Aiken Boys’ Basketball Team Perseveres Through Adversity this Season

Aiken boys’ basketball coach Leon Ellison takes a great deal of pride in the way the Falcons have persevered through adversity this season. The Aiken team learned a life lesson from the bus fire that destroyed the coaches’ and players’ personal belongings during a trip to a tournament in Memphis in late December. Read More > >

 

Wittenberg Alumni Kick Off Homecoming with Inaugural Tiger Tri

Springfield, Ohio – As the cool temps of autumn usher in Homecoming Weekend, Oct. 21-22, Wittenberg alumni from all generations will come together to kick-off a range of activites. For one alumnus, Timothy Kremchek ‘81, an orthopedic surgeon with Beacon Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine of the Greater Cincinnati Area, the weekend offers a chance to inspire healthy living and fun during the first-ever Wittenberg Tiger Tri, the brainchild of 1995 alumna Jade Spicer Gianakopoulos, who worked with Kremchek to take the lead in sponsoring the event.

A tri-athlete herself, Giankopoulos decided that a triathlon would be the perfect way to raise money for The Wittenberg Guild Scholarship Fund, which helps local students attend Wittenberg. More than 130 athletes have already signed up to participate, and Giankopoulos was pleased that Kremchek agreed to be the title sponsor.

“Anne Georges (director of leadership giving) and I were talking about how to give back to the university, and she mentioned the immediate need for a title sponsor for the Homecoming triathlon,” explained the 1981 Wittenberg grad. “It is a perfect way for Beacon Othopaedics and me to support the university. I love Witt – every time I go up there (to Wittenberg), I feel a tremendous sense of pride. I have friends and connections from my years as a student.”

Dr. Kremchek is a regular on campus – he serves as Wittenberg athletics teams’ physician, and admits that he enjoys being a mentor to the students and can fully relate to their experience – as student athletes, scholars and growing through Wittenberg’s values and traditions as “they develop who they are going to be.

“I chose Wittenberg for several reasons when I was looking at colleges,” Dr. Kremchek said. “It was close to home, but not too close, it had a strong athletics program and a strong academic reputation. It was a comfortable size for me, familiar. I didn’t know I wanted to be a doctor, but I did know I wanted to play sports. I played football my freshman year and baseball all four years.” Dr. Kremchek wore #15 and was both a designated hitter and first baseman for the Tigers, and he lettered his senior year.

“Division III provides a healthy balance between academics and sports,” Dr. Kremchek said. “It brings together a strong competitive playing field without the pressure and the support to excel in the classroom. Kids call, they know I love sports, and they know I’ve done it all. I believe it’s important to excel in life, and participating in athletics teaches you to be competitive individually and to be a team player.”

A true mentor, both he and his wife, Hillary Knapp, Wittenberg class of 1982, work to promote good health through activity.

“Hillary was a great athlete in college,” he said. “She keeps in shape and believes in the value of a healthy life style.”

Dr. Kremchek has seen the growth of personal training that emphasizes enhanced total-body, or core, training.

“Some feel that lifting weights never did anything, but weight training develops total body strength and improves coordination,” Dr. Kremchek said. “If you play one position, switch conditioning in order to decrease your chance of getting hurt, and you can play more than one position.”

The value of proper conditioning is so important to Dr. Kremchek that he is taking the lead on upgrading the training room at Wittenberg. The process of pricing two scenarios of renovations has begun, and there is no doubt that future athletes at Wittenberg will benefit from his generosity and expertise.

The medical director and chief orthopaedic surgeon for the Cincinnati Reds and their minor league affiliates, has become a leader in the orthopaedic care of athletes across the country, Kremchek will miss his 30th college reunion Homecoming due to professional commitments, but he will be there in spirit.

His professional interests range from advanced arthroscopic repair of the shoulder and knee injuries to total joint reconstructions and joint replacements. He has taken an active role in teaching orthopaedics and sports medicine, which has enabled him to be published in professional journals regarding orthopaedics and sports medicine. Kremchek has been featured on HBO’s Real Sports program regarding youth baseball injuries. He has also been featured in ESPN Magazine, Sports Illustrated and USA Today regarding other medical health topics.

