UHEALTH SPORTS MEDICINE QUARTERLY Winter 2014‐2015
WE’LL GET YOU BACK IN THE GAME. Inaugural Edna C. Shalala 5K Run/Walk Held at the
University of Miami
The University of Miami Athletics Department hosted a 5K run/walk in celebration of the life of Edna C. Shalala, a longtime supporter of Hurricanes Athletics and the mother of president Donna E. Shalala. Edna, who passed away Dec. 2 at the age of 103, was honored on her 100th birthday with the creation of the Edna C. Shalala Fund for Women’s Athletics, created to help support the continued success of Miami’s women’s athletics teams. “Edna Shalala was a proud Miami Hurricane who was an inspiration to so many of us,” UM Senior VP for University Advancement and External Affairs Sergio Gonzalez said. “She loved the University and was a great supporter of female student‐athletes.” The 5K Walk/Run, held on December 13, benefited the fund. The starting line for the race was located in front of the BankUnited Center on UM’s Coral Gables Campus. Edna made history when she became the first female attorney of Syrian‐Lebanese descent to practice law in Cleveland, Ohio. Shalala was a nationally ranked tennis player in the 1930s and ’40s, winning women’s state tennis titles in Ohio, Michigan and Wisconsin. She remained active in the sport even well into her 80s, playing three or four days a week and competing in several tournaments. In 1980, IN THIS ISSUE Shalala was inducted into the Cleveland Sports Hall of Fame. When Donna Shalala became president of the University of Miami, Mother Shalala, as she was affectionately known by the UM community, spent much of her time in Coral Gables, living with her daughter at the presidential residence, attending UM functions, playing golf, and taking part in many of the institution’s activities, including those at the Herbert Wellness Center and Osher Lifelong Learning Institute. Page 2
Q&A: Kids and Concussion Page 3 Congratulations
to Gina Meena!
Page 3 The UHealth Sports Performance
and Wellness Institute Kicks Off Page 4 Lauryn Williams addresses the crowd at the starting line of the 5K run/walk Former University of Miami track star and nine‐
time All‐American Lauryn Williams was the honorary starter for the 5K. The Olympic gold medalist offered her thoughts on Edna C. Shalala, a woman who positively affected so many people across the UM community. (Continued on page 2.) Are You Ready for Some Great
Youth Soccer?
Page 4 UHEALTH SPORTS MEDICINE QUARTERLY | Winter 2014‐2015 2
Inaugural Edna C. Shalala 5K Run/Walk
This Fall, The Miami Marlins’ Ayudan program hosted a Career Workshop Series for local high school students at Marlins “I am sad to hear about the death of Momma Park. Students from (Continued from page 1.) schools Miami Senior High, TERRA Shalala, but continue to be inspired by the times I was in her presence,” Environmental Institute, is and SLAM Williams said. Research “My last memory of her and my grandmother at a Sports Leadership and Management Charter table looking graceful as only two who have lived such a full life could, Middle/High School made up the attendees for chatting as if they had known each other for years. As the pain in my this event. heart settles, I find comfort in the love and admiration I feel for her while reflecting on the incredible mother President Shalala had and am grateful for her impact on my life in addition to many others.” Participants in the run/walk completed the course alongside members from the University of Miami’s women’s sport teams, coaches, spirit squads, athletic administrators, and marching band. Members of the University of Miami Athletic Training staff and UHealth Sports Medicine staff were present, both as participants and medical staff. Our own Dr. Lee Kaplan, Dr. Clifton Page, Dr. Jean Jose, and Kari Riddle ran/walked in the event. Join us next year for the 2nd annual Edna Shalala 5K! UHealth Sports Medicine’s Dr. Jean Jose, and athletic trainers Kari Riddle, Elissa Kyrola, and Chrissy Barnowich at the Edna C. Shalala 5K Run/Walk UHealth Sports Medicine Provides Medical
Coverage for High School All-Star Event
The UHealth Sports Medicine team was afforded the opportunity to provide the medical coverage for the 17th Annual Miami‐Dade North vs. South All Star Football Game on December 20, 2014. Headed by the event medical director, Dr. Michael Baraga and his team of athletic trainers, the week‐long event of practices led up to a very successful game at Curtis Park in the heart of Miami. The South team came out on top with a 26‐20 victory. Our goal was to provide a safe environment for these young men to showcase their talent one more time in front of their family, friends, and fans. We were happy to be a part of this annual event run by Tournament of Champions. Congratulations to the members of both the north and the south teams and their families on being selected as all‐
stars and for participating for a very well‐played game! At left, UHealth Sports Medicine’s Priscilla Dobbs, MS, ATC, LAT accompanies Miami‐Dade All‐
Star quarterback Hilton Joseph of North Miami High to visit Holtz Children’s Hospital UHEALTH SPORTS MEDICINE QUARTERLY | Winter 2014‐2015 3
FAST FACTS Q&A: Kids and Concussion
In this special section, Gillian A. Hotz, Ph.D., director of the UHealth
Concussion Program answers a question from a South Florida parent.
