Andrés O'Daly, MD, is an orthopedic surgeon at Bradenton, Fla.-based Coastal Orthopedics. He specializes in foot and ankle injuries and disorders and recently performed surgery on Tyler Gibson, a midfielder soccer player for FC Cincinnati.
Dr. O'Daly is a true believer in a 'team approach' to healing injuries, "as it combines different areas of expertise to solve a problem. Three or four minds are always better than one," he said. "For example, the orthopedic surgeon makes the clinical diagnosis and develops a plan, which can involve surgery or not. The physical therapy team uses their knowledge to help the patient in the early stages of treatment, improving inflammation and range of motion and following through with muscle strengthening, gait and balance exercises in order to return the patient to the field. The internal medicine team provides support from the metabolic standpoint to improve the structure of the bone and prevent injuries. Trainers also play an important role in teaching the athletes how to prevent injuries."
After surgery, Dr. O'Daly stays involved in the rehabilitation process, implementing guidelines for the treatment of different injuries. He prefers a direct line of communication with the physical therapists and trainers in order to monitor the patients' progress and address any circumstances that may arise.
When it comes to treating professional athletes like Tyler Gibson, Dr. O'Daly notes that the approach is different. "Depending on the injury, we implement accelerated — but safe — rehabilitation protocols, to help them return to the field as soon as possible." Dr. O'Daly recently heard from Mr. Gibson, who is doing well. "He has a great team of professionals guiding him through the process of rehabilitation, and I hope to see him soon in the field."
Dr. O'Daly says that the use of stem cell-based therapies to treat sports injuries is rapidly evolving and will soon play an important role in the treatment of sport-related injuries. While telemedicine can be a useful tool, Dr. O'Daly is of the mind that a surgeon should physically examine a patient to really understand the nature of their injury.
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