In addition to Wittenberg, Kremchek is also the orthopaedist for Cincinnati’s Archbishop Moeller High School. A 1986 graduate of the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Kremchek completed his orthopaedic residency at Tufts University in Boston, Ma. In 1993, he completed a one year Orthopaedic Sports Medicine Fellowship at the Alabama Sports Medicine Institute in Birmingham, Ala.

The triathlon begins at 8 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 22, at the HPER Center, 250 Bill Edwards Drive. Ascension Sports Partners, Alpert Barr & Grant and The Fitness Cellar are supporting the event, which is open to the general public, and first-time triathletes are encouraged to register. Participants can either complete the race on their own, or they can compete as a member of a team.

The Pitcher as Science Project

Chris Carpenter will pitch for the St. Louis Cardinals Wednesday in Game 3 of the National League Championship Series. But if you consider what's been involved in keeping this man on the mound, it's fairer to say he pitches for the American Medical Association. Read More >>

 

Indian Hill’s Teddy (Kremchek) is ready

INDIAN HILL – The turnaround story of the year in Cincinnati Hills League football has been the Indian Hill Braves. After a disappointing 3-7 mark in 2010, coach Mike Theisen has the Braves chasing Madeira for the league lead. Read More >>

With Strasburg Return, Chalk Up Another Save for Tommy John Surgery

WASHINGTON — The baseball world will take a break from its pennant races Tuesday night and watch Stephen Strasburg hurl fastballs at close to 100 mph, mesmerized again with his talent. It will possess only a vague understanding of the medical advances and forces that afforded him the ability to do so now and, the Washington Nationals hope, for years to come. Read More >>

Dr. Timothy Kremchek Weighs in on the Curveball in Little League Debate

Dr. Kremchek appeared on WFAN on Sunday August 14, 2011 to discuss the recent studies that say throwing curveballs in little league does not cause additional injuries. For more information and a recording of his interview, click here.

 

Willis exits early with soreness in throwing arm

CINCINNATI -- Reds starter Dontrelle Willis left Sunday's game at Great American Ball Park with what he called soreness in his left forearm.

Before exiting with two runners on and two out in the third inning, the Padres had scored four times on their way to a 7-3 victory that snapped Cincinnati's modest four-game winning streak.

Reds manager Dusty Baker said Willis will be evaluated again by team physician Dr. Tim Kremchek on Monday's off-day before the Reds embark on a nine-game road trip to Washington, Pittsburgh and Miami. But Willis said after the game that he thinks rest is the elixir for the injury. Read More >>

Phillips trying to elbow his way onto the field

Brandon Phillips said he is ready to play. Reds manager Dusty Baker wants to be sure. All-Star second baseman Phillips was out of the lineup for a fourth straight game Saturday but probably will return today, Baker said. Read More >>

Zack Cozart has season-ending surgery

The Reds said that rookie SS Zack Cozart this morning had Tommy John surgery (torn ulnar collateral ligament, left elbow) with Dr. Tim Kremchek. Read More >>

Rolen back in clubhouse after surgery

CINCINNATI -- Almost a week after the most recent surgery on his left shoulder, Scott Rolen was back in the Reds clubhouse on Monday night a few hours before his club took on the Rockies at Great American Ball Park. Read More >>

Long road back has begun for Rockies' De La Rosa

De La Rosa has successful Tommy John surgery, but now the tough part starts: rehab. Read More >>

Under The Knife: Holliday finds there is a cost to playing tough

I wish I didn't have to, but sometime next week, I'll be sitting in on a Tommy John surgery. I've seen it before, but this one will be a little different. Dr. Tim Kremchek will be doing this one on a current minor league pitcher and I'll be following along the process with him. Read More >>

Reds Medical Director offers advice to runners on injury prevention

CINCINNATI - If you experience an injury as you 'Get Up and Go,' there are a few steps that could help get you back on the road faster. Dr. Tim Kremchek is in his 15th season as the Reds Medical director. He says the key to preventing injuries is to spend 5 minutes warming up on the treadmill or bike. Read More >>

Reds' rotation has depth, youth, upside

The Cincinnati Reds have one of the deepest starting rotations in the National League -- seven-deep, in fact -- and of the seven, six of them are ages 23-27. Read More >>

