The Olympic Games have always captured the imagination of men, women, and children across the world: Athletes at the top of their game testing their skills against one another as they reach for the gold for their respective countries.
Keeping these athletes healthy at world class levels is also an Olympian challenge for the physicians and their staff charged with the care of the world’s elite athletes.
As the 2024 Summer Olympic Games unfold right now in Paris, France, Orthopedics This Week talked to orthopedic surgeons who have been on the front lines of treating the world’s top athletes to get a glimpse of what it is like.
Perfect Performance at the Perfect Time
Steven S. Isono, M.D., a sports medicine surgeon, and clinical professor of orthopaedic surgery at Stanford University, has served as a Team Physician for many Olympic Games. His first was in 1992.
“My Olympic journey began when the Head Olympic Coach of USA Judo asked me to evaluate a number of his team athletes in 1990. This was my first experience as a Team Physician for an Olympic Team,” he told OTW.
Over the years, Isono has treated Olympic Triathlon, Track & Field, Taekwondo, Boxing, Rowing, Swimming, and Water Polo athletes all over the world, before, during, and after COVID.
The most common illness he and his staff typically encounter is upper respiratory infections and GI problems while the most common injuries are fractures, dislocations, concussions, lacerations, ligament sprains, and muscular strains.
“The athlete’s health is the first and foremost priority from a medical standpoint. Therefore, when an injury occurs at the Games, allowing an athlete to compete after years of training and to fulfill their dreams but not jeopardizing their short-term and long-term health can become an interesting challenge,” he explained.
He added that the most memorable moments for him over the years have been “returning an athlete to competition on a world stage after facing an unpredictable injury, condition, or situation by utilizing the multiple specialists withing Team USA medical delegation.”
The experience of working at the Olympics, said Dr. Isono, was full of a vibrant energy palpable day and night. The air, he said, was always filled with anticipation as the world’s best athletes prepared to compete.
“The Olympic Games represent the pinnacle of competition, there is tremendous pressure to achieve the ‘perfect performance at the perfect time’. Yet, despite this incredible pressure of their competition, in my experience, each Olympian handles this pressure with intense focus and a smile.”
“Being a part of the Olympics is certainly a privilege and I am very grateful for the opportunity to continue to serve as a Team Physician.”
A Team Effort
Daryl C. Osbahr, M.D., Managing Partner & Chief of Orthopaedic Surgery for Rothman Orthopaedics Florida at AdventHealth has also served at the Olympics.
At the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games, Dr. Osbahr was Co-Chief Medical Officer for USA Baseball, team physician for the U.S. Soccer Men’s National Team and a co-medical director with the United States Tennis Association.
“This is certainly a very rewarding part of my career as there is no greater honor than being trusted with the health of Olympic level athletes as well as having an opportunity to represent your country and wear the red, white, and blue for Team USA,” he told OTW.
His path to the Olympics started when he became one of the team physicians for USA Baseball almost 10 years before the Tokyo Games and he quickly began developing a relationship with USA Baseball on their Medical & Safety Advisory Committee.
“Most opportunities in sports medicine develop through hard work, passion, relationship-building, accessibility, and a dedication to excellence,” Osbahr explained.
“Over the years, I was fortunately able to build a lot of trust with the USA Baseball community which ultimately led to being officially named the Co-Chief Medical Officer as well as serve as a team physician for them at the Olympic Games.”
Osbahr said that while treating the baseball athletes at the Olympics he saw a lot of throwing injuries.
“Every sport is unique, so medical providers must not only be available to treat the myriads of common medical illnesses and orthopedic injuries, but they must also have unique expertise in each specific sport as illness and injury can have different consequences and return to sport issues.”
He added, “High level athletes require such a high level of performance, and one of the biggest challenges is injury prevention. Every sport and athlete have a different injury risk and profile, and there is a lot of effort dedicated to minimizing this risk so they can maximize performance.”
The challenge with working with Olympic athletes, he said, is they have very short moments to shine.
“If each athlete is not peaking at the right time and in maximal health, then their performance can suffer. When managing other athletes, missing one event may not be a big deal. If an Olympic athlete misses one event at the wrong time, four years of hard work and dedication can lead to a heartbreaking moment,” he explained.
“As a medical provider for Olympic athletes, our medical staff is just as invested and passionate about achieving success and are ultimately driven to make sure we do everything we can to have them at their peak to achieve success for our country!”
Osbahr’s experience at the Tokyo Games was a unique experience because it occurred a year later because of COVID.
“It was certainly a unique Olympics with no official fans. Despite the lack of atmosphere in the stands, there was still an amazing energy on the field, in the locker room, and at the Olympic Village,” he said.
“With the lack of family and friends, there could be significant isolation felt by athletes, so everyone really became very close with staff and athletes during this time and still have tight connections today.”
Osbahr almost missed the whole experience though because a non-delegation close contact on the plane to Tokyo tested positive for COVID five days into his trip.
“This almost required me to be in quarantine for 14 days in a hotel with no contact with anyone. It was obviously a very emotional moment as I was about to miss all of the games and interactions with our Olympic Team and Staff. Fortunately, it was discovered that the close contact was in fact just outside the contact range, and I was able to be released back to full contact with the team and staff.”
One of his most memorable moments from the Games was to be there for the Gold Medal Game with USA vs. Tokyo.
“It was a fantastic experience. We unfortunately lost the close game but still an amazing day and experience.”
Another one was receiving a replica Silver Medal.
“Many Olympic fans may not realize that athletes only get medals, even for team sports. Coaches and staff do not get medals. USA Baseball leadership took it upon themselves to get replica Silver Medals for all coaches and staff to memorialize our experience. USA Baseball is an amazing organization where culture is second to none. I am very fortunate to be a medical provider for many teams that are managed by such amazing people.”
Keeping the Torch Lit
At this year’s Games in Paris this summer, a number of U.S. orthopedic surgeons are on staff to support the current Team USA Olympians. Among them are Gloria Beim, M.D., of Gunnison Valley Health in Colorado and two doctors from Northside Hospital Orthopedic Institute in Georgia. (Paris 2024: Gunnison Valley Health’s Dr. Gloria Beim Named Head Team Physician for Team USA.)
Beim is the head physician for Team USA at the Paris Games where she leads the medical staff for Team USA. This is her fourth time at the Olympics and at the Sochi 2014 Olympic Winter Games she served as the Chief Medical Officer.
Torrance Laury, M.D., at Northside is a physician for Team USA’s men’s gymnastics team. He specializes in family medicine and orthopedic sports medicine.
Matthew Pombo, M.D., is an orthopedic surgeon at Northside, and he is serving the men’s soccer team in Paris.
New this year Team USA medical staff have their first official Olympic uniform in recognition of the important work they do.
The uniforms are made by Figs, a medical apparel brand. The company partnered with the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee on the uniforms. “This is the first time ever that a medical team has been outfitted for any country for the Olympic Games,” Figs cofounder and CEO Trina Spear told Fortune.
“It’s very much about something that speaks to our overall mission and values as a company from day one: putting health care professionals in the spotlight that they deserve. Usually they’re behind the scenes, but not anymore. This is really about showcasing the people who are serving all of us, serving humanity, and in this case, serving athletes.”
