July 25, 2016

SLU AT Student Focuses on Function at Mercy Sports Medicine


SLU AT Summer Field Experience Spotlight - Mercy Sports Medicine, St. Louis, MO
By: Katie Love (MAT Class of 2017)

For my summer field experience, I had the opportunity to work at Mercy Sports Medicine Clinic.  I was very eager for my first day because I had experienced clinical work in the high school and college settings but never a clinic setting.  There are three athletic trainers that work in the clinic and one athletic trainer/physical therapist.
The clinic is fairly new and has a lot to offer.  They see a wide range of patients of different activity levels, ages, and experience with the rehabilitation. I have really been able to learn a lot about functional movement patterns and fascial lines.  They place a large focus on these two things.  If there is not a structural issue, its most likely caused by a functional deficiency and there are a lot of dysfunctions that can be observed in the clinic by FMS (functional movement screen), SFMA (selective functional movement assessment), range of motion, and other tests.  The SFMA allows the clinician to asses seven specific fundamental movement patterns that are common causes of musculoskeletal pain.  The FMA focuses on movement qualities, limitations or asymmetries in a functional movement pattern.  This helps identify where an individual’s mobility or motor control is not being used properly.  
I have been able to see tremendous progress in the patient’s abilities and attitudes in their rehabilitation while being at Mercy.  Everyone I have gotten to work with at Mercy has been very helpful and explains what they are doing and why.  They focus on manual therapy as well more than relying on modalities.  I think that it is a very important component to therapy and have learned a lot of techniques from them.  Another thing that I have not had the opportunity to work with before were kettlebells.  I have read a text book and watch videos provided by Mercy of Pavel Tsatsouline and his approach to kettlebell training.  

I look forward to the rest of my time at Mercy Sports Medicine Clinic and cant wait to learn new approaches to therapy and continuing my education as an athletic training student at Saint Louis University.

Students in the Saint Louis University Athletic Training Program have a required field experience in the summer between their two professional years in the program.  This blog post details a student's reflection on their experience.

July 24, 2016

SLU AT Student Gets an Authentic Experience as an Outreach Athletic Trainer at Athletico

SLU AT Summer Field Experience Spotlight - Fenwick High School and Athletico, Oak Park, IL
By: Nick Kellerhals (SLU MAT Class of 2017)

This summer for my clinical internship class MAT 5900 I had the privilege of working with Tony McCormick ATC and Athletico Physical Therapy. Tony is the head Athletic Trainer for Fenwick High School. Fenwick High School is a selective private college preparatory school located in Oak Park, Illinois, and was founded in 1929 as part of the Province of St. Albert the Great. Tony also does outreach services for Athletico in Oak Park.  
While at Athletico I was able to observe an evaluation done by a physical therapist and was able to compare and discuss our SOAP notes. Observing the eval gave me more insight on how to do a fast but thorough evaluation. The most interesting things I observed were an Athlete who had torn his ACL, LCL, PCL and Meniscus as well as another individual who had Complex Regional Pain Syndrome from her hand up to her shoulder. This summer has allowed me to see what it would be like in a outreach clinic setting as well as a High School. At Fenwick I was able to implement injury prevention and proper hydration techniques with the athletes as well as taping and injury eval. 
I was able to observe Tony and some PT’s at Athletico as well as assisting with the patient rehab. One of the coolest opportunities I was able to observe this summer through working with Tony was seeing a K-Vest screening. K-Vest is a human motion learning system. It is an all-in-one wireless system that instantaneously measures players’ power signatures and 3D data. It also provides one with an extensive library of pre-built training programs and drills customized to the patients categories that need work on. I observed this demonstration at the Athletico in Oak Brook. The K-vest at the Athletico’s golf center performance facility was introduced 4-6 months ago and it is the only Athletico that has it. 

I definitely learned a lot from Tony this summer and am glad I had the opportunity.

Students in the Saint Louis University Athletic Training Program have a required field experience in the summer between their two professional years in the program.  This blog post details a student's reflection on their experience.

July 23, 2016

SLU AT Student Benefits from Varied Perspectives at Multiple Sites through Unstoppable Athletics

SLU AT Summer Field Experience Spotlight - Unstoppable Athletics, St. Louis, MO
By: Bailey Draheim (SLU MAT Class of 2017)

My summer field experience is with Dr. Matt Leonard at Unstoppable Athletics. Fellow students Ali Graham and Mada Hauck are also at the site this summer. It has been a great site so far with many different experiences and locations.  At one site, we work mainly with high school and college baseball and softball players. 
We see a variety of rehab and strengthening programs for individuals and teams. It is a great learning environment where Matt is very open to questions and allows us to be as hands on as possible. Because Matt is a Doctor of Physical Therapy, Doctor of Chiropractic, and Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist, he provides us with different ways to do things that we may not have known. This allows us to be exposed to a unique learning experience that we don’t get to see at the high schools and colleges we are placed at during the year. 
The other sites we get to visit during our clinical experience are a chiropractic office in Troy, MO and a diet clinic that is run by Melissa Leonard. The chiropractic office allowed us to see the different steps that are taken in rehab depending on the profession. At the diet clinic, you sit through different client evaluations to see how the past week has been and how they have improved since the prior week. Everyone is given meals and a diet plan to follow for a certain amount of time. 
Overall, this is a great and educational summer experience that has allows students to see the other sides of health care and rehab. 

