Florida Sports Hall of Fame member, David L. Roberts, M.D., now practicing in Lake City

By Katilin Grey

Olympic medalist expands services to Columbia County

Olympic bronze medalist and two-time world record holder David L. Roberts, M.D., has expanded the scope of his practice by offering clinic hours to the Columbia County community at The Orthopaedic Institute’s (TOI) Lake City office.

Dr. Roberts has joined TOI’s FAST ACCESS Clinic in Lake City. TOI has four locations throughout North Florida in Gainesville, Ocala, Lake City and Alachua. Each location has a FAST ACCESS Clinic with physicians providing same or next-day appointments with no referral necessary, for the evaluation and treatment of common musculoskeletal injuries and conditions. The mission of TOI’s FAST ACCESS Clinics is to meet the patient’s sense of urgency by providing access as quickly as possible. Dr. Roberts has joined the Columbia County FAST ACCESS team, which includes Edward J. Sambey, M.D., in Lake City, located at 146 SW Orthopaedic Court.

“Practicing primary care orthopaedics allows me to utilize my education and medical experience as well as my background as an athlete,” Roberts said. “I have trained intensely, and I understand first-hand the pain and heartbreak of a debilitating injury, as well as the long road to recovery.”

In 2012, Roberts joined the 13-member 2012 Florida Sports Hall of Fame class for his exceptional pole vaulting career. The Hall of Fame has 215 members; their memorabilia is displayed at the Lake Myrtle Sports Complex in Auburndale.

The Florida Sports Hall of Fame was founded by the Florida Sports Writers Association and the Florida Sportscasters Association in 1961, and moved in 1977 to Cypress Gardens in Winter Haven. It closed in 1985 and was moved north toLake City from 1990 to 2002. After several successful years in Lake City, the Hall of Fame was moved to a more easily accessible area in Central Florida.

Roberts’s first world record was set in Gainesville on March 28, 1975, soaring over 18 feet 6.5 inches, and he added another world record on June 22, 1976 in Eugene, Ore., when he cleared 18 feet 8.25 inches. Roberts won U.S. national championships in 1972 and 1974, and was the Pan American Games silver medalist in 1971 at Cali, Colombia.

Roberts won bronze at the 1976 Olympic Games in Montreal and was the first man to win three straight NCAA titles outright in the pole vault. In 2006, Roberts was inducted into the USA Pole Vault Hall of Fame.

After Roberts athletic career, he pursued a career as an emergency physician. Roberts graduated from the University of Florida College of Medicine, where he also completed his nephrology fellowship. Additionally, he received general surgery training at Memorial Medical Center in Savannah, Ga.

By Maritza Manressa

According to Dr. Michael K. Riley, Board Certified Orthopaedic Surgeon, at The Orthopaedic Institute in Ocala, the older athlete has a higher predisposition to chronic injuries, adding that the most common injuries in the aging athlete are related to overuse and repetitive microtrauma. For instance, golfers’ most common issues are problems with the rotator cuff, medial epicondylitis, which is an injury that affects the tendons in the elbow due to overuse, and inflammation of wrist tendons. Rotator cuff tears are also very common among tennis players and for those softball players – watch out for muscle strain and meniscal tears. Lastly, aging athletes who have been training most of their lives are certainly more vulnerable to developing osteoarthritis, which is the degeneration of the weight bearing joints, than the common folk. 

For access to the full article, courtesy of Ocala Magazine, visit:

http://ocalamagazine.com/2013/05/06/orthopaedics-and-the-aging-athlete

By Joyce Shahboz, PT

With the warm weather upon us, many people are switching to more outdoor activities. Adults and children alike are participating in spring sports and early summer activities. With our increase in available daylight, you may be tempted to jump right into activities, but remember, even professional baseball players go through 4-6 weeks of spring training to get ready.  Here are a few general tips to help decrease your chance of overdoing things and preparing your body for participation in the recreational activities you enjoy.

1. Prepare your body for the activity.  Participating in recreational activities only on the weekend will not adequately prepare your body.  If time is limited, aim for at least 20-30 minutes, 3-4 times a week, of strengthening and stretching that focuses on targeted muscles groups and general core exercises. Sports like tennis, baseball/softball and swimming require increased attention to shoulder flexibility and strength of the rotator cuff muscles.  To efficiently hit a golf ball, one needs not only adequate shoulder flexibility but also good back and hip range of motion. Runners need to not only focus on muscles of the hips and legs but also good core stability.

2. Don’t increase your level of activity too quickly.  Your body will have a better opportunity to adjust and positively adapt to increasing load and demands if your training increases slowly.  The general rule of thumb is a 10% increase per week. For example, if you have not run all winter, start off with some walk-run intervals instead of trying to start where you left off.  Your body will also need adequate rest.

3. Differentiate between pain and soreness.  Exercising through pain can lead to increasing trauma.  Conversely, adequate stress to muscles may lead to normal muscle soreness and fatigue 24-48 hours of the activity.

4. Stay hydrated.  Be sure to drink fluids before and during activities. Generally, aim for 1-2 glasses of water before an activity and then 6 to 8 ounces every 20 or 30 minutes during the activity.  If you anticipate more than 45 minutes of intense activity, you may need a drink that has electrolytes, such as a low sugar sports drink. Some people don’t realize how much they “sweat” swimming, so no matter your sport, keep drinking!

5.  Always warm up.  Even adolescents participating in youth sports should start off with 5-10 minutes of a dynamic warm-up.  Some people may require a longer warm-up of progressing intensity depending on the activity.

Not every injury can be prevented. But, they can be decreased by addressing lack of conditioning, muscular imbalances, and limited flexibility or joint range of motion.  Seeking out a training program structured to prevent injury (pre-hab) may make it easier to prevent an injury from occurring in the first place.

Image Source: http://www.freedigitalphotos.net/images/Outdoor_Sports__Land_g220-Feet_Of_Runner_In_Evening_Light_p132826.html

On Wednesday, April 17th, TOI's James Berk, M.D. provided complimentary sports physicals for players of theUnionCountyHigh Schoolfootball team for the eighth consecutive year. Approximately 35 of the 67 players from the high school football team arrived at TOI’s Alachua clinic to receive their sports physicals along with food, drink and a TOI sports bag. Dr. Berk, a board member of the Florida High School Athletic Association, values the importance of young people staying healthy and involved in active lifestyles. As team physician, he donates his time and expertise in sports medicine to ensure that each player is ready for football season. TOI’s Jonathan Pritt, M.D., Chris Follenius, PT, and Amanda Ogden assisted Dr. Berk on Wednesday. Dr. Berk will be continuing prividng complimentary sports physicals to the rest of the team this coming Friday, April 26th to ensure all the high school football team members are prepared for the upcoming season.

On April 12, 2013, TOI celebrated its Employee Appreciation Day to thank all employees for their dedication and continuous hard work. Employee Appreciation Day is a time to honor TOI employees for a job well done. Although TOI appreciates each individual for their contributions to the workplace throughout the year, Employee Appreciation Day is a special time for management to communicate their heartfelt gratitude. Employees were treated to a tailgate-style lunch in addition to a few surprises throughout the day. Employees also celebrated the day by having a jeans day, where employees were able to wear jeans and a solid-colored collared shirt. It is a special day at TOI and we hope each employee enjoyed the day!