may struggle to break down a situation into manageable pieces. Talk to them and help them take one step at a time.
TIME your conversations wisely and keep it positive.
Let emotions from games or practices settle before talking about performance or outcomes. Waiting a couple of hours to discuss these topics allows athletes to reflect on their performance with less stress.
REFRAME success.
Expectations from parents and coaches can unknowingly increase pressure to perform and negatively affect self- confidence. Encourage athletes to focus on putting forth their best efforts and measuring personal progress rather than only focusing on end results or winning.
TEACH coping skills for life.
Coping skills can help an athlete learn to self-manage when stress starts to take over. Expose your athlete to yoga, taking walks, diaphragmatic breathing (i.e., deep breathing), progressive muscle relaxation (i.e., tensing/releasing muscles) and other techniques to relax.
MAKE ROOM for breaks.
Teach athletes the importance of down-time for rest and recovery. Helping athletes develop time-management skills and minimize over-scheduling will improve stress management.
ENCOURAGE life outside of sport.
Making time for other interests and hobbies apart from the primary sport, including fun activities and time with friends, helps create balance and build resiliency. Allowing athletes to have a breadth of interests and hobbies to draw from when experiencing distress.
PROMOTE healthy sleeping and eating habits.
Stress is easier to manage and less likely to build up with healthy habits in place. A balanced, sport-appropriate diet and quality sleep (at least eight hours for teens) support young athletes in academic, sport and social settings.
ASK for HELP when you need it.
Talking through stressors with a licensed psychologist or mental health counselor can be a healthy outlet for chronic stress and help athletes learn positive coping strategies to use in the future when experiencing negative stress.
Learn more about pediatric sports medicine.
Over the past few months, members from our team have been invited as guests on The Human Side of Health Care – a weekly radio program hosted by the DFW Hospital Council that broadcasts on KRLD 1080 AM.
Dr. Shane Miller recently discussed what parents need to know when it comes to sports injuries and concussions.
In general, females undergo growth spurts earlier in life than males. This means that most girls experience significant growth at a younger age than boys. Julia Buckelew, P.T., D.P.T., says, “According to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), peak height velocity occurs at an average age of 11.5 years old in girls and 13.5 years old in boys.” Some dancers can experience a delay in puberty which may cause the growth spurt to occur at a later age. Hormonal and weight changes that occur during growth spurts affect dancers in a unique way. Challenges include changes in:
Sports medicine physician and former dancer Jane S. Chung, M.D., advises dancers to be aware that these changes that occur in this peri-adolescent period of growth, may predispose them to be prone to injuries. She says, “Techniques and certain routines which they were able to perform prior, can sometimes become more difficult for them to perform as a result of these changes that affect their body.” This can sometimes be frustrating for the young dancer, but Chung encourages dancers to be kind and embrace these changes, instead of fighting against them. Work with your dance teachers to help adjust and adapt to the new growing body.
Chung sees peri-adolescent and adolescent dancers in her clinic with these conditions and many others:
“Dancers should try to be patient with themselves during times of growth,” says Buckelew. She teaches dancers to recognize these changes and perceived setbacks as temporary. As a physical therapist and one of our dance medicine specialists, she sees many dancers who become discouraged with their movement quality and performance. “If we can help them understand and anticipate the changes associated with their growth spurt, they are likely to come through this phase with new respect and confidence in their bodies.” She recommends focusing on improving movement quality and technique during this time.
Three tips for dancers to rock their growth spurts:
Chung and Buckelew have a passion for caring for dancers. They share their expertise to the community to help dancers and others prevent injuries and develop skills that help them perform at their best.
If your dancer has concerns or activity-related pain, request an appointment in our Sports Medicine clinic.
Keeping Up With the Count – This content is provided by a multidisciplinary team of staff that are passionate about keeping young dancers safe and healthy.
In January, Truth was playing in a scrimmage. Positioned to score, her leg collided with a defender attempting to block her shot. Truth felt a “pop”, fell to the ground, and had to be carried off the field. Fortunately, Truth’s mother knew exactly where to take her daughter for treatment.
Wyatt says, “Rehabilitation is an extremely important component of an athlete’s course of recovery and safe return to sports.” Unfortunately, not long after Truth’s surgery, the coronavirus pandemic forced facilities to stop seeing patients in person. Wyatt and the Sports Medicine team were able to continue Truth’s care and monitor her range of motion and recovery virtually with telemedicine visits.
When it was safe, she transitioned from her home exercise program to in-person physical therapy. Truth was motivated and engaged when her physical therapy began because she knew her physical therapists wanted to get her back on the field as much as she did.
Today, Truth is back on the soccer field with the Solar Soccer Club, playing the game she has loved since she was little. She has been training hard since she was cleared three months ago to achieve her goal of getting back into “soccer shape.” “Scottish Rite for Children works effectively and purposefully to heal our young, growing athletes,” says Agatha. “We are all delighted that Truth had a healthy, speedy recovery full of people in her corner who cared about her and helped make this challenging process a very pleasant experience.”
Wilson says, “Truth’s injury would have made some kids second guess their future in sports, but her drive and commitment to her sport and her physical therapy program are second to none. Our team is inspired and motivated by athletes like her, and we can’t wait to see her succeed at SMU and beyond.”
We enjoy hearing about our current and former patients’ success stories. Tell us about your MVP.
