Knee Injury Prevention Free Seminar to be in Eureka

What athlete or coach doesn't worry about knee injuries? What parent doesn't worry about their child's participation in sports? And what parent isn't concerned about how to keep their own knees operating fluidly for as long as they can in their lives? Helpful advice about knees soon will be provided locally.

The of Eureka invites St. Louis County residents to attend a free seminar addressing the prevention and treatment of sports-related knee injuries at 3:30 p.m. on April 11. The center is located at 322 North Central Avenue in .

The session will be co-hosted by Sean Quinn, Missouri licensed physical therapist and owner of the Sports and Physical Therapy Center, and Jason Young, MD, orthopedic surgeon at Orthopedic Associates in St. Louis. Their presentation will review common knee injuries often seen among high school athletic teams, as well as preventative recommendations of immediate help for student athletes.

Knee injuries are a leading cause of sports-related surgeries among the 7 million students participating in high school athletics annually, according to a study published in The American Journal of Sports Medicine. Nationally, high school athletes suffered more than 400,000 severe injuries from 2005 through 2007; and the knee proved to be the most common injury site, according to a background information issued by the Sports and Physical Therapy Center.

One in four severe injuries required surgery, and more than half (53 percent) were knee surgeries.

“Our physical therapy clinic has treated many high school students with knee injuries. However, these types of injuries can often be prevented with proper body mechanics,” said Quinn in a release about the upcoming seminar. “For example, we’ve seen a number of patients with anterior cruciate ligament—or ACL—tears. This type of injury is common among football, soccer, and basketball players, and can result in costly surgeries and long recuperation periods that keep athletes on the sidelines."

Quinn said he hopes to help student athletes avoid unnecessary pain and expense, and continue to benefit from participating in sports.

Quinn stated the ACL can tear when severe stress is placed on the knee, especially if it is twisted or hyper-extended when athletes pivot, jump, stop suddenly, or rapidly change directions. He said it is possible to stabilize the knee joint by strengthening the hip and leg.

Correct body mechanics is another way to prevent injuries, stated Quinn: “It’s important for athletes to learn proper movement and form, and to correct neuromuscular imbalances. We can recommend exercises designed to improve balance, reaction time, flexibility, muscle strength, and acceleration and deceleration techniques. These are all effective ways to reduce an athlete’s risk of knee injuries. We also focus on improving an individual’s overall fitness and core strength as a way to prevent future injury.”

Following the presentation, attendees will have an opportunity to ask questions of the experts leading the session:

• Sean Quinn, PT: Quinn graduated in 2001 from St. Louis University with a master’s degree in physical therapy. He practiced physical therapy in an outpatient setting for several years, before opening The Sports and Physical Therapy Center in 2004. Quinn is a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS), a professional designation awarded by the National Strength and Conditioning Association. His areas of expertise include manual therapy techniques, orthopedics and sports medicine.
• Jason Young, MD: Young's experience includes extensive study in the treatment of shoulder, elbow, and knee injuries. He previously assisted as team physician for the Denver Broncos and Colorado Rockies. He continues to participate in research related to sports injury, and his work has been published in professional journals. Young earned his medical degree from St. Louis University School of Medicine and completed his residency in orthopedic surgery at Loyola University Medical Center in Chicago. He also holds an undergraduate degree from Boston College.