Students in the Saint Louis University Athletic Training Program have a required field experience in the summer between their two professional years in the program.  This blog post details a student's reflection on their experience.

July 22, 2016

SLU AT Student has Varied Experiences at Mercy's Sports Medicine and Post Concussion Clinics


SLU AT Summer Field Experience Spotlight- Mercy Sports Medicine and Mercy Children’s Post Concussion Clinic, St. Louis, MO
By: Olivia Robinson (SLU MAT Class of 2017)

I have had an awesome experience working with two Mercy clinics this summer. I have learned so many new things that I will be able to take into my PY2 year and future career as an Athletic Trainer. 
I have been working with Amanda Keenan, ATC, under Sarah W. Alander, MD, at Mercy Children’s Post Concussion Clinic. At the clinic we work with kids under 18, who have sustained head injuries. Most of the patients we see have had multiple concussions, or have symptoms lasting for long periods of time. We track the patients with ImPACT testing, BESS testing, and keep up with them regularly. We treat some of the patients for post concussion migraines, but we have also been able to treat them with therapy as well. I love working under Dr. Alander. She has taught me so much about concussions and has let me become very involved in the clinic. 
I have also been at Mercy Sports Medicine Clinic working with Amanda Keenan, ATC, Maghan Mulloy, ATC, and Katie Mazzaferro, ATC, DPT. At this clinic we work with athletes of all ages. We take a whole body approach to treatment. We use Selective Functional Movement Assessment (SFMA) and the Functional Movement Screen (FMS) to take a look at how the body works. These can point out issues the athlete might have that could make them prone to injury. We focus strongly on manual therapy and functional movement to alleviate pain. I have been able to make my own plans with some of the athletes and have learned so many new techniques from my preceptors.
I have loved working at both of these Mercy clinics. I will always use what they have taught me, and I’m so glad I got to spend the summer with them all!

Students in the Saint Louis University Athletic Training Program have a required field experience in the summer between their two professional years in the program.  This blog post details a student's reflection on their experience.

July 21, 2016

SLU AT Student Gets Hands-on Experience in a Physician Office at Blue Tail Medical Group


SLU AT Summer Field Experience Spotlight - Blue Tail Medical Group, St. Louis, MO
By: Brianna LaBarbera (MAT Class of 2017)

I have been very fortunate to be able to spend my summer field experience at Blue Tail Medical Group with Matt Bayes, MD, and Devon Guckes, ATC. Dr. Bayes specializes in treating all sports medicine injuries and non-operative orthopedics, with a special interest in treating sports concussions and post-concussive syndrome. Using ultrasound guidance, Dr. Bayes utilizes stem cell therapy in his treatments for patients suffering from degenerative conditions.
Devon serves as an Athletic Trainer in this physician clinic, something I am very interested in pursing for my future career. She has been an awesome mentor to me and everyday teaches me new techniques and skills in order to improve my patient evaluations. She has given me the opportunity to individually practice my skills and patient interaction, which I have found to be most beneficial. Not only have I been independently evaluating patients and gathering their history, I have been assisting during procedures, which has been an exciting component of my experience. 


I have thoroughly enjoyed being part of healthcare team with Dr. Bayes, Devon, and the Medical Assistant at Blue Tail Medical Group. Since the first day, I have been very impressed by their patient care efficiency and passion for improving their patient’s health. 


This experience has truly aided in my growth and development as an athletic training student.  It has exposed me to patient care I do not always see in the traditional athletic training setting. I look very forward to the rest of my summer field experience at Bluetail Medical Group, and will take my acquired skills into my future practice! 

Students in the Saint Louis University Athletic Training Program have a required field experience in the summer between their two professional years in the program.  This blog post details a student's reflection on their experience.

July 17, 2016

SLU AT Student Experiences Collaborative Patient-Centered Health Care at Mercy Sports Medicine

SLU AT Summer Field Experience Spotlight - Mercy Sports Medicine, St. Louis, MO
By: Danny Smith (MAT Class of 2017)

