When Charles Giangarra, MD, joined the Sports Medicine Department at Marshall University more than 10 years ago, the shared vision was to create a center of excellence for sports medicine — a state-of-the-art facility that would house all of the disciplines related to sports medicine under one roof. Today, that vision comes to fruition in the innovative, multidisciplinary Marshall Sports Medicine Institute.
"There are multiple disciplines involved in the care of athletes and the active, health-conscious population," said Dr. Giangarra, Chief of the Marshall Orthopaedics Sports Medicine Division. "Bringing all of these disciplines under one roof gives our patients comprehensive, coordinated sports medicine care."
Offering all disciplines in one facility gives patients coordinated, comprehensive care.
At the MSMI, the orthopaedic sports medicine team provides sports medicine services to Thundering Herd athletes and to the general athletic population, treating injuries to the joints most often affected by sports — the shoulder, elbow, hip, knee and ankle. The physicians are joined at the institute by athletic trainers, physical therapists and other specialists from Cabell Huntington Hospital and Marshall Health, offering a multidisciplinary approach that benefits patients every step of the way.
"Our athletic trainers help patients with brace fittings and home exercise programs, and our physical therapists work closely with us in perioperative care, explaining to patients what life will be like after surgery," said orthopedic surgeon John Jasko, MD. "We can walk just a few feet to see our patients in physical therapy, making it easy for us to monitor them through their rehabilitation and as they return to sports. The facility allows us to provide truly comprehensive care more efficiently and effectively."