Pediatric Sports Medicine at Children’s Hospital Colorado

About the Sports Medicine Center

At the Sports Medicine Center, our pediatric sports medicine experts, including doctors, athletic trainers, physical therapists, dietitians and other specialists, lead the region in state-of-the-art treatment for young athletes.

Our pediatric sports injuries treatment services include:

• Same-day or next-day appointments at locations throughout Colorado
• Concussion diagnosis, guidance and return-to-play evaluations
• Fracture management with same-day X-rays, splinting and casting for broken bones
• A sports medicine physical therapy program with four regional gyms specifically designed for strength, speed, agility and endurance training
• Surgeons dually trained in pediatric orthopedic surgery and sports medicine
• Consultations for sports-related challenges, including balanced nutrition, psychology, breathing and injury complications
• Education sessions taught by certified athletic trainers for primary care providers, parents, athletic directors, coaches and athletic trainers
• Sports nutrition consultations to help young athletes optimize their sports performance
• Opportunities for patients to participate in innovative research projects focused on understanding the efficacy of different treatments for youth sports injuries

Bring the grit

Our sports medicine team custom-tailors recovery plans to maximize our athlete’s strengths and bring them back from injury faster, stronger and better than before. But it takes more than an elite recovery program to get back in the game. It takes what our athletes bring to the gym and field every time they work out with our sport-specialized physical therapists and athletic trainers. It takes grit.

Watch these videos to see how our sports medicine center athletes bring the grit.

Why choose us for pediatric sports medicine?

Because we’re trained in children’s sports medicine, we recognize that an injury could impact growth. Similarly, we understand growth might impact rehabilitation. Careful evaluation of these factors helps us craft age-appropriate care plans that complement each athlete’s unique situation. We also collaborate with top specialists in areas like sports nutrition and sports psychology to help ensure athletes make a strong return to their sport.

Our Center offers pediatric-specific orthopedic resources, including X-ray equipment, MRI machines, operating rooms and sport therapy gyms. These resources, along with our same-day or next-day appointments, are a rare combination in our region. It’s what makes us a popular Colorado sports medicine center for young athletes.

We’re also renowned for the sports medicine research we conduct through our Center for Gait and Movement Analysis, including studies on how 3D motion capture can be used to help optimize sports performance.

Our Sports Medicine Center also utilizes the measurement expertise of the Center for Gait and Movement Analysis to perform research and provide clinical services, including helping determine if young athletes are ready to return to their sport after ACL surgery though tactics like the following:

• Testing with special equipment to quantify knee strength of injured leg with non-injured leg
• Motion capture technology to perform 3D biomechanical analysis of an athlete’s functional movements from their return to sport physical therapy exam (such as squats, box jumps, run and cut, single leg hop, etc.)
• 3D running analysis to identify any irregular running biomechanics

The Connection Journey: Healing the Whole Athlete

Carolyn knows the challenge of sports injury recovery. She tore her ACL last year, but is now back on the field and sharing her journey with Erin who is about to have ACL reconstructive surgery.

Learn from her experience

Who we treat at the Sports Medicine Center

Our Sports Medicine Center cares for young, growing athletes of all skill levels from nearly every sport. Learn more about the sports injuries we treat.

Contact the Sports Medicine Center

If needed, we can consult with parents and referring providers prior to a patient’s visit.

Most insurance companies cover specialty care visits for patients with concussions, but some require a referral from a primary care provider before sports medicine appointments are arranged.

For appointments at any of our locations in the Denver Metro area, call 720-777-3899.

For appointments at Outpatient Care at Briargate, Colorado Springs, call 719-305-9060.

Community partnerships

Members of our team also participate in various education and advocacy events. We offer community-based support by staffing certified athletic trainers at regional high schools and youth sports organizations. We also lead parent workshops and coaches' trainings that provide valuable sports education information to help improve safety across the state. Learn more about our community partnerships.