On any given weekday morning, just after sunrise, the lobby of Sims’ Physical Therapy Center in Santa Maria resembles a MASH unit. Student-athletes from Santa Maria to Morro Bay, some bruised and bandaged, line up to receive care from specialists trained in sports-related injuries.
And the best part is, it’s all free.
Therapists Doug Sims and Gino Brunello, co-owners of the clinic, have provided the triage at no cost to local athletes for more than 20 years, and say the offering amounts to a public service for local youth.
“Gino and I decided that there was nothing for kids, especially the high school kids, who were getting injured. No one was seeing them, and at that time, they didn’t even have athletic trainers,” Sims said. “We like doing it because we get to deal with athletes, and that’s what we do.”
Starting at precisely 7 a.m., Sims’ therapists and trainers do everything they can to help get injured athletes back to playing as soon as possible. They run ultrasounds, perform electrical stimulation and taping, and teach the athletes stretches and exercises they can do at home to improve their conditions.
Sims, also on the board of directors for the Santa Maria Valley Boys and Girls Club, said he enjoys being able to lend his expertise to those who need it the most.
“It’s really hectic in here in the morning, but it’s a lot of fun,” he said. “The kids who come in here are really good kids, they’re really appreciative, and their parents are very appreciative, too.”
During a recent game, St. Joseph High running back Scotty Cusack was tackled and slammed on his shoulder, separating his AC joint. Since then, he’s paid several visits to Sims’, undergoing electrical muscle stimulation on his shoulder with positive results.
“I was so happy I didn’t have to pay to go somewhere,” Cusack said. “I hoped I wouldn’t have to use it, but I did, and I’m happy that they were here and were able to help me.”
The staff at Sims’ works with local schools as athletic trainers and contracts with Santa Maria, Righetti, St. Joseph, and Allan Hancock College to provide services to their students. Brunello said the clinic sees anywhere from five to 15 athletes each day, and if they require surgery or aren’t better within several visits, they’re referred to doctors for further attention.
“It’s nice to be able to get these guys back to playing as soon as possible,” Brunello said. “If it’s not a major injury, we can get them out there playing in a couple of days.”
Righetti senior Ryan McGready, a basketball player for the Warriors, hurt his knee in a recent tournament in Fresno and was diagnosed with patella tendonitis. He recently arrived at the clinic for his third visit to undergo phonophoresis, an ultrasound using a gel to reduce pain and inflammation.
“[Doug Sims] taped it up over the weekend and iced it, and I’ve just been coming in here every day and improving it a little bit,” McGready said. “It’s a great opportunity. I’ve known Doug for a while, and I’ve come in here every chance I can when I have an injury.”
Trainer John Malinowski, who applied the ultrasound treatment to McGready, splits time between Sims’ and Allan Hancock College. He explained the impact the medical care has on local athletes.
“It’s huge,” he said. “Having the opportunity to get treatment for free before game days or even post-game injuries, it makes a world of difference in some of the acute injuries.”
One unique therapy employed at the clinic is kinesiotaping, a sort of neuromuscular taping technique in which Sims and Brunello are certified. Sims said the therapy has resulted in an 80-percent success rate in his clients.
“You can tape tissues in a way to fire them up, you can tape them to calm them down and relax the muscle,” he said. “If it’s just not firing right, you can tape it to get it facilitated, get them all fired up.”
Savannah Dodd, a tennis player for Orcutt Academy, rolled her ankle during a match and received the taping from therapist Al Montanez, who also taught Dodd some ankle exercises to do at home.
Dodd said that by following her therapist’s instructions, she expects to be feeling better in no time.
“It’s nice because I don’t really have to worry about being out for too long, and I love to play, so that’s good,” Dodd said. “It helps with my confidence level knowing I can take care of it quickly and get back on the court.”
Montanez has been working with student-athletes like Dodd at Sims since 1995, seeing them mature from youth sports to the high school level. He said educating young athletes and seeing them get healthy is his top priority.
“I think it’s just a good way to give back to the public and local people,” Montanez said. “They kind of grow with us, so it’s a good thing. … It all comes back. Whether they come back here if they need us later on in life or not, it’s still good to stay in touch.”
Staff Writer Jeremy Thomas sometimes tapes his sources for better stories. Contact him at jthomas@santamariasun.com.
This article appears in Oct 6-13, 2011.