Dr. Rogers and Dr. Lockwood: The Ultimate Playbook for Sports Season
By Charlie Pistone, BEAT reporter
BRUNSWICK, OH- With sports season rolling in, sports injuries often follow. While some injuries may seem minor, it is important to pay attention to bruises, contusions, wounds, and other injuries to ensure they are properly addressed. It is also beneficial to focus on preventing injuries before they happen so athletes do not end up missing part—or all—of their season. Dr. Thomas Rogers, Chief Medical Officer at Medina Cleveland Clinic, and Dr. Joshua Lockwood, Family Physician at Medina Cleveland Clinic, shared their thoughts on preventing sports injuries.
Lockwood sees a variety of sports injuries, ranging from minor injuries such as sprains and strains to more serious injuries, including concussions. These are caused by assorted reasons, such as not wearing the correct padding or not warming up. This is why warm-ups, stretching, and proper conditioning are extremely important to prevent injuries. Rogers elaborated on this topic; he explained that conditioning is extremely important for physical activity and that any coach would want their team conditioned so they can win more and last longer in the season. “But what's also important is that warm-up beforehand. So stretching helps, of course, with your ligaments and allows them to stretch a little bit more and allows them to be more pliable so that when you play the game, you have less chance of pulling a muscle. And then lubricating your joints allows the muscles to also stretch and to get that blood flowing,” he stated.
Rogers emphasized the importance of proper equipment, such as helmets, to try to eliminate concussions in football, lacrosse, and those types of sports. Additionally, how crucial it is to play your position with proper technique; for example, in football, learning how to tackle correctly to not get injured, and this involves practicing. You cannot simply start playing a game with no practice, so staying in shape and practicing is extremely significant during this time.
Beyond technique, proper recovery and knowing when to seek help are just as critical as prevention. Lockwood explained that distinguishing normal soreness from a true injury comes down to function. While adrenaline can mask initial pain, losing the ability to move a joint the next day is a clear warning sign. Addressing an injury within 24 to 48 hours leads to quick recovery, whereas ignoring it can cause lingering issues for months.
Both doctors emphasized that preventing severe complications requires listening to your body, resting and avoiding shortcuts. “The classics are classics for a reason,” Lockwood stated. “Good nutrition, good rest, good technique definitely trump niche attempts for an edge.”
Charlie Pistone, Brunswick High School, is one of over fifty student “backpack journalists” (grades 6-12) in the award-winning BEAT Video Program. The program, celebrating its 25th year, is sponsored by Donut Land, Plum Creek Assisted Living Community, MODA Gifts, Scripps Howard Foundation and the Brunswick Rotary Club. Go to https://www.bcsoh.org/community/new-beat-site to learn more about the Program, or visit https://thebeat.viebit.com/?folder=ALL to view videos produced by the students.
PHOTOS: Dr. Thomas Rogers; Dr. Joshua Lockwood.