This summer, I have had the opportunity to work in the Mercy Sports Medicine Clinic. In this experience I have been able to observe Dr. Brian Mahaffey and Dr. Julienne Lippe perform their daily office duties. Dr. Mahaffey’s training in family medicine allows him to aid patients using non-surgical methods and Dr. Lippe is able to provide surgical options to patients when they are necessary. Often, Dr. Mahaffey may see a patient first and then refer the patient to Dr. Lippe when surgical consultation is needed.  Their close interaction allows them to communicate easily and improve patient outcomes.  
Another benefit of this clinic is that the therapy clinic is directly attached to it. The therapy clinic is staffed by certified athletic trainers that work closely with the physicians. This close interaction allows the athletic trainers to easily update the physicians about a patient’s progress.  Therefore, adjustments can easily be made to rehabilitation plans when a patient is recovering faster or slower than expected.  The athletic trainers use a therapeutic process that assesses the patient’s whole body, and not just the structure that is painful or bothersome.  This allows them to detect defects in other areas of the body that may be contributing to the particular pathology or may lead to issues further down the road.  Through this approach, patients are able to not just return to their prior level of activity, but to an even greater level of activity.  
While observing Dr. Lippe, I have been able to learn about many surgical techniques as well as post-operative stages of recovery.  She does a wonderful job of presenting patients with all of the treatment options and putting off surgery until it is necessary.  This conservative approach allows many patients to achieve success without having to undergo an operation. For the patients that do receive surgery, she does a great job of explaining each procedure and what the recovery will entail.  I believe that this information helps patients to feel more comfortable before and after surgery.  


In my observations with Dr. Mahaffey, I have been able to see a wide variety of pathologies and treatments.  I have seen both acute and chronic injuries affecting patients of all ages. This experience has allowed me to see patients with conditions such as arthritis that I do not normally see in my athletic training clinicals with younger patients.  I have gained a broader knowledge of anti-inflammatory medications and have been able to witness injection and wound care procedures.  I have enjoyed getting to learn how different comorbidities affect what treatment option is best for a patient.  For example, an anti-inflammatory medication may work great for a condition, but may not be a viable option due to a certain disease a patient may have. I really admire Dr. Mahaffey’s ability to understand each patient’s unique situation and use the optimal treatment for the situation.  He has shown and explained to me how the same orthopedic condition can have different causes in different patients. The athletic trainers in the therapy clinic use their whole body approach to pinpoint these causes and to strengthen them.
I have really enjoyed this summer clinical experience and all that it has taught me. I believe that the knowledge that I have gained by looking at MRI and x-ray images will greatly benefit me in the future.  I have also been able to see the nurses, athletic trainers, and physicians use sterile techniques when performing procedures.  These experiences have broadened my clinical knowledge, and given me a great example of how the sports medicine team should work to provide optimal patient centered care.  

Students in the Saint Louis University Athletic Training Program have a required field experience in the summer between their two professional years in the program.  This blog post details a student's reflection on their experience.

July 13, 2016

SLU AT Student Benefits from a Variety of Experiences at Performance Orthopedic and Sports Therapy


SLU AT Summer Field Experience Spotlight - Performance Orthopedic and Sports Therapy, St. Louis, MO
By: Ali Graham (MAT Class of 2017)

For my summer field experience, I was fortunate enough to spend time at Performance Orthopedic and Sports Therapy. Dr. Matt Leonard, my preceptor, is a physical therapist, certified strength and conditioning specialist, and chiropractor. Matt has two sides to his practice, the performance side and the clinical side. With each patient he sees, he decides whether the condition is acute or chronic. Matt uses two forms of evaluation: the Selective Functional Movement Assessment (SFMA), mostly used for an insidious onset of pain, or the Functional Movement Screen (FMS), used to sports specific testing. I was able to see how he uses these evaluations and then identify areas that could potentially be causing the patient’s pain or areas that could be prone to injury. At POST, we worked primarily with athletes that play baseball and softball. Working with these overhead athletes, we saw many patients that needed treatment for injured shoulders, elbow, and low back pain. 


Matt also performs strength training using a variety of Olympic lifts. I was able to learn the Olympic lifts and how each movement pattern will benefit the athletes when performing their sports. He uses a lot of functional strengthening techniques that are sports specific to baseball and softball players. He also incorporates strength training into his rehabilitation protocols. I was fortunate enough to perform my own rehabilitation with an athlete. This was an awesome experience for me that instilled confidence in my rehabilitation skills. I was also able to help with the weight training for multiple athletes. 


At POST I was also exposed to chiropractic manual therapy and able to observe a couple days at Matt’s Ideal Protein Nutrition clinic. At the chiropractic clinic I was able to observe DNS which is a technique used to recruit the internal stabilizer muscles of the neck, abdomen, and pelvic regions. At the nutrition clinic, I learned the benefits of starting a weight loss program that follows a ketogenic diet. This diet puts your body into ketosis, fat burning, in order to lose weight. 

I was also fortunate enough to observe Matt’s transition from POST to Unstoppable Athletics, his new clinic in Pacific, MO. I was able to help him move most of his weight training and rehabilitation equipment to the new clinic. At Unstoppable, Matt will continue his chiropractic treatment, physical therapy and strength training. 


POST has been such a great experience for me this summer. I enjoyed every day there. I learned so much about how essential evidence based practice is, new evaluation and rehabilitation techniques, more about Olympic lifting and weight training and I was even able to workout in some of the sessions! My time at POST was definitely worthwhile. 

Students in the Saint Louis University Athletic Training Program have a required field experience in the summer between their two professional years in the program.  This blog post details a student's reflection on their experience.