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Sports Medicine Program

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Sports Medicine Program Brochure

Sports Medicine Program at Children's Hospital Los Angeles

Read Our Story

Scott Twins - Sports Medicine ProgramWhen Amber & Jasmine Scott hit the basketball court, they do it together.
They even shared the same sports injury just months apart - ACL tear.

Read more on pg. 18-19 of Imagine Magazine
The Sports Medicine program in the Children’s Orthopaedic Center at Children's Hospital Los Angeles is the only pediatric sports medicine facility in Southern California. Kids play hard and don't like being on the sidelines. Our team of doctors and therapists work with young athletes to minimize the anxiety of injury and time away from sports.

Treating a child is unlike treating an adult athlete. Our team provides evaluation, treatment and follow up care, including rehabiliation, to meet the special needs of growing children of all athletic abilities and skill levels. We offer some of the latest procedures, such as arthroscopic and minimally-invasive surgeries, to help kids play to the best of their ability.

Specialities

  • Sports medicine in children, adolecents and young adults
  • Trauma and treatment of fractures
  • General pediatric orthopaedics

Sports Injuries We Treat

We specialize in the following sports-related injuries:
  • ACL tears
  • Ankle disorders
  • Bone fractures
  • Discoid meniscus
  • Elbow disorders
  • Joint disorders
  • Knee disorders
  • Kneecap dislocation
  • Ligament tears
  • Meniscal tears 
  • Multiple sprains
  • Osteochondritis dissecans (OCD)
  • Patellar instability
  • Shoulder instability and dislocations











    • Our relationship with the Santa Monica Orthopedic allows for a collaboration of pediatric-trained sports medicine experts with the highest caliber of adult sports medicine surgeons, bridging the gap between childhood and adulthood care. 

    We are the only center in this region that is comfortable in providing ACL (anterior cruciate ligament tears) reconstruction for growing child athletes. Hundreds of children with ACL tears have been treated by our surgeons and returned to sports of all types. Treatment for children with this condition has been provided effectively at all ages, even as young as 6-years-old.


    Non-Surgical Procedures

    In several instances, athletes are happy to learn that physical therapy and change in form may be sufficient to get them back to their sports activities.

    Surgical Procedures

    Bones in children and adolescents are still growing, meaning that it is crucial for surgeons to account for this during surgery. Our operating room is equipped with small joint arthroscopy equipment and the tools and experience necessary to care for the unique problems that are encountered by the growing athlete.

    Our Team

    The Sports Medicine Program provides a comprehensive team of uniquely trained physicians, equipped with experience in the treatment of complex sports-related injuries.

    • Orthopaedic surgeons
    • Pain management 
    • Radiology

    In addition to the team onsite, we refer our patients to child specialists in the following areas:

    • Health and fitness evaluations
    • Injury prevention
    • Performance tests
    • Physical therapy
    • Rehabilitation

    Sports Medicine Research

    Specific areas of interest include:

    • Operative and nonoperative care of the growing athlete
    • ACL reconstruction in the growing child
    • Patellar reconstruction in the growing child
    • Discoid meniscus
    • Fractures of the upper and lower extremity

    Patient Success Story: Ankle Fracture Case

    This patient is an 11-year-old gymnast who broke and dislocated her ankle. She was able to return to gymnastics six months later and she took 3rd place in a competition.

    Image A
    Pre-operation     		Image B
    Pre-operation     		Image C
    One-legged stand on balance beam    		 Image D
    Patient standing in third place on the podium