Author: The Orthopaedic Center (TOC)

Problem: Dislocated his shoulder
Treatment: A second option to give rehab a try.
Result: Dr. Carter putting patients’ interests first, avoiding surgery. Kobe put the work in and his shoulder healed fine with no problems Continue reading “Brown Family – Patient Story” →

Whether you’re a fan, a player, or both, once the love of sport gets ahold of you, it never lets go.  Long after your prime playing days are in the rearview mirror, there is always that inner athlete that hungers to continue that competitive spirit.  You could certainly count Jerald Hutnik as one of those athletes.  He is a lover of soccer and had been playing at a high level since high school.  Jerald was a highly sought-after D1 soccer player, who later played professionally overseas, as well as for the U.S. NATO teams.  Throughout all his competitions and even today, Jerald has always considered himself lucky that he had never sustained an injury from playing soccer.  As a goalie, you use both your hands AND feet…a position that over time, could see some wear and tear on your joints and muscles.  After playing for years, that was something that Jerald was prepared for.  What he didn’t see coming was a pair of injuries that put him on the path to see Dr. James Hughey.

Jerald is the type of athlete who will give his all, even if his body has other plans.  That mindset was in play one day when, while playing in an Adult Premiere League, he hyper-extended and tore the biceps in his left arm, attempting to block a kick.  Jerald had his arm repaired by Dr. Hughey and was able to return to play.  A little more than a year later, Jerald found himself back on the playing field.  Feeling strong and confident at goalie, Jerald was back and “Game Ready.”  Unfortunately, in the middle of a game while attempting to throw a ball in to play, he injured his right arm in the exact same way he did his left.

Jerald found himself in a very familiar spot, after having seen Dr. Hughey once before for the same injury.  “I had worked with his staff the first time, and they were all so polite and friendly.  They remembered me and my case.  I wasn’t just another number,” says Hutnik.  “Dr. Hughey was right on point with my diagnosis.  There was no guessing.  He told me everything I needed to know, before I needed to know it.  Doc was very knowledgeable, friendly and had a great bedside manner, which is very important to me.”  Jerald explains how both surgeries and recoveries went very well, with no problems at all.  “These guys are quality pros.  They treat you right and you’re going to have great service.  When you have folks who are knowledgeable and friendly, you’ll have a great experience.”

Jerald has made a 100% recovery from his injuries, and although he isn’t playing as much as before, he gets much enjoyment from being the head soccer coach for two club teams and a local school.

Dr. James Hughey is an orthopaedic surgeon and a member of The Orthopaedic Center Sports Medicine Team. Before joining TOC, Dr. Hughey completed a fellowship in Sports Medicine at Andrews Research and Orthopedic Institute in Gulf Breeze, FL, where he served as team physician for area high schools and served as assistant team physician for Pensacola’s Cincinnati Reds AA baseball team.

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One of the most exciting things about being a young student-athlete is the potential opportunity to play at the collegiate level. The off-season is a time for an athlete to grow, learn, and improve upon areas they may have been challenged with in the previous season or the time to improve upon their overall game. Conditioning, weights, and practices are all areas athletes focus on to bring their game to the next level.

Zach Taylor, a Division I prospect and James Clemens High school football standout, was faced with this challenge when he injured his knee during a routine off-season practice. The 6-foot, 5-inch 320-pound offensive lineman took a hit to the side of his knee when another player landed on it awkwardly.  Trainers from the Huntsville Hospital Sports Center attended to his injury and brought Zach in to see the Team Physician, Dr. John Greco. With only weeks to go before the start of the season, Dr. Greco examined Zach, gathered additional imaging, and felt Zach could play through the season with the aid of a brace and rehabilitation. Indeed, Zach was able to finish his junior year, and accumulate more than two dozen scholarship offers in the process.

After his season ended, Dr. Greco addressed his knee surgically and Zach then started the rehab process all over again. Zach states that one of the hardest parts of his recovery was rebuilding his confidence while rehabbing the strength in his knee. Zach had difficulty with getting his stride back during the spring season following his surgery, but he was able to come back stronger than ever for his senior football season. Life has a way of throwing you a curveball, sometimes you land in the sand-trap, or other times you fumble the ball, but the way he recovered from those setbacks shows true determination and grit.

Says Zach: “Dr. Greco made things easy for me to understand and took the time to explain everything to me. He knew it was a very important time for me as I was being recruited by many schools… but, he reassured me that I would be just fine, and I would be ready. I ended up with 20 scholarship offers.  Dr. Greco was always honest, so it was easy to trust what he said. His team treated me great, which I really appreciated. The Athletic Trainers, along with his team, provide me with a top-shelf experience.”

Zach has accepted an offer to play football for the University of Alabama-Birmingham for the 2020 season.

Dr. John Greco is a member of The Orthopaedic Center’s Sports Medicine Team and board-certified in orthopaedic surgery and sports medicine. He specializes in arthroscopic and open reconstruction of the knee and shoulder. Dr. Greco is Chief of Huntsville Hospital’s Sports Medicine program and is Team Physician for Alabama A&M University, Huntsville Havoc Hockey, City of Madison and multiple other schools and counties.  Dr. Greco is a volunteer Clinical Assistant Professor at the University of Alabama School of Medicine, Alabama College of Osteopathic Medicine, and the University of Alabama in Birmingham Medical School.  Dr. Greco brings his expertise and care to our Huntsville, Madison and Scottsboro locations.

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