Fairway Medical Center provided free physicals over the summer to over 450 athletes from various area schools. Athletes came from St. Tammany, Washington and Tangipahoa parishes to receive a complete physical that would clear them for athletic participation in the upcoming school year.

Local sports medicine orthopedic surgeons, internal medicine physicians, registered nurses and physical therapists were on hand to screen athletes of injuries. Cardio Vascular Associates also provided echocardiograms to each athlete as well.

“Fairway is pleased to offer this service to the local athletic community, Gary Lewis, Fairway Sports Medicine Coordinator said. “Fairway aims to provide support, education and services to local schools through the utilization of Fairway Sports Medicine resources.”

Physical therapist Paul Jones performs an orthopedic check on an athlete during the free sports physicals provided by Fairway Medical Center in Covington. Over 450 free physicals were completed on athletes from St. Tammany, Tangipahoa and Washington parishes.

Fairway thanked the following orthopedic surgeons for their help with physical day: Dr. Paul Van Deventer, Dr. Rob Chandler, Dr. Mark Hontas, Dr. Kevin Darr, Dr. Reiss Plauche, Dr. Jason Rolling and Dr. Richard Texada.

The following physical therapists were also on hand to clear each athlete: Paul Jones (Jones Physical Therapy), Al Nastasi (Kinetics), Tim Bartholomew and Beth Allbritton (Northlake Physical Therapy), Alysa Hellerbusch (Renew Physical Therapy), Greg Zelden, Dawn Holliday and Chase Dewight (Zelden Physical Therapy), Shawn Skinner and Joe Finneman (Physical Therapy of Mandeville), Brian Cochran (Care Physical Therapy), David Giordina (North Institute) and Jim Silverstri (The Next Level Performance and Rehabilitation).

Fairway developed the sports medicine program to provide diagnostic and surgical treatment for sports-related injuries.

Fairway’s program is committed to applying the most advanced technologies and medical expertise available in the field of sports medicine to the specific needs of individual athletes.

Fairway Medical Center is a physician-owned hospital with 21 private, patient beds. As the only physician-owned, physician-managed hospital in the area, its success has been built on a high standard for patient care and attention to customer service.

Fairway Medical earned the Gold Seal of Approval by The Joint Commission and is named a Center of Excellence for Bariatric Surgery by the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery.

For more information on Fairway Medical Center, call 809-9888 or visit www.fairwaymedical.com.