Sports Medicine Program

We know young athletes require special care—injuries in childhood and adolescence can have lasting effects into adulthood. We also know that youth sports are competitive, and families want the best care so young athletes can get back to the top of their game. The CHOC Sports Medicine Program offers unrivaled pediatric services for all sports-related needs. We work one-on-one with each patient to develop a unique plan, with an emphasis on preserving future growth and function, and a safe return to play.

Specializing in youth sports medicine

Our team includes pediatric orthopaedic surgeons with special training in sports medicine and arthroscopy, physical therapists and therapy assistants certified in athletic training. Many of our staff are former Division I and Olympic athletes—ready to partner with your family to get young athletes back in the game.

Our team also understands that injuries in growing children, teens and young adults are quite different from those in adults, and we provide specialized care that can’t be found at adult practices.

We treat:

• Bone and growth plate fractures, joint dislocations, ligament sprains and tears, muscle strains and tears, and cartilage injuries
• Injuries to the shoulder, elbow and wrist including dislocations, separations, labral tears and “Little League” elbow or shoulder
• Injuries to the hips, legs, knees, ankles and feet, including patellar dislocations, meniscal tears, ACL/PCL tears, and hamstring and groin strains
• Spine injuries, including neck pain, low back sprain/
• strain, disc herniations and stress fractures
• Overuse injuries, including tendonitis, bursitis, growth plate injuries and rotator cuff injuries
• Concussions and traumatic brain injuries

Our surgeons perform the latest surgical techniques, always striving to be minimally invasive and preserve growth, future function and form. We also offer comprehensive heart screenings and asthma testing.

State-of-the-art rehabilitation

Our physical therapists develop programs that are tailored to every athlete’s needs. Through one-on-one sessions, our goal is to enhance an athlete’s performance, with an emphasis on their health and injury prevention.

We offer physical therapy services for:

• Management of acute and chronic athletic injuries
• Pre- and post-surgery rehabilitation
• Post-concussion management
• Progressive return-to-play programs

Our newly opened 8,000-square-foot outpatient rehabilitation center is one of the most comprehensive centers of its kind in Southern California.

The center includes a gym designed for sports patients and state-of-the-art equipment, including the latest high-speed motion-capture system to evaluate an athlete’s movement mechanics from multiple angles simultaneously.

A safe return to play

Our team will conduct a comprehensive return-to-sport assessment, using motion-capture analysis, strength training and functional tests to demonstrate an athlete’s strength, power and motor control.

Once an athlete’s movement deficits are understood, we will create a personalized plan to return them to their desired sport as quickly and safely as possible.