Our Hot Take as the Summer Olympics Heats Up

July 22, 2021

If professional athletes spend any time in the Greater Cincinnati area, Beacon specialists likely cross their paths.

They may encounter us as athletic trainers — like it was for Olympics U.S. Women’s Soccer Team midfielder and Mt. Notre Dame alum, Rose Lavelle. We’ve been treating athletes at Mt. Notre Dame, and dozens more, for more than a decade.

We might be their team medical director — like it was for U.S. Men’s Baseball Team third baseman and former Reds player, Todd Frazier, or U.S. Men’s Baseball Team and Reds catcher prospect, Mark Kolozsvary. Beacon’s Dr. Tim Kremchek has been the Reds’ Team Medical Director for 25 years.

It’s for all of these reasons and more that our team finds a bit more vested interest in the Olympics. And not just the current Games, we have the privilege of treating Olympic hopefuls and other up-and-coming athletes looking to make a career of their sport of choice. In fact, we treat more high school, college, club, and professional athletes than any other health system in the area. But what does all of that mean for our patients? Easy. It means we have the capacity and experience to deliver Olympic-level care no matter the patient.

2020 Tokyo Summer Olympics Injury Watch

Don’t misunderstand us! We are not anticipating OR hoping for injuries. However, with the amount of time we’ve spent with professional athletes, we know there are certain things the athletes and their teams will be watching for to ensure they stay healthy throughout the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

The first consideration is timing. Athletes must be aware of their bodies at all times, which means being cognizant of the periods they’re most likely to get hurt. Looking back at the Beijing Games in 2008, nearly 75% of the injuries were incurred during competition. That still means more than 25% of them happened in training. The Games in London were a more even split between incurring injuries during training or competition.

Injuries involving overuse are the most common. Severe injuries are less common at the Games. The most likely are related to overuse injuries including everything from tendinitis to shin splints. Symptoms are typically swelling, soreness and pain. Treatment for those types of issues involve cupping, dry needling, scraping, massage, compression, and ice baths.

Injuries are already impacting this year’s Games. Athletes competing at the Olympics level know their bodies, what they’re capable of, and their limits. A few big names have already said that they’ve hit theirs, and those athletes include people from around the world. Well-known Americans include the likes of tennis star Serena Williams and golf standout Dustin Johnson among a handful of others.

Olympic-Sized Care for Every Walk of Life

We want to keep you going in your walk of life — whether it’s walking or competing in the Olympics, Beacon physicians are at the ready to help you reach your goals when it comes to orthopedic health. Contact us to schedule a time to experience the Beacon difference.