ZANESVILLE – Sports Medicine Zanesville will host a free sports physical clinic on Saturday, May 4. Open to all Ohio students, the event starts at 8 a.m. with physicals recommended by the Ohio High School Athletic Association prior to participation in athletics.

“This is a good opportunity for us to give back to our community and ensure that all our local student-athletes are prepared for the upcoming school year,” said Dr. James Gasparine of Sports Medicine Zanesville.

Sports Medicine Zanesville is sponsoring the event, which last year treated nearly 300 students free of charge. Gasparine and his fellow Sports Medicine Zanesville physicians and staff will volunteer their time for the May 4 event, and will be joined by six local primary care physicians and two nurse practitioners. The local volunteers include: Dr. Shelly Dunmyer, Dr. Anthony Flarey, Dr. Ronald Harvey, Dr. Maria Jamiolkowski, Dr. William Shade, Dr. Michael Zimmerer, Angie Pickens, NP and Samantha Cater, NP.

Schools are encouraged to reserve appointment times by emailing sports@orthozane.com or by calling 740-588-1089.

A link to the 2013-2014 OHSAA pre-participation physical evaluation form that all students should use can be found here: http://ohsaa.org/medicine/physicalform.htm

About Sports Medicine Zanesville

Sports Medicine Zanesville is a full-service, comprehensive, orthopaedic center, with a mission dedicated to relieving pain and restoring an active lifestyle in each patient. Sports Medicine Zanesville has a team of highly skilled, board certified orthopaedic surgeons and specialized health care professionals. For more information, visit www.smzanesville.com.

One of the benefits of teaming with Sports Medicine Zanesville is being able to share our stories together on social media. Recently, we opened an SMZ Facebook page in hopes of creating an online community with our doctors, staff and most importantly, our patients. We encourage you to “Like” us on Facebook, just search for “Sports Medicine Zanesville” to find us.

Our page features dynamic photos, community and local sports news and timely information on our sports clinics and seminars. It is also a great way to find out more about our doctors. So log on and become part of our online community – you’ll be glad you did!

Football has supplanted baseball as America’s game. The only problem is football is one of our culture’s most violent sports. Last week, our partners, Sports Medicine Zanesville (SMZ) broke down the most common football injuries, from strains and sprains to fractures and concussions.

SMZ is committed to sports medicine and rehabilitation with a focus on local Zanesville athletes. We encourage you to visit smzanesville.com to read about these football injuries and for more information on the practice, location and contact information.

Jamaican track star and Olympic gold medalist Usain Bolt might claim to be the fastest man in the world, but he isn’t nearly as speedy as a cheetah. African cheetahs can run nearly 65 miles per hour; Bolt, on the other hand, can only manage a very pedestrian 28 miles per hour, according to the New York Times.

A recent study published in the Journal of Experimental Medicine monitored cheetahs’ running style in search of clues on how humans could move faster. The biggest takeaway was that leg turnover requires the most power. Researchers determined the stronger a person’s thighs, the faster he or she is capable of running.

In an earlier blog post, we shared how to avoid runner’s knee with the proper running form. Below are a few more running injuries to be aware of, along with symptoms and potential treatments:

Hip and Thigh Injuries:

• Hip Bursitis – Inflammation of the bursa near the hip joint. While treatment is often effective, this is a nagging injury that is likely to return.
• Snapping Hip Syndrome – This term describes three separate injuries: snapping of the IT band, snapping of the hip flexor and tearing of the cartilage, labrum or hip socket.
• Pulled Hamstring – A common injury in sprinters, the hamstring strain requires treatment and/or rest for a speedy recovery.
• Hip Stress Fracture – Long distance runners are more susceptible to hip stress fractures. Treatment requires time away from impact sports.

Knee Injuries:

• Patellofemoral Syndrome – Also called runner’s knee (see our earlier blog post).
• Dislocated Kneecap – Causes sharp pain during dislocation and can lead to long-term, chronic issues. Often, physical therapy is required during recovery.
• Plica Syndrome – Irritation in the lining of the knee joint causes tissue to become inflamed, resulting in knee pain.

If you have any of these symptoms or have questions about proper rehabilitation, please contact OAZ to schedule an appointment. You might not be able to outrun a cheetah, but hopefully refining your technique will improve your times and keep you healthy.

Michael Phelps continues to capture the hearts of millions as he shatters records and wins gold at the London Olympics. Phelps recently became the most-decorated Olympian in history passing Larissa Latynina’s record of 18 medals. Swimming is widely considered a great workout, but what benefit does it provide our bones?

Ironically, since water offers less resistance than weight bearing exercises, swimming is not a bone-booster and won’t help fight off osteoporosis. There are benefits to diving into an aquatic workout though – swimming is great for joints, especially if you have arthritis. It can help promote flexibility, endurance and overall health, and the average person can burn between 500 and 1,000 calories swimming laps, depending on the length of the workout.

With zero impact, swimming offers a way to work out while providing little to no stress on joints. All water workouts are non-weight bearing exercises and promote rehabilitation and increased range of motion. Children, however, do need weight bearing workouts to promote bone growth.

Either way, join OAZ in cheering on Team USA in London, and visit the official website of the Olympics for a full schedule and list of medal winners.