IBJI Blog

Lacrosse is quickly becoming one of the most popular sports nationally and internationally. Showing a growth of 41% since 2003, it has also seen an increase in the number of injuries. According to the NCAA, this physical and fast moving sport garners a 11.5 injuries per 1000 games, 40% of which are not cause by contact with other players.

Due to the fast pace of the sport and the large, 110-yard, field, 48% of the injuries include the ankle, upper leg and knee. Shoulder injuries account for an additional 10% of the injuries, largely because every player on the field is required to throw and catch while running. With these statistics it is hardly a coincidence that the Prestige Men’s Lacrosse Club in Chicago needed orthopedic help.

The US contingent has just returned from the International Triathlon Union World Championships held in Vancouver, British Columbia. Despite very cold and rainy conditions, this was one of the more successful championships in many years. Andrew Hunt, MD, served as the Head Team Physician for the US squad as part of his duties as Medical Director for USA Triathlon, a post he has held since 2005. Team USA encompassed the Elite Men's and Women's teams, some of whose members will also compete for the US Olympic Team in Beijing this summer. Also included on the Vancouver team were the National Junior, U-23 squads, and top age-group amateurs competing for their respective world titles.

Dr. Hunt is a Sports Medicine physician with the Glenview/Wilmette division of Illinois Bone & Joint Institute. He has been on the medical staff for the Pan American Games in Rio Di Janeiro, Brazil since 2007. He also currently serves as Head Team physician for several local high schools and is an Assistant Team Physician for Northwestern University Athletics. Get more information about sports medicine at IBJI.

The United States Olympic Committee has named Dr. Andrew Hunt, MD as one of the Team Physicians who will cover the United States Olympic teams in the upcoming Pan American Games to be held in Rio Di Janeiro, Brazil from July 9th -29th 2007. As part of the medical team, Dr. Hunt will be providing medical care to all of the Olympic athletes during the three week games in addition to specific team coverage for the triathlon, soccer, and futsal (indoor soccer) teams. Having served his volunteer rotation at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs in 2005, Dr. Hunt is now progressing to team coverage for the USOC on the international scene. This will build on his already extensive international experience covering multiple World Championship teams for the sport of triathlon in his duties as Medical Director for USA Triathlon.