2nd
Soccer is the second leading cause of concussion among young athletes. 3,055,148
The number of athletes registered to play soccer through US Youth Soccer in 2014 was 3,055,148.
Do you have a question for a UHealth Sports Medicine expert? Submit it to uhealthsportsmedicine@ med.miami.edu and you may be featured in the next Q&A section! Q. Our 13‐year‐old daughter has always been physically active, and now she wants to try out for her middle school soccer team. We don’t want to say no, but we are concerned by all of the recent news about young athletes and concussion injuries. What should we be on the lookout for? A. It’s good that you are so vigilant about your daughter’s health and well‐being. Concussion poses special concerns for young people because their brains are still developing, and soccer is the second‐leading cause of concussion among young athletes. In fact, the sport actually poses the highest risk of concussion for girls, because their less‐
developed neck muscles can make the practice of “heading” the ball particularly dangerous. The most common symptoms of concussion are headache and dizziness. But a child may also complain of blurry vision, of feeling nauseous, or that light and noise are bothersome. Keep in mind that symptoms don’t always develop immediately, or they may resolve but then return. Treatment usually involves rest not only from the sport, but from any physically or mentally tiring activities, such as schoolwork. However, should your daughter get a worsening headache; experience tingling, numbness, nausea, vomiting, or confusion; or lose consciousness, seek medical attention immediately. We recommend baseline neurocognitive testing before the athletic season begins. If she does sustain a concussion, we then have an objective way to evaluate and monitor her recovery. By helping kids learn coordination, sportsmanship, and discipline, team sports can be very beneficial. So when parents ask me if I would let my child play football or another sport associated with concussion injuries, I say, “Yes, but…” You and your daughter, as well as her coach, and athletic trainer, and teammates, need to understand the signs and symptoms of a concussion. Just as importantly, your daughter should always be encouraged to report any symptoms – not to do so could be dangerous. Congratulations to Gina Meena!
Congratulations are in order for Gina Meena, winner of
a Nikon Coolpix Digital Camera from UHealth Sports
Medicine. Gina entered a drawing for the camera when
she stopped by the UHealth Sport Medicine booth at St.
Thomas Aquinas High School in Fort Lauderdale, FL
during a St. Thomas Aquinas home football game.
