Sports Medicine in Colorado Springs: A Healthy Industry
One of Colorado Springs’ many points of pride is being home to many of the nation’s best athletes, including some of the 15,000 Olympians, Paralympians, and Olympic and Paralympic hopefuls who train at the U.S. Olympic Training Center each year. Olympic City USA’s sports community is also fueled by more than 20 National Olympic governing bodies and 50 national sports organizations, as well many active residents who choose Colorado Springs for its incredible outdoor lifestyle.
With so many high-quality athletes and sports organizations, it comes as no surprise that one of the city’s hallmarks is top-notch sports medicine. Colorado Springs is home to some of the top physicians and therapists in the United States, plus a new major sports medicine research and performance center in the works: the William J. Hybl Sports Medicine and Performance Center.
Scheduled to open in 2019, this state-of-the-art complex at the University of Colorado Colorado Springs will take the sports medicine community to a new level. The center will feature clinical, testing and counseling services, as well as research space, and is expected to draw patients from across the U.S. for treatment. The Hybl Center will also support UCCS’s new exercise science degree program as well as other course offerings. According to a UCCS press release, the facility will also feature three Centers of Distinction:
- The Center for Tactical and Occupational Performance, which will provide services for police officers, firefighters, military members and others.
- The Center for Athletes and Active Individuals with Physical Disabilities, which aims to serve wounded military service members, para-athletes and others with disabilities.
- The Environmental Health and Performance Center, which will tackle issues that athletes, military members and others confront daily—including extreme temperatures, humidity, low oxygen and more.
In addition to this new center, Colorado Springs boasts several top facilities for sports medicine, rehabilitation and training. A few examples include:
Colorado Springs Olympic Training Center | Colorado Center of Orthopaedic Excellence
Affiliated with United States Olympic Training Center, which offers many of its services on-site, the CCOE provides everything from full-fledged surgeries and radiology to physical therapy and targeted sports medicine techniques. Focused on cutting-edge treatment methods that mitigate pain and improve range of motion, CCOE’s physicians have served some of the nation’s best athletes–including Olympians and professional athletes on the Denver Broncos, Colorado Rockies and Colorado Springs Sky Sox. But they don’t just serve the pros—they also treat “weekend warriors” and sports enthusiasts with sports medicine, rehab services and even joint replacement.
National Strength and Conditioning Association
Headquartered in Colorado Springs, the NSCA provides certifications, career development, educational opportunities and other services for trainers and coaches around the nation. In operation since 1978, the organization now includes more than 45,000 members and certified professionals, and has a 6,000-square foot Performance Center in the Springs. Some of the nation’s best sports performance optimization techniques are fine-tuned here, and are put into use by athletes and teams who train at the center.
Orthopedic Rehabilitation Associates
Featuring high-tech remedies such as trigger point dry needling, cold lasers and myofascial release, Orthopedic Rehabilitation Associates boasts some of the best techniques and equipment in the sports medicine industry. Did we mention the AlterG Anti-Gravity Treadmill? It’s just as revolutionary as it sounds–check it out at three of ORA’s five locations in the Colorado Springs area.
Colorado Springs Orthopaedic Group
Like CCOE, the physicians at CSOG have served professional teams across the country in football, basketball, baseball and hockey–and also serve as official physicians of multiple Colorado Springs region school districts. They treat common injuries from tennis elbow to shin splints, and take pride in their services specific to Colorado Springs’ military population.