By irene maslowski
Renowned Rehabilitation Hospital and Therapy Centers join the STOP Sports Injuries Campaign
Kessler Institute for Rehabilitation (www.kessler-rehab.com) and Kessler Rehabilitation Center (www.kessler-pt.com) have joined the STOP Sports Injuries campaign, a national drive to educate athletes, parents, athletic trainers, coaches and healthcare providers about youth sports injuries, treatment and prevention.
“Kessler has long been recognized for our work in educating parents, coaches and players about sports safety, as well as treating injured athletes of all ages,” said Patricia Judd, PT, MHA, Vice President of Outpatient Clinical Operations, Kessler Institute for Rehabilitation. “Given the fact that injuries among youth players are continuing to increase, we are proud to team up with many of the nation’s leading sports organizations to build greater awareness of these injuries and how to prevent them.”
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), high school athletes alone account for an estimated two million injuries, 500,000 doctor visits and 30,000 hospitals every year. The high rate of youth sports injuries is attributed to an increase in overuse and trauma-related injuries, and in many cases, a lack of proper training and prevention measures. In fact, the CDC indicates that more than half of all sports injuries in children are preventable.
The STOP Sports Injuries campaign focuses on building greater understanding of sports injuries and the need for open communication between athletes, parents, coaches and healthcare providers; teaching proper prevention techniques; and encouraging everyone involved to become an advocate for sports safety. Visit www.STOPsportsinjuries.org for more information and take the “pledge for safety.”
As part of its commitment to the health and safety of its communities, Kessler Institute and Kessler Rehabilitation Center, with more than 85 locations throughout New Jersey offer screenings and educational programs for student-athletes, parents and coaches related to training, safety and injury prevention for all sports, including football, soccer, baseball, basketball, golf, cheerleading and dance, as well as special seminars on concussion. For more information or to schedule a program, please call 201.368.6231 or email [email protected].
Kessler is among several of the nation’s leading organizations – American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine, American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, American Academy of Pediatrics, American Medical Society for Sports Medicine, National Athletic Trainers’ Association, National Strength and Conditioning Association and Safe Kids USA – now supporting the STOP Sports Injuries campaign. The campaign’s Council of Champions includes former Olympians Christie Rampone, Eric Heiden and Bonnie Blair; professional golfer Jack Nicklaus; NFL Hall of Fame quarterback Bart Starr and defensive end Howie Long; Heisman Trophy winner and St. Louis Rams quarterback Sam Bradford; and MLB baseball player John Smoltz.
“Regardless of whether the athlete is a professional, an amateur, an Olympian or a young recreational athlete, the number of sports injuries is increasing – but the escalation of injuries in kids is the most alarming,” said Dr. James Andrews, former president of the American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine (AOSSM) and STOP Sports Injuries Co-Campaign Chair. “Equipped with the correct tools and information, today’s young athletes can remain healthy, play safe and stay in the game for life.”
Kessler Institute for Rehabilitation is nationally recognized for the treatment and research of both spinal cord and brain injuries and also leads the field in the care and treatment for stroke, neurological diseases, amputation, orthopedic and musculoskeletal conditions and cardiac recovery. Ranked as one of the top two rehabilitation hospitals in the nation and best in the greater New York/New Jersey metropolitan region by U.S. News & World Report, Kessler has three hospital campuses in West Orange, Saddle Brook and Chester, N.J., and more than 85 outpatient centers throughout the state. For more information, visit www.kessler-rehab.com.
Kessler Rehabilitation Center offers physical therapy and specialized services for orthopedic and musculoskeletal conditions, sports and work-related injuries, arthritis and balance disorders at more than 85 locations throughout New Jersey. As the outpatient division of Kessler Institute for Rehabilitation, (www.kessler-rehab.com), one of the top two rehabilitation hospitals in the nation, Kessler Rehabilitation Center is recognized for its commitment to quality care and community education, as well as being named one of the “Best Places to Work” in New Jersey and in health care nationally. For more information, visit www.kessler-pt.com. Follow Kessler on Twitter at https://twitter.com/KesslerPT and on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/pages/Kessler-Rehabilitation-Center/656707877725008