Tommy John not just for big leaguers

Four summers ago, 12-year-old pitchers Kyle Cotcamp and Tyler Richards of Hamilton were on top of the baseball world, playing in front of 20,000 fans at the Little League World Series in Williamsport, Pa. Now, they've both had the ulnar collateral ligaments in their throwing elbows replaced. Read More >>

The Tyranny of Shoulder Injuries

The Mets thought Johan Santana hurt his pectoral muscle, until they realized he had injured his shoulder. He could return by July. Or, just as likely, not until 2012. Read More >>

Questions about Stephen Strasburg's delivery have no sure answers

JUPITER, FLA. - On Wednesday morning in Viera, Fla., Stephen Strasburg played catch with a Washington Nationals trainer in the outfield of Space Coast Stadium. He focused only on his next throw, one careful toss after the next, the monotonous churn that will eventually return him to a major league pitching mound. Read More >>

 

Reds are well-acquainted with life after Tommy John surgery

GOODYEAR, Ariz. -- Just 11 months removed from his August 2009 Tommy John surgery, Reds starter Edinson Volquez was back pitching in the majors. Two months after that, manager Dusty Baker named Volquez his Game 1 starter in last October's National League Division Series against the Phillies. Read More >>

Dr. Kremchek Named Top 5 Orthopaedic Surgeon in Baseball by Baseball America 

Dr. Kremchek named Outstanding Team Physician for high school athletics by the State of Ohio Medical Association and Ohio High School Athletic Association

Tim Kremchek, MD, and Robert Burger, MD, of Beacon Orthopaedics and Sports Medicine in Cincinnati have been honored as outstanding team physicians for high school athletics by the State of Ohio Medical Association and Ohio High School Athletic Association, according to an Enquirer report. 

The two physicians have served at area high schools for 20 years and are co-owners of Beacon Orthopaedics and Sports Medicine. Dr. Kremchek also serves as a team physician for the Cincinnati Reds. The awards will be presented at local high school games.

Dr. Burger earned his medical degree from the University of Cincinnati, where he completed his residency in orthopedic surgery. He also completed a fellowship in orthopedic surgery at Hughston Orthopaedic Clinic in Columbus, Ga. 

Dr. Kremchek earned his medical degree from the University of Cincinnati and completed his residency at New England Baptist Hospital in Boston. He also completed a sports medicine fellowship at Alabama Sports Medicine in Birmingham. Full Story

Dr. Kremchek ranked as the #1 Orthopaedic Physician Leader to Know

October 18, 2010

Dr. Kremchek was ranked as the #1 Orthopaedic Physician Leader to Know by Becker's Orthopaedic and Spine Review. Full Story

Edinson Volquez's Return Could Boost Reds

July 14, 2010

"He's a guy with great natural ability," Kremchek said. "He's always been able to throw hard. The surgery takes the pain away. Then during the rehab, he worked on getting his core strong, getting his shoulder strong. "He never had to do those things before."

Volquez has been working on his rehabilitation since last offseason, when he stayed in Cincinnati.

"He was here at our facility every day in October and November," Kremchek said. "Then he joined us in Goodyear in January. He bought into it. You know how hard it is for a Latin American kid to stay in Cincinnati in October and November? But he did it. You've got to tip your hat to him."

Kremchek said some pitchers who find themselves throwing hard after Tommy John surgery have trouble with control, but not Volquez.

"They find they're missing off the plate," he said. "He hasn't. He's found it." Full Story

Dr. Kremchek Remembers Griffey's Time in Cincinnati

June 3, 2010

Reds medical director Dr. Tim Kremchek knew more about Griffey's injuries than anyone else. Every time Griffey broke down, it was up to Kremchek to do the repair work. Among the surgeries he performed were on both of Griffey's knees, his shoulder, ankle and a ruptured right hamstring that tore completely off the bone in 2004.

"I must have operated on him eight times," Kremchek said on Wednesday. "Of all the players I dealt with on the Reds and other teams, he was the closest to being a friend in the game. I got to see a side of him no one else got to see. I wish more people would see what he went through behind the scenes." Full Story