Two Tri-State Orthopaedic surgeons receive sports medicine certification

Andrew Saltzman, MD

Dr. Saltzman, a board-certified orthopaedic surgeon and former All-American swimmer, has had a special interest in sports medicine since opening his practice with TSOS in Evansville. He currently serves as team physician for the University of Evansville men’s and women’s basketball and soccer teams. Dr. Saltzman is also one of the team physicians for the Otters Frontier League professional baseball team, and in the past, he has served as one of the team physicians for the Evansville Bluecats professional indoor football team. He also serves as the team physician for Harrison and Bosse high schools in Evansville.

Timothy Hamby, MD

Dr. Hamby, also a board-certified orthopaedic surgeon, did his fellowship in Orthopaedic Sports Medicine at Tulane University and joined TSOS in 2004. He also is a team physician for the Evansville Otters and the former Evansville Bluecats. He is the team physician for Evansville North High School and serves as a consultant for many of the area high schools.

Orthopaedic sports medicine involves the treatment of disorders and injuries related to sports and exercise in all athletes. Today, athletes are treated at every age and level of ability. The management of sports-related injuries is often complex. The orthopaedic sports medicine specialist, trained to recognize and diagnose these problems, will find a child and an adult may need to be treated differently for the same injury or problem. What is common to athletes of all ages, is the desire to return to athletic activity as quickly as possible. The development of arthroscopic procedures (placing a tiny camera and instruments through small incisions into a joint) has paved the way for major advances in sports medicine, allowing a patient to return to an active life more rapidly. Originally, arthroscopy was performed almost exclusively in the knee; it is now commonly performed on the shoulder, as well as on the elbow, wrist, ankle, hip, and even smaller joints.

One of the most common procedures performed by the orthopaedic sports medicine specialist is reconstruction of the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in the knee. Because the surgeons at TSOS have performed a number of these procedures, it has become a comfortable routine for the surgeons and the surgical staff. This translates into a comfortable and favorable experience for patients. In addition, the physical therapists who work with patients at TSOS are trained to work with athletes who have had these procedures and are adept at helping them return to their desired level of activity.

For Dr. Saltzman and Dr. Hamby, it is especially rewarding to see a patient recover from a major injury and then return quickly to the activity or sport that has been such an important part of their lives.