Newsroom Hospital for Special Surgery

Revolutionizing Rehab: High-Tech Golf Simulator at HSS Florida Helps Injured Golfers Get Back in the Game Safely

Wed, 19 Aug 2026 10:56:00 -0400

Golf enthusiasts recovering from an injury or surgery are often eager to get back to the sport. At HSS Florida’s West Palm Beach Rehabilitation and Performance Center, many patients are returning to the game sooner than anticipated thanks to a state-of-the-art golf simulator, transforming the rehab experience.

“The majority of my patients are golfers, and they love the simulator,” aid Spencer Summers, MD, a hip and knee surgeon at HSS Florida. “It’s the kind that professionals use, with a huge screen that could make you feel like you’re at a golf course in Augusta or Pebble Beach. It’s very impressive.”

Utilizing advanced radar-tracking technology, the simulator captures detailed data on swing mechanics, ball launch and flight patterns. “The wealth of information enables our physical therapists to design highly personalized rehabilitation plans in a safe, controlled environment,” said Ryan Simovitch, MD, director of the shoulder division and co-medical director at HSS Florida.

Read the full article at essential.golf

Masataka Yoshida won’t return to Red Sox until he can throw pain free

Tue, 06 May 2025 09:37:00 -0400

The Boston Globe reports that Triston Casas has been released from the hospital after having surgery to repair his left patellar tendon after getting injured while running to first base during a recent game against the Twins.

Sabrina M. Strickland, MD, sports medicine surgeon at HSS, said Casas would likely be in a brace for six weeks and unable to run for 5-6 months.

“This is a pretty devastating injury,” Dr. Strickland said. “It’s not a 100-percent recovery rate like tearing a meniscus.”

Read the full article at bostonglobe.com.

Orthopedic Surgeon Discusses Recovery, Injury Issues For Seattle Mariners' Victor Robles

Sun, 13 Apr 2025 11:01:00 -0400

Michael C. Fu, MD, MHS, sports medicine surgeon at HSS, joined the "Refuse to Lose" podcast to talk about Seattle Mariners outfielder Victor Robles dislocated shoulder and a fracture injury.

Dr. Fu explained that Robles is at a slightly higher risk for recurring shoulder issues now, and he added that he wouldn't be "surprised" to see Robles get surgery to address the labrum tear in the offseason.

Read the full article and listen to the podcast at SI.com.

Odds in Browns QB Baker Mayfield's favor to get back to same level after shoulder surgery

Fri, 14 Jan 2022 10:20:00 -0500

Akron Beacon Journal reports Cleveland Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield will undergo surgery for a torn labrum and fraying in addition to a fractured humerus in his left shoulder.

HSS sports medicine surgeon, Theodore A. Blaine, MD, who did not treat Mayfield, explained, “The odds are in his favor in terms of getting back to playing, of getting back to the same level. They’re not 100%, but if you look at different studies, it ranges between 70 to 90% back to play at the same level. That’s looking at all different types of athletes.”

He continued, “Professional athletes are a different breed, they have better tissues, they heal better, they heal faster, they do better. I’m always more confident in their ability to recover than somebody else.”

For a typical recovery, according to Dr. Blaine, “Whether it’s done through a scope or whether it’s done open, the recovery should be four to six months. The average return to play is about six months for these kind of surgeries, but ... it’s possible he could be a little bit faster than that.”

“It’s a good thing it’s his non-throwing shoulder because the position of instability, what we call an at-risk position where the shoulder can slide out, is a position of abduction, external rotation where you kind of raise the arm and rotate it out. Obviously, you do that on every throw. But he doesn’t do that with his non-throwing shoulder. So the risk is lower for a non-throwing shoulder for recurring episodes of instability," he added.

According to Dr. Blaine, “The labrum is a lining tissue to the shoulder joint, so it goes all the way around, 360 degrees around the clock face. An anterior labral tear, which is also called a Bankart tear, is usually associated with instability. That’s the kind of tear that’s harder to play with, that you have to get fixed to get stability back in the shoulder.”

When asked about his optimism that Mayfield can get back to the level of performance that earned Mayfield the Heisman Trophy at Oklahoma and made him the first overall pick in 2018, Dr. Blaine said, “I’m a Browns fan, so I’m always hopeful.”

Read the full article at Beaconjournal.com.

E30: Is it safe to have surgery during COVID? with Dr. Ted Blaine

Tue, 15 Dec 2020 08:21:00 -0500

In this Optimal Health Uncovered podcast, HSS sports medicine surgeon Theodore A. Blaine, MD, discussed the latest techniques being used to treat and repair various shoulder injuries.

“For tendon type injuries, I think what we’ve found is unfortunately in the shoulder, tendons don’t heal. If you tear your rotator cuff and it’s a full tear, a complete tear, that tear is not going to heal. That’s changed our approach. While physical therapy can be incredibly important for partial tears, labral tears, and a variety of different things, when it becomes a full tear we’re much more likely to talk about surgery at an earlier point. We also have some newer techniques to repair tendons. There are times when the tendon tear is so large that you can’t fully reconstruct it with the patient's own tissue. So there has been work with graft procedures and biologics to be able to try and reconstruct a tendon that doesn’t exist anymore. We’re not totally there yet, but I think we’re making some great advances and it does give us opportunities we didn’t have before.”

Dr. Blaine continued, “On the arthritis side, we also have been able to make a lot of advances in that area. Preservation – so trying to preserve the patient’s bone and as much of their anatomy as we can, so if they ever needed further procedures in the future, we would have the ability to do them.”

Listen to the podcast at podcasts.apple.com/us.

Rays’ 1st-round draft pick Bitsko has shoulder surgery

Wed, 02 Dec 2020 19:16:00 -0500

AP News reports pitcher Nick Bitsko, the most recent first-round draft pick of the Tampa Bay Rays, underwent surgery on his right shoulder to repair a labrum issued performed by David W. Altchek, MD, sports medicine surgeon at HSS and founding medical director of HSS Florida.

Read the article at APnews.com.

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