1st-stop clinic for athletes

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A football player rests on the sidelines after getting injured. A clinic in Bolingbrook is open on Saturdays to deal with post-game injuries that aren't serious enough for an emergency room visit. herald-news file photo

Updated: September 22, 2011 6:05PM

Last year my middle son Andy played football on the freshman team for Plainfield South.

During practice, a week before the big game with Central, Andy hurt his knee in a tackle. We skipped the hospital emergency room and instead made an appointment for the next day with a specialist — we knew that is where we were headed anyway.

Skipping the ER and going straight to the specialist definitely has its advantages, in many cases saving both time and money. And while some injuries cannot wait a day or so, many can. That is why Adventist Bolingbrook Hospital now is offering a walk-in sports injury clinic on Saturdays.

The clinic, which opened earlier this month, is headed by orthopedic surgeon Dr. John Lee and sports medicine specialist Dr. Geoffrey Kuhlman. The clinic will serve children, teenagers and adults seeking treatment for a sports injury, including high school football players. The clinic is the only one of its kind in an area where numerous Friday night high school football games reign.

“Sometimes you get hurt at a Friday night football game, not enough to send you to the hospital that night, but enough that you need to see someone the next day,” said Lee. “You can wait until Monday to make an appointment, so now you can come to the sports clinic on Saturday where you will have access to everything you need.”

“This clinic will enable us to expedite and improve the care of sports-related injuries in our community,” said Kuhlman.

“Accelerated treatment can limit further damage to the tissue. When a person waits to see a doctor, swelling can occur and there may be tissue damage. Also, we can control a patient’s pain right away.”

The walk-in sports injury clinic is open 8:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. on Saturdays and is located at 396 Remington Blvd., suite 130, in Bolingbrook. Patients can also be seen by appointment. Lee said the clinic is offering a trial period during the football season. If the response is good, the doctors may open for other sport seasons, as well.

While focusing on sports injuries, the clinic isn’t limited to just football. It is open to athletes of all ages and sports, as well as adult “weekend warriors.”

For more information on the clinic or to make an appointment, call 630-759-1248.

For Jean Dunning, visit www.morekidfriendlystuff.blogspot.com.