Thanks for your support, Gina, and enjoy your new
camera! UHEALTH SPORTS MEDICINE QUARTERLY | Winter 2014‐2015 4
The UHealth Sports Performance and Wellness Institute Kicks Off
From Pop Warner football players to the weekend warrior, just about everyone in South Florida can benefit from the computerized motion analyses, advanced concussion testing, and other sophisticated performance evaluations and therapies that are major components of the Miller School of Medicine’s UHealth Sports Performance and Wellness Institute. “Whether it’s a world‐class triathlete or someone exercising to keep heart disease and diabetes away, the Institute enables people to optimize their own health and wellness,” said Lee Kaplan, M.D., director of the Institute, chief of the UHealth Sports Medicine Division, and medical director and head team physician for UM Athletics and the Miami Marlins. On November 14, members of the University community gathered at the Newman Alumni Center on the Coral Gables campus to celebrate the recent $2 million gift from longtime philanthropists Petra and Stephen A. Levin that will help Kaplan advance the Institute’s research in a multitude of sports medicine areas. “Stephen and I have the greatest confidence in Dr. Kaplan and enthusiastically support his vision to build UHealth Sports Medicine and the UHealth Sports Performance and Wellness Institute into a globally recognized leader in research that enhances patient care and athletic performance,” said Petra Levin. Their gift, part of Momentum2: The Breakthrough Campaign for the University of Miami, designates Kaplan as the first holder of the Petra and Stephen A. Levin Endowed Chair for UHealth Sports Performance and Wellness. sports science landscape at the University of Miami, throughout South Florida, and beyond,” he said. “I am extremely grateful for their support.” Created in 2013, the Institute is a collaborative effort between the medical school’s Sports Medicine Division and other UM departments, including biomedical engineering, kinesiology and sport sciences, physical therapy, and other entities such as the Interdisciplinary Stem Cell Institute and the John P. Hussman Institute for Human Genomics. The Institute’s holistic approach to wellness focuses on three areas: emphasizing the importance of exercise as a vital component of a healthy lifestyle; preventing, treating, and recovering from activity‐related illness or injury; and accurately measuring and enhancing athletic performance. At Friday’s event, Kaplan and other members of his team showcased some of the collaborative research being conducted as part of the Institute. Among the innovations: a pair of goggles designed for the early and accurate detection of concussions. Michael Hoffer, M.D., professor of otolaryngology at the Miller School, and others have been awarded a $500,000 grant from the NFL to test the effectiveness of the goggles, which use imbedded eye tracking and stimulus displays to determine whether someone has suffered a head injury. Kaplan, who was recruited to UM by President Donna E. Shalala, said the Levin gift “comes at a critical point in the growth of the UHealth Sports Medicine Division and the UHealth Sports Performance and Wellness Institute.” Developed by medical device manufacturer Neuro Kinetics, the goggles can be easily used following a possible concussion‐causing incident on the athletic field, as well as on a battlefield. “Head injuries aren’t confined only to athletes at the collegiate and professional level,” said Hoffer, who recently retired from a 20‐year career with the U.S. Navy. “Someone’s daughter playing a youth soccer game is just as likely to sustain a concussion. “It will help us build momentum toward our goal of transforming the sports medicine and “It is urgent that we develop new and improved techniques for quick and accurate detection of Lee Kaplan, M.D., holder of the first Petra and Stephen A. Levin Endowed Chair for UHealth Sports Performance and Wellness, talks about some of the Institute’s initiatives. potentially life‐changing concussions,” he said. Gillian Hotz, Ph.D., research professor and director of both the KiDZ Neuroscience Center and Concussion Program, outlined her team’s efforts in neurocognitive testing and screening to assess mental status following a concussion, while Wesley Smith, clinical assistant professor and undergraduate program director for exercise physiology at the School of Education and Human Development, gave a presentation on Guardrails, which is aimed at reducing the incidence of chronic diseases through healthy habits. And Bascom Palmer Eye Institute, which already provides tinted contact lenses to help athletes shield their eyes from the sun’s glare, is experimenting with training devices that could help improve the athletic performance of golfers and baseball players, according to optometrist Natalie Townsend. Miller School of Medicine Dean Pascal J. Goldschmidt, M.D., compared the state‐of‐the‐
art work being done at the Institute to the training routine followed by the fictional character Ivan Drago in the movie Rock IV. “Well, that’s nothing compared to what Dr. Kaplan is putting together,” Goldschmidt said. Are You Ready
for Some Great
Youth Soccer?
Your own UHealth Sports Medicine will be on site providing medical coverage for this elite and premier event! Slated to be the largest soccer tournament on the east coast, the Weston FC Cup & Showcase will be taking place February 13‐16, 2015 at seven parks throughout Broward County. Come catch some action in Weston and don’t forget to stop by the medical tent to say hello! In the next issue…