Mountain Valley Orthopedics Offers Safety Guidance for Fall Athletes in Light of COVID-19

As fall sports move forward, the specialty-trained sports medicine doctors at Mountain Valley Orthopedics are offering advice for optimizing the health, safety and performance levels of local student-athletes. Athletes or parents and guardians seeking specialized bone, joint and muscle care are encouraged to call (570) 421-7020 to schedule a safe appointment in East Stroudsburg at 600 Plaza Court C; in the Mountain Healthcare Center in Tobyhanna at 100 Community Drive, Suite 210; or in the West End Healthcare Center in Brodheadsville at 120 Burrus Blvd., Suite 120. They also offer same-day appointments at their East Stroudsburg office Injury Care Clinic as well as telemedicine visits for remote consultation.

“Our highest priority is keeping student-athletes, our patients and our whole community safe and healthy,” says Dr. Maurizio Cibischino, sports medicine surgeon at Mountain Valley Orthopedics. “To help our local athletic community have a safe transition back to training and competition, we have put together a list of guidelines for student-athletes, parents, guardians and coaches.”

All members of our athletic community need to practice caution to reduce the risk of viral spread in groups. Student-athletes also should adhere to these protocols and principles to avoid the risk of injury and keep themselves as well as their families, teams, peers and communities safe:

• Slow and steady is key: COVID-19–related guidelines have restricted the activity levels of many, so athletes should slowly and cautiously increase their training and skill-building exercises. Muscular strength as well as cardiovascular health may be inhibited from months of indoor sheltering — it is crucial to pay attention to your limits and pains to avoid immunosuppression, illness and injury. Building strength and endurance takes time, and even athletes who have remained active will have an adjustment period.
• Stay clean and stay healthy: Maintain a proper diet, drink plenty of water and fluids, get plenty of rest and do not overtrain. You should also practice good hygiene by washing your hands, avoiding touching your face, wearing face coverings when appropriate as well as avoiding close physical contact with those outside of your household.
• Cool off: As summer continues, the risk of heat-related illness is high, especially for those who have remained indoors while following COVID-19 guidelines. Athletes may need to slowly acclimate themselves to sun and heat and should stretch before activities, stay hydrated and keep primarily to shaded areas.
• Follow the rules: Be sure to maintain social and physical distancing as best as possible. You should also respect guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Additionally, players, parents and coaches should follow any state, local, school, league and venue regulations set to combat the spread of COVID-19.

“As athletics resume, we know it poses a number of risks, including injuries and conditions related to overtraining, slips, falls and collisions,” says Dr. Cibischino. “At Mountain Valley Orthopedics, we are here for our local athletes, and we stand ready to provide highly specialized treatment and any return-to-play care plans they may need to get back in the game quickly and safely.”

While Mountain Valley Orthopedics offers safe appointments in their offices, their providers also offer telemedicine visits in addition to same-day urgent appointments to provide consultation for bone, joint and muscle problems. At their East Stroudsburg office, Mountain Valley Orthopedics’ Injury Care Clinic offers immediate, specialized care for sprains, fractures, dislocations and other acute or sports-related injuries. Their Injury Care Clinic is available Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

To learn more or to schedule an appointment with the sports medicine experts at Mountain Valley Orthopedics, please call (570) 421-7020.