CHM unveils great news on treatment of youth sports injuries
Children’s Hospital of Michigan has unveiled state-of-the-art technology to better treat youth sports injuries.
Children’s Hospital of Michigan has unveiled a $2.4 million investment in state-of- the-art operating room technology to bring pediatric Sports Medicine orthopedic surgery to Troy.
“As parents know, kids’ sports injuries happen every weekend,” said Joshua Ulery, Children’s Hospital of Michigan Interim CEO.
“This expansion of the highly popular Children’s Hospital of Michigan pediatric Sports Medicine program brings high-tech OR capabilities to Troy, providing more families from across the region with easy access to advanced orthopedic services.”
The Troy campus is located at 350 West Big Beaver Road, a colorful orange, yellow and blue building just east of I-75.
Number of youth sports injuries alarming
Athletes ages 5 to 24 account for about 2.7 million annual emergency department visits for sports injuries, according to the latest figures available through the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The top five most frequent activities that caused ED visits for sports injuries were football (14.1%), basketball (12.5%), bicycle riding (9.9%), soccer (7.1%), and ice or roller skating or skateboarding (6.9%), according to the report.
The investment at Children’s Hospital of Michigan’s Troy campus has created operating rooms with the same level of expertise and technology available at Children’s Hospital of Michigan’s main campus in Midtown Detroit, said Children’s Hospital of Michigan orthopedic surgeon Dr. Andrew Gupta, director of the Pediatric Sports Medicine program at Children’s.
High-level operating room treatment
Dr. Gupta and the Children’s Sports Medicine team have been meeting young athletes and their families in Troy for office and clinic visits since the outpatient care facility opened in 2016.
With the upgrades, the Children’s Sports Medicine team will now also repair children’s injuries that require high-level, operating room treatment at the Troy campus, too.
“Our goal is always to get kids back on the field, the pitch, the court, the course and the sports they love to play,” Dr. Gupta said.
“We’re known for that success, and I’m treating a lot of athletes and those who are returning to sports at a high level. We are excited to bring this advanced care closer to home for more of the region’s young athletes.”
Personal experience
Reshana Baird of Detroit said she was grateful for that expertise in August 2024, after her 9- year-old son, Navi Jackson, tore his right anterior cruciate ligament (ACL), playing football, then tore his left ACL two weeks later. The band connects the thigh bone to the shin bone, stabilizes the knee and is crucial to athletes’ ability to turn, twist, walk and run.
Dr. Gupta repaired Navi’s right tear first, then the left tear six months later, so Navi would still be able to walk using crutches during his recovery. His mom is glad Navi is now able to walk and run on his own, and he is hoping to play football again soon.
“We’ve been through it, but my son had a real positive attitude,” said Reshana. “They broke down what happened to him, so he knew that he’d be back playing sports. We had a lot going on, but we just ran with it.”
Thanks to Children’s Hospital of Michigan Communications & Media Relations Manager Tammy Battaglia for contributing this article to SocialHouseNews.com.
