You don't need to be a professional athletic to suffer from a sports injury. Weekend warriors are just as likely to be injured as a professional player. Ned Amendola, MD, an orthopaedic surgeon at UI Hospital and Clinics, director of University of Iowa Sports Medicine Center, and has served as the head team physician for the Hawkeye football team and other Hawkeye athletic teams, talks about the new UI Sports Medicine facility:
Where is the new facility located?
The facility is located in the area that we call Hawkeye West, just west of the Finkbine Golf Course. It's amongst the soccer field, the field hockey field, and the new tennis facility across from West High School.
What is the advantage of having a designated building for sports medicine and rehabilitation?
The advantage is that it brings all the people who are involved in delivering sports medicine care together in the same building. It's the same team we've had. Previously, we were all over the place in the hospital or outside the hospital. The new building brings us together at one location so we can provide all the services required for every patient that we see. It should make it very convenient for the patients and the athletes coming in—if they require rehabilitation or an orthopaedic surgeon or a primary care physician—to see all of those people in the same location.
What will be the range of treatment available at the UI Sports Medicine facility?
Essentially, we provide anything required for an athlete or patient that's involved in activity to maintain their activity level. We have:
- Primary care physicians that deliver different types of care; both pediatricians and general primary care physicians
- Internal medicine specialists if patients have cardiopulmonary problems
- Orthopaedic surgeons if they have musculoskeletal problems or require surgical treatment.
- Rehabilitation for every injury with or without surgery
- Physical therapists/athletic trainers to help people get back to the level of activity they been had prior to the injury
This Friday there will be a ribbon cutting. What time will that be?
That will be at 2 p.m. at the Sports Medicine facility. President Sally Mason will cut the ribbon.
On Saturday there is an open house, when will that be and who is invited to attend the open house?
The open house is going to be from 1 to 3 p.m. Saturday. Everyone is invited. We want the whole community to come and see our new facility, to see what we have to offer and what we do here, and to know where it's located. And if they need our services, they'll feel welcome at the UI Sports Medicine Center.
What will people who attend see on the open house tour?
They're going to see everything within the facility—the clinics, the rehabilitation area, and the different rehabilitation equipment. We have our own imaging and MRI facility, so they'll be able to see that as well. They'll be able to speak to the staff hosting the tour and discuss the kind of injuries we see and the types of patients we treat.
When will the new UI Sports Medicine facility open for patients?
It's going to be open after the grand opening on Saturday, basically to make sure all the electrical supplies and equipment and computers—everything is working. The official clinics will open Monday, October 19.
How would a person schedule an appointment?
It will be the same as now. They can contact our Sports Medicine scheduling office and the phone number is 384-7070. |
