Arrow-right Camera
The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Cooperative action can aid in treatment

Dr. Alisa Hideg

We are through the first weekend of the 2010 U.S. Figure Skating Championships. From novice class (as young as 10) to the senior skaters (in their late teens and early 20s), it has been an exciting and busy time.

Our medical team of approximately 75 people has been available since Wednesday night with treatment rooms equipped with supplies, massage tables, physical therapy equipment and more. We have the privilege of providing care for the skaters 24 hours a day until the end of the competition next weekend.

Medical team members are at the ice for every practice session and competition. As I watch, their years of training and conditioning are self-evident, as is their ability and determination to move past any physical setback as quickly as possible.

A multifaceted approach will get a skater back into competition more quickly and safely than any single avenue of treatment. Along with the physicians and other healthcare providers, we have chiropractors, massage therapists, physical therapists and athletic trainers to help the figure skaters.

Research has shown this kind of cooperative approach to be effective, although some of the treatments have not always been a part of Western (also called allopathic) medicine. Complementary treatments such as chiropractic care and massage can make a huge difference for an athlete.

So what types of allopathic and complementary medicine might figure skaters use to treat muscle strains or other problems?

Chiropractic manipulation: Chiropractic adjustments seek to correct skeletal alignment problems in the body, particularly in the spine, which may be impinging on a nerve, irritating a ligament or tendon or causing muscle spasm.

The adjustments can help with back pain, neck pain, headaches and many other musculoskeletal problems a skater may develop.

Hydrotherapy: This refers to many types of therapy involving water, whether warm or cold.

Warm treatments can improve circulation, relieve fatigue in achy muscles and joints, and help reduce stress and tension. Soaking an injury in an ice water bath may decrease swelling and inflammation, while exercising in a pool can take pressure off the joints.

Massage: Massage therapy has a long history throughout the world and many competitors use it as part of their training throughout the year.

Massage improves muscle flexibility and lessens pain in overworked areas. Regional muscle stretching, increasing circulation and decreasing swelling before and after training sessions and performances help skaters remain flexible and make a difference in how they feel.

Ultrasound: A machine that produces specialized sound waves is placed in the area of a joint or a soft tissue injury (such as a tendon strain). The absorption of the energy of the sound waves generates heat deep in the tissue or joint, which can reduce pain from the injury, improve circulation, reduce inflammation, and promote healing.

Although many of the treatments listed can relieve pain, there is more to it than that. We have a full medical team including nurses, medical assistants, physician assistants and others.

Our team of providers can relieve physical discomfort and make it easier for skaters to perform. All of us work in our jobs to get our everyday patients, as well as athletes, back into their routines and prevent future injury.

I am proud of the cooperative approach to medical care we have put together for this event. Western medicine is not just about treating illness and injury – it is about staying healthy. Complementary medicine is the same.

The number one goal of our medical team is to help keep the competing athletes from getting injured, but if anything does happen we are ready with a wide variety of treatments to get the skaters back on the ice quickly and safely.

Dr. Alisa Hideg is a family medicine physician at Group Health’s Riverfront Medical Center in Spokane and assistant medical director for the U.S. Figure Skating Championships. Her column appears every other Tuesday in the Today section. Send your questions and comments to drhideg@ghc.org.