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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
8/2/2016 12:00:00 AM CENTRAL
Updated: 8/2/2016 3:35:22 PM CENTRAL
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After the Lights - Friday Sports Medicine Clinic Kicks Off Aug. 19

  

 

  


 

 


Area athletes are gearing up for the fall sports season, which inevitably brings an increase in sports-related injuries. Injuries received while practicing or competing in a sport are the leading cause of emergency room visits for 12-17-year-olds, according to the Centers for Disease Control.

Athletes who get hurt playing a Friday night sport now have a new option for immediate healthcare: After the Lights, a Friday night clinic offered at Liberty Hospital Urgent Care Shoal Creek, 8300 N. Church Road, across from Liberty Walmart. The only clinic of its kind in the Northland, After the Lights is offered 8:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m. every Friday night Aug. 19 through Oct. 21. Injured athletes may see a physician -- without going through an emergency room or waiting until Monday; an orthopedic surgeon also will be available.

“Families will be able to get more definitive answers about their athlete’s injury right away,” said Michael Justice, D.O., medical director for the Friday night clinic and orthopedic surgeon at OSI, Inc. “This is a great way to improve our care for the athletes in our area.”

While the focus is on football injuries, After the Lights is open to all athletes, who participate in any sport or activity who are injured on a Friday night. This includes cheerleading, dance, marching band, soccer, baseball/softball, volleyball and more.

“Any injury that raises a concern and a parent or a coach feels like the athlete needs to be evaluated, bring him or her to the clinic,” Dr. Justice said.

Signs that your athlete may need to be evaluated immediately include: joint swelling, difficulty moving or failing to bear weight. Digital X-ray services are available at the clinic, and, if needed, an MRI can be performed at Liberty Hospital.

“It’s a nice option for families to be able to bypass the emergency room and see someone who has the ability and training to manage an athlete’s injury,” Dr. Justice said.

Not only does the athlete receive care the same night of the injury, but he or she also will leave the clinic with a plan for recovery, according to Sharla Leon, MS, SLP-CCC, Director of Liberty Hospital Sports Medicine.

“We can start the recovery process sooner by fast-tracking athletes who come to After the Lights clinic,” she said. “We can fit them with crutches or knee braces, if necessary, and when they leave, they will know what follow-up is needed.”

A network of area orthopedic surgeons and physicians will operate the clinic in conjunction with Liberty Hospital Sports Medicine and The Liberty Clinic. Liberty Hospital Sports Medicine will offer Monday morning appointments for physical therapy ordered after a visit to the After the Lights clinic.

“This program will help us take care of our kids in our community,” Leon said. “They will start their recovery process faster so they can get back to their sport.”

After the Lights is just the first step in offering this new sports medicine program. “We would like to partner with schools to offer sideline coverage for football games,” she said. “We want to provide a primary care physician or an orthopedic surgeon on the sidelines to be available to the athletic trainer on the field.”

For more information, contact Sharla Leon at 816-407-2315.