Blog > The Pediatric Orthopedic Center Launches Comprehensive Center for Female Athletes, Extending Beyond Orthopedics

The Pediatric Orthopedic Center Launches Comprehensive Center for Female Athletes, Extending Beyond Orthopedics

the doctors at the Center for the Female Athlete at The Pediatric Orthopedic Center

Elevating Women’s Sports in New Jersey with a Holistic Approach to Care

Morristown, NJ (February 3, 2024) Today, on National Women’s Physician Day, The Pediatric Orthopedic Center (TPOC) relaunches its Center for Female Athletes, extending beyond orthopedics. The dedicated team, composed of 50% female orthopedic surgeons, is committed to providing comprehensive care for the specialized needs and injuries of young female athletes. Having established trusted relationships with some of the best providers in the area, the Center for Female Athletes now offers its patients a list of recommended specialists, including but not limited to psychologists, nutritionists, adolescent medicine specialists, and endocrinologists, to ensure that your daughters receive the best possible care.

Comprised of four female pediatric orthopedic surgeons, Samara Friedman, MD, FAAOS; Anna Katsman, MD; Sarah Stelma, MD; and Alexandra D’Agostini, MD; as well as a nationally-certified orthopedic physician assistant, Jaime Morley, MS, PA-C, the Center of Excellence for the Female Athlete focuses on the unique medical conditions and injuries due to trauma or overuse of young female patients. While the national average for female orthopedic surgeons is only 6%, The Pediatric Orthopedic Center offers female athletes the choice between 4 female and 4 male orthopedic surgeons, in addition to a pediatric foot and ankle specialist and an orthopedic physician assistant.

According to Dr. Samara Friedman, the leading physician at the Center of Excellence for the Female Athlete, “Our keen focus is on the specialized needs and injuries of female athletes, including their unique physical and medical conditions, as well as psychological pressures. The Center of Excellence for the Female Athlete offers a safe space for female athletes to discuss their injuries, concerns and needs with highly-credentialled, compassionate providers. As athletes, sports team coaches, and physicians that have experience working with professional sports teams as well, we bring deep expertise to this specialized area of practice.”

Girls’ participation in high school sports has grown from less than 300,000 in the early 1970s to almost 3.5 million during the 2018-19 school year. In fact, female adolescents now make up almost 43% of high school athletes, according to  the National Federation of State High School Associations. Due to their unique anatomical differences, female athletes are at an increased risk of sustaining ACL tears and overuse injuries compared to their male counterparts, for example, and are especially susceptible to injury during periods of rapid growth.

TPOC offers cutting-edge diagnostic tools, including the highly-accurate, low-dose EOS Imaging system, the only one of its kind in northern N.J., as well as the latest treatment options, such as the BEAR (bridge-enhanced anterior cruciate ligament repair) technique, to treat a myriad of injuries and orthopedic conditions including:

  • Knee injuries: ACL tears, meniscus tears, and knee cap dislocations
  • Shoulder and elbow injuries: sprains, tears, dislocation, and instability
  • Hip injuries: hip dysplasia, sprains, strains, impingement, and labral tears
  • Foot and ankle injuries, including ankle sprains
  • Scoliosis and other spine deformities
  • Fractures, ligament and muscle/tendon injuries
  • Overuse and growth plate injuries, including osteochondritis dissecans

About The Pediatric Orthopedic Center

The Pediatric Orthopedic Center is the largest pediatric orthopedic practice in New Jersey and among the largest private pediatric orthopedic practices in the United Sates, with three offices located in Cedar Knolls, Wayne, and Springfield. It is the only pediatric orthopedic practice in NJ that provides an urgent care center with evening and Saturday hours. The practice specializes in youth and adolescent sports trauma, spine deformities, hip disorders, and foot and ankle surgery. It features seven board certified and/or fellowship-trained pediatric orthopedists, a pediatric specialized foot and ankle specialist and a nationally certified orthopedic physician assistant. For more information, visit: pediatricorthopedics.com.

Related Blogs

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Spike in Injuries Among Children with Dr. Mark Rieger

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Dr. Stelma, Jaime Morley, Dr. Friedman, and Dr. Katsman

The Pediatric Orthopedic Center Launches The Center of Excellence for the Female Athlete

Introducing EOSedge Low-Dose Pediatric Imaging. Read more.
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Know Before Your First Visit

Verify the date and time of your appointment. You may be required to complete new patient paperwork or provide personal information prior to being seen by your doctor. Please arrive approximately 30 minutes prior to your appointment time.

Confirm the address and location of your appointment. The Pediatric Orthopedic Center has four convenient locations in New Jersey. Confirm with the front desk staff the office location for your visit.

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Urgent Care for Acute Injuries (Cedar Knolls)

Expert pediatric orthopedic care, no appointment needed. Our board-certified specialists are here to swiftly treat your child’s orthopedic needs, saving you time and worry.

Walk-In Hours Update

*Urgent and Acute Injuries Only during Urgent Care/Walk-in Clinic hours. To find out if your child’s injury qualifies for a walk-in visit, click here. (Walk-in fees may apply.)

Monday:

Regular Hours: 9am-5pm
Walk-in Hours* (Cedar Knolls): 5pm-8pm

Tuesday:

Regular Hours: 9am-5pm
Walk-in Hours* (Cedar Knolls): 5pm-8pm

Wednesday:

Regular Hours: 9am-5pm
Walk-in Hours* (Cedar Knolls): 5pm-8pm

Thursday:

Regular Hours: 9am-5pm
Walk-in Hours* (Cedar Knolls): 5pm-8pm

Friday:

Regular Hours: 8am-5pm
NO walk-in hours.

Saturday:

Walk-in Hours* (Cedar Knolls): 10am-2pm

Sunday: Closed

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