Sports Medicine Center

The Sports Medicine Center at Children’s Hospital Colorado leads the region in state-of-the-art treatment for young athletes. Our fully-integrated team of sports medicine doctors, athletic trainers, physical therapists, dietitians and specialists delivers care geared exclusively to growing bodies. We’re part of one of the best pediatric health care systems in the U.S.

Watch Caroline's Story

Watch ballerina Caroline's story to learn how our Spine Program helped treat her scoliosis to keep her on the dance floor.

We work with athletes from every sport – from dancing to baseball. Learn more about the sports injuries we treat.

What makes our Sports Medicine Center unique?

At Children's Colorado, our board-certified sports medicine experts specialize in treating growing athletes. Because our team is trained in pediatrics, we understand how an injury may impact growth, or how growth might impact rehabilitation. We also offer supportive care in collaboration with top specialists in areas like sports nutrition and sports psychology.

Our Sports Medicine Center offers pediatric-specific orthopedic resources like X-ray and MRI machines, operating rooms and dedicated sports therapy gyms. We're leading the way in sports medicine research, including studying how 3D motion capture can be used to help optimize sports performance at out Center for Gait and Movement Analysis.

Our Sports Medicine Center team members are active in the community through 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 to provide valuable sports safety education information to improve safety across the state.

Why the team approach?

Accurate assessment and age-appropriate therapies are very important when treating young athletes who are still growing and developing as they recover from and manage an injury.

Our team of pediatric sports medicine experts develops an integrated treatment plan for each patient. This team approach compliments each athlete’s situation and facilitates their rehabilitation back into sports.

Why choose the Sports Medicine Center at Children’s Colorado?

The combination of pediatric sports medicine expertise, dedicated pediatric facilities and state-of-the-art technology at Children’s Colorado is unique in our region. Plus, our same-day or next-day appointments at locations throughout Colorado help us return players to their sport as safely and quickly as possible.

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 another family.

• Learn from her experience

What services does the Sports Medicine Center offer?

Our multidisciplinary team coordinates care from diagnosis through rehabilitation and returning to play. We also help young athletes condition to prevent future injury.

• Same-day or next-day appointments at locations throughout Colorado five days a week
• Sports physical therapy services, including three dedicated sports therapy gyms that offer appointments until 7pm
• Concussion diagnosis, management and direct collaboration with our Concussion Program for return-to-play evaluation and guidance
• Fracture management with same-day X-rays, splinting and casting for broken bones
• Dedicated sports medicine surgeons, dually trained in pediatric orthopedic surgery and sports medicine
• Consultations regarding sports nutrition, sports psychology, sports-related breathing issues, injury related complications and return to sport evaluations
• Sports nutrition consultation offerings personalized for the young athlete to optimize their sports performance
• Community education for primary care providers, parents, athletic directors, coaches and athletic trainers
• Opportunities to participate in innovative research projects focused on understanding the efficacy of different treatment approaches for youth sports injuries

How to schedule an appointment

To schedule an appointment or for more information, please call 720-777-3899. We are happy to consult with parents or referring providers before a patient is seen at Children’s Colorado.

Insurance benefits and referrals

Some insurance companies require a referral from a primary care provider before appointments can be arranged. Once a referral is in place, most insurance companies will cover specialty care visits for patients with concussions