Associate Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery Michael Medvecky, MD, is used to watching his players from the sidelines. This year though, the sidelines happen to be nearly 1,000 miles away.
Medvecky, a sports medicine orthopaedic surgeon who serves as head team physician for the WNBA's Connecticut Sun, isn't traveling with the team currently playing in the semi-finals against the Las Vegas Aces. The team plays in a "bubble" in Florida – separated from others and eliminating the need for travel – in an unusual season due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
That doesn’t make his role or the other Yale Medicine staff any smaller for the team. When forward Alyssa Thomas was injured recently – battling through ongoing shoulder issues -- Medvecky coordinated with the WNBA's on-site physician to review her MRI and assess the injury. Thomas's injury was coordinated much the same as other patients: via telehealth.
“When the players are experiencing episodes of discomfort or pain, we’re doing all we can to help, much the same as we would for our other sports medicine patients,” Medvecky said. "It's a unique situation not to be there, but it has been unprecedented to be able to discuss the conditions with on-site medical staff, review diagnostic imaging and treatment options directly with the player, with the goal to get them recovered and continuing to be able to play."
While he would typically be there in person, the WNBA's coronavirus rules currently allow one on-site physician, who works in rotation for all teams, Medvecky said. Instead, he is able to communicate directly with the “in-bubble” medical staff and provide input into assessment of the players who take a knock or feel discomfort and evaluates what to do from afar. Part of this process includes understanding individual players' needs, their prior histories and how they react to an injury. He works alongside the on-site head team athletic trainer, Rosemary Ragle to ensure that each player’s care plan is carefully coordinated and implemented.
Much of the work is built on trust, but mostly remotely, he said.
It's a unique situation not to be there, but it has been unprecedented to be able to discuss the conditions with on-site medical staff, review diagnostic imaging and treatment options directly with the player, with the goal to get them recovered and continuing to be able to play.
Michael Medvecky, MD
“We’re in a position of giving the best advice we can, but the decision is ultimately up to the players on what they want to do next,” Medvecky said.
As the head team physician, Medvecky hasn't only been assigned to the players musculoskeletal health but also their overall care. During pre-season evaluations, two players tested positive for COVID-19 and he worked alongside Assistant Professor Samantha Smith, MD, to help coordinate their care and enable them to get to the “bubble” in a safe and timely manner.
It’s not all from afar, either. When the Connecticut Sun’s Bria Holmes suffered a season-ending knee injury, Medvecky began making plans for her care back home in Connecticut, where she is from. Her season was over, but it was better for her to start implementing her treatment back at Yale-New Haven Health.
He said it's a balance between looking at the need and desire to play and the long-term health of the athlete, especially in a year where they want to get in game time and potentially make another trip to the WNBA Finals.
“We want to do all we can to get them to playing at their full potential, even under these difficult circumstances,” Medvecky said. “It might be a little trickier, but we’re all working for them to be their best at the game.”