Nation’s foremost orthopedic surgeons to hold throwing injury prevention lecture at Tulane

Three of the nation’s leading orthopedic surgeons are joining forces to present a special lecture at Tulane University on how to keep young athletes playing safely.

Dr. James Andrews, the team doctor for several professional sports franchises – including the Washington Redskins – along with Dr. Ben Kibler, the medical director for the Lexington Clinic in Kentucky and former vice president of the American College of Sports Medicine, will join Dr. Felix “Buddy” Savoie, the chairman of the department of orthopaedics at Tulane and the team orthopaedist for Tulane University athletics, in sharing valuable information on the prevention of throwing injuries in young athletes.

Nearly 45 million children participate in some form of sports, and youth sports are the leading cause of adolescent injuries in the United States – 3.5 million children under the age of 14 are treated for sports-related injuries annually, Dr. Savoie said.

“Baseball players, softball players, quarterbacks and even volleyball players all engage in over-the-head throwing motions that can result is specific injuries to the shoulder, arm and wrist,” said Dr. Savoie, who also serves as president of the Louisiana Orthopedic Association and American Shoulder and Elbow Society. “The focus of this lecture is to bring together the foremost experts on throwing injuries and educate parents, coaches and healthcare professionals on common adolescent shoulder and elbow injuries – and how to prevent them.”

The Tulane Institute of Sports Medicine, in conjunction with the Tulane University School of Medicine Department of Orthopaedics and Tulane University Center of Continuing Education, is hosting the Andrews Endowed Lectureship on Dec. 16 and 17 on the Tulane University campus at the Lavin-Bernick Center.

The event will kick off on Friday, Dec. 16, with a lecture series which includes Dr. Kibler discussing conditioning guidelines and injury prevention, Dr. Savoie addressing common adolescent shoulder and elbow injuries, and Dr. Andrews explaining the incidence and prevention of throwing injuries in young baseball players. There will be time to ask the experts questions.

On Saturday, Dec. 17, Tulane athletic trainers and members of Tulane’s baseball coaching staff will provide a skills lab on pitching mechanics and throwing safety.

The event is free for parents, coaches and medical residents, but registration is required due to limited space. Medical professionals seeking continuing education credits can attend for $60.

To register, or for more information, visit the Tulane University Center of Continuing Education website at www2.tulane.edu/cce.