USA Volleyball Sports Medicine Experts Present at CHOC Children's Sports Cardiology Conference

The 2017 CHOC Children's Sports Cardiology Conference asks the question "What is the Role of the Cardiologist in the Sports Medicine Team?"

Our USA Volleyball Sports Medicine Team will be there to share our experience and provide our expert answers.

Sports Cardiology & Sudden Cardiac Arrest in Young - @chocchildrens Jan 20-21, 2017 @Disneyland Grand Californian https://t.co/xuV2OjzILZ

— Chris Koutures, MD (@dockoutures) October 27, 2016

Several years ago, expert pediatric cardiologist Paul Grossfeld offered his services to USA Volleyball.

The results have been eye-opening and intriguing.

Focused elite athlete screening evaluations have not just provided insights for our players, but for all volleyball athletes and even other taller athletes participating in high level sport.

• Read about the Clinical Journal of Sports Medicine article on USA Volleyball Screening Results

The process has not been without challenges.

Informing athletes of higher risk conditions  and making decisions about career status and potential termination is never easy.

However, thanks to our on-going study, we have been able to contribute necessary data and experience to the conversation about screening and risk stratification in elite, taller athletes.

Our team looks forward to sharing this knowledge and extending our collaboration with important colleagues.

August 27th is Date for 2016 OC Concussion Return to Learn Seminar

 

We are pleased to have the renown educator and speaker Brenda Eagen-Brown, MEd, CBIS return to the OC to review practical recommendations for post-concussion Return to Learn protocols and management.

We encourage school and district-based teams to bring Return to Learn protocols, success stories, and challenging cases to create an interactive opportunity for professional growth and collaboration.

Location: CHOC Childrens Hospital Wade Center (455 S. Main, Orange, CA 92868)

Date: Saturday, August 27th

Save the Date, Share with Colleagues and Stay Tuned for Cost, Times, and Registration Links

Objectives: Participants will have a firm understanding of:

1. Concussion impact on classroom performance

2. Strategies and accommodations to reduce student symptom severity

3. Collaborating with other interdisciplinary professionals (medical/rehab/athletic) for

optimum student concussion management

4. Why schools should identify professionals at the school building level to monitor

symptoms and academics through recovery

5. Identifying key barriers to treatment for minority or underrepresented populations.

(per American Academy of Pediatrics cultural diversity requirement)

Who would benefit from attending?

• Classroom Educators
• School Nurses
• Special Education Instructors
• School Psychologists
• Principals and Assistant Principals
• Guidance Counselors
• Speech and Language Therapy Specialists
• Athletic Trainers
• Community Pediatric Health Care Professionals
• Mental Health Specialists
• Neuropsychologists
• Physical Therapists
• Neuro-Optometrists
• Strongly recommend forming school-based teams to attend and maximize the learning experience

Click here for information on the 2015 OC Concussion Return to Learn Seminar

3 Whole Food Recommendations for Young Athletes

When making sports nutrition recommendations, I tend to favor the collateral benefits, lower costs, and the "knowing what you are getting", of whole food sources rather than individual vitamin or nutrient preparations. 

I was energized to  share the podium at the 2015 CHOC Children's RD's in Practice: Pediatric Sports Nutrition Conference with some truly amazing colleagues, and in reviewing their handouts, I found some new whole food thoughts that I felt needed to be shared.

I want to give full credit to both Shondra and Jessica Brown of CHOC Children's Sports Nutrition Program for organizing the conference, and to Becci Twombley, RD, CSSD who presented on the following important food sources for young athletes:

• Importance of Whey Protein and Leucine
  • Whey protein is a quickly digested protein which can lead to more immediate muscle recovery
  • Whey protein is also high in the amino acid leucine, which can be decreased 30% after high intensity exercise
  • Good sources of whey protein (and thus leucine) include Greek Yogurt, eggs, steak and milk.
    • Yet another nod for Chocolate Milk as a post-exercise recovery beverage- not only do you get the whey protein and leucine, but the associated carbohydrates enhance the protein absorption and don't forget the calcium and Vitamin D!
• Make a Beeline for Beets
  • High in betalines and beta-carotenes which include anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory properties for boosting immunity 
  • Beets also have a high content of nitrates which increase nutrient delivery through augmented blood flow to working muscle, allowing for more efficient exercise
  • Best to eat either beet juice shots or 3-5 raw or juiced beets 2 1/2 hours before training (prolonged cooking of beets kill the betalines)
• Probiotics for health of your digestive tract
  • Probiotics are live micro-organisms in the digestive tract that support absorption of nutrients and enhance immune function
  • Use of probiotics can reduce both the number of days and overall severity of respiratory illnesses
  • A solid probiotic source is none other than Greek yogurt....1/2 to 1 cup either daily or every other day will also give you that whey/leucine fix mentioned above and further stress the importance of whole food nutrition sources!

Dr. Koutures Speaking at January 2015 CHOC Children's Sports Cardiology Conference

Early bird registration ends December 19, 2014.  Register today!

We have exciting news about our upcoming Sports Cardiology & Sudden Cardiac Arrest in the Young on Friday-Saturday, January 23-24, 2015.

Keynote Speaker, Michael J. Ackerman, MD, PhD, from Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota will be participating several times throughout our 2-day conference and giving his keynote address: State of the Molecular Autopsy Following SCD on Saturday morning. 

Dr. Koutures will speak on Heat Stroke: When Is It and When Is It Not? with emphasis on Prevention and Management of Exertional Heat Illness, Sickle Trait Collapse, Exertional Rhabdomyolysis and Exertional Hyponatremia.

The conference will create an opportunity for all those involved in the care of athletes and young individuals in general to gain up to date education relating to the cardiovascular effects of athletic
training as well as the diagnosis and management of individuals with inherited cardiac diseases, with the goal of preventing tragic young sudden deaths in the future.  

This biennial event attracts the world's leading experts on sports cardiology and sudden cardiac death in the young.
  
The aim of this conference is to draw together experts in the fields of sports cardiology, inherited cardiac diseases and sudden cardiac death in the young, who will discuss contemporary topics and developments in their respective fields.

One of the outcomes from this meeting will be to publish national guidelines on the "Prevention of Sudden Cardiac Arrest in the Young."  A special panel discussion on Friday afternoon will directly impact these guidelines. 

Video: Dr. Koutures Grand Rounds on Performing Arts Medical Care

August 20, 2014 - Grand Rounds - CHOC Children's Hospital

Click Here for Video: The Performing Arts Athlete: Anticipatory Guidance & Evaluation

Chris Koutures, MD, FAAP
Pediatric and Sports Medicine Specialist
Anaheim Hills, CA
Medical Team Physician, Cal State Fullerton and USA National Volleyball Teams

Outcomes - At the conclusion of this presentation, the physician leaner will be able to:
1. Provide anticipatory guidance to young dancers and performers about nutrition, rest, risk of overuse, and other key injury/illness concerns.
2. Appreciate the various forms of dance and recognize certain movements and positions that can lead to both acute and overuse injuries.