The Progressive Women’s Sports Medicine Program at the Rothman Institute

Whether you are a competitive athlete, a recreational athlete, or someone who wants to be more active, the experts at the Women’s Sports Medicine Program at the Rothman Institute have got you covered. Specializing in comprehensive care of the female athlete, the program is the first of its kind in the Philadelphia metro area and one of handful of programs in the country.

Female athlete triad is a syndrome of three interrelated conditions: low bone mass, irregular menstrual cycles, and energy deficiency. Many women don’t even know they have it. A multidisciplinary, women-focused sports medicine program, such as the one at the Rothman Institute, identifies these conditions to help keep athletes in top performance. The multidisciplinary team consists of experienced and dedicated orthopaedic surgeons, nonoperative sports medicine physicians, physical medicine and rehabilitation physicians, nutritionists, nurses, and physical therapists.

Women who come in with a torn anterior cruciate ligament (ACL), for example, will be asked about the regularity of their menstrual cycles and about their energy levels. Anyone with an irregular menstrual cycle is automatically put into the nonoperative sports medicine program. Patients may need to see a nutritionist to ensure they are consuming enough calories relative to the amount of energy they are putting into their sport, and a blood test to evaluate thyroid, parathyroid, vitamin D and calcium levels is taken to determine if a visit to an endocrinologist is in order.

“I don’t want to just treat the ACL injury,” states Dr. Sommer Hammoud, Sports Medicine Surgeon at the Rothman Institute, “I want to treat the female athlete. The Women’s Sports Medicine Program emphasizes rehabilitation, re-injury prevention, and an overall healthy lifestyle.”

Rothman Patient Ambassador Kayla, a high school student, changed direction too fast playing field hockey and tore her ACL. Torn ACLs are very common injuries, particularly in women. Athletes who plan to continue playing sports require minimally invasive surgery. After a month of physical therapy to increase range of motion and to allow time for swelling to go down, Kayla had surgery.

“I didn’t feel great after my doctor told me I would be out for 9 months to a year,” shares Kayla. “But I felt comfortable because he was honest and told me what needed to be done so I could move forward.”

Kayla underwent more physical therapy after surgery to increase strength in her knee. “Every time I am in the weight room, I am really pushing it,” says Kayla, “because I want to be 10 times better when I get back.”

“Most surgical patients say they feel stronger after their recovery,” comments Dr. Hammoud, “because they are focusing on muscle groups and exercises in physical therapy that they haven’t really focused on before.”

So whether you have a tear, a strain, or just don’t feel like you are playing at peak performance, the experts at the Women’s Sports Medicine Program are ready to see you. We’d like you to be our next Patient Ambassador. To find out how the physicians at the Rothman Institute can help you, call 1-800-321-9999 today.