Baton Rouge doctor breaks down safety tips for student-athletes

BATON ROUGE, La. (Louisiana First) — Football season is coming up, and for many in our area, it can’t come fast enough.

But doctors advise everyone to use caution in the hot temperatures.

As high school bands and football teams get back to practice, doctors are reminding parents and kids alike to stay healthy and keep the fun going.

Dr. Geoffrey Hogan with Ochsner Sports Medicine said the first thing to do in the extreme heat is to make sure to combat excessive sweating with plenty of water.

“Hydration is essential, especially in Louisiana during the summertime, as it’s getting a lot hotter. As you’re exercising longer, especially if you’re working out longer than an hour, mix in electrolytes as well.” Dr. Hogan mentioned.

Hogan works at Ochsner Sports Medicine clinics in Prairieville, Gonzales and Baton Rouge.

“As students are returning to sports after the summer, we’ll see a lot of things, a lot of injuries tend to pop up, things like shin splints, stress fractures, in some situations, overuse injuries,” he said.

Dr. Hogan works with anyone who needs help recovering from or preventing sports-related injuries, using the latest technology.
               
“We’ve had some massive technological advancements with what we can do with medicine,” Hogan declared. “Especially with sports medicine, over the last couple of years, even back several decades, none of this used to be available, especially for the general population, that can come in and use what we have.”

At the Elite Training Complex on Burbank Drive, Hogan conducted an alignment check.

“She’s using these force plates we have embedded in the ground, so what we can do with these is measure some biomechanical forces through the limbs,” he explained.

Dr. Hogan says to remember to stretch, cool down, avoid overtraining, listen to your body, and communicate with your doctor if anything doesn’t feel right.

“What a lot of athletes like is our cryotherapy chamber behind me,” he mentioned. 

Hogan said cryotherapy is a way for kids to recover and prevent future injuries by reducing inflammation in the body and increasing circulation.

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