| Salt Lake City |
 |
 |
| GER |
12 |
16 |
7 |
35 |
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| USA |
10 |
13 |
11 |
34 |
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| NOR |
11 |
7 |
6 |
24 |
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| CAN |
6 |
3 |
8 |
17 |
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| RUS |
6 |
6 |
4 |
16 |
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| AUT |
2 |
4 |
10 |
16 |
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| ITA |
4 |
4 |
4 |
12 |
|
| FRA |
4 |
5 |
2 |
11 |
|
| SUI |
3 |
2 |
6 |
11 |
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| NED |
3 |
5 |
0 |
8 |
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Village clinic is treating old and new injuries
By Lois M. Collins
Deseret News staff writer
A number of alpine skiers, bobsledders and speedskaters have moved from the field of competition to the radiology department in the Olympic Village polyclinic.
And though they may be among the more injury-prone of the 2002 Winter Games, they're certainly not alone.
"We've seen a lot more injuries than I expected," said Dr. Julia Crim, chief of musculo-skeletal radiology and associate professor at the University of Utah. "When we opened we saw pre-existing injuries and chronic problems. Since, we've had quite an incidence of injuries."
About 250 patients have had X-ray studies of some sort, she said, including examinations for the back. Not all of them are for new injuries.
The volunteer medical staff has treated someone having problems in the early stages of a pregnancy, dealt with kidney and gall bladder flare-ups and drained an abscess on a diabetic coach.
They've encountered patients with "pure cartilage fractures in the knee," a painful condition that "takes the player out for a while," and others with acute anterior cruciate ligament injuries.
Athletes have been sidelined by injuries. Others have elected to go on. Another athlete had a freak accident and dropped several hundred pounds on his toe. He opted to continue in his skiing event, though. "Unfortunately, he didn't do as well as we all had hoped," said Crim.
A large group of physical therapists at the polyclinic "have gotten some through and back into play with some fairly significant injuries," Crim said.
In general, she said, the patients have been the "most amazingly healthy people" she's every seen. But that doesn't mean that their great athleticism hasn't come at a cost. "Although these are wonderful athletes, it takes a tremendous toll on them. All of these people are paying a high price, and I'm not sure if they all know how high."
Some will have chronic knee or back pain, for example.
She's been surprised by how eager patients are to do whatever work is needed to get back to competition and "how extraordinarily nice the athletes have been."
"I'm not an athlete and had mixed feelings about the Olympics taking over our city," she said. "It's wonderful to see that underneath all the hype, the money and so forth, there are these incredibly dedicated people and what they do is art. That's the gift the Olympics has given to me."
E-MAIL: lois@desnews.com
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February 21, 2002
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