Sports Doc Talk

Minimally Invasive Foot & Ankle Surgery with Dr. Anthony Yi

What if you could walk out of bunion surgery the same day? What if an Achilles repair didn't mean 6 weeks on crutches? This week on Sports Doc Talk, Dr. Grant Garcia and Will Sanchez sit down with Dr. Anthony Yi, a foot & ankle specialist at Orthopedic Specialists of Seattle who is pioneering the minimally invasive techniques changing recovery timelines forever. This episode is personal: Dr. Yi is the surgeon who repaired host Will Sanchez's ruptured Achilles. Will brings a raw patient perspective to a conversation packed with cutting-edge surgical insights. In this episode, we dive into: 🔥 THE RECOVERY REVOLUTION The 4-Stitch Bunion: How to correct a bunion through tiny incisions and walk immediately after. Arthroscopic Achilles Repair: 2 small incisions vs. a massive scar. The Death of the "6-Week Rule": Why the old "stay off it completely" mentality is being phased out. 🏀 THE PRO SPORTS ANGLE The Achilles Spike: Why are we seeing so many ruptures in the NFL and NBA? Shoes vs. Surfaces, does it matter?: Dr. Yi weighs in on what’s actually causing the injury surge. Getting Back Faster: How new techniques are shaving months off return-to-play dates. ⚠️ CRITICAL SAFETY & RECOVERY The Antibiotic Warning: The specific class of meds (fluoroquinolones) that can weaken your tendons. The Mental Health Gap: Why foot/ankle recovery is a mental battle and how to survive the "non-weight bearing" blues. Nutrition: Why cutting calories during recovery is a huge mistake. ⏰ EPISODE CHAPTERS: 0:00 - Introduction & Welcome 3:00 - Why Foot & Ankle Specialization? 5:00 - The Minimally Invasive Revolution 8:00 - 4-Stitch Bunion Correction Breakdown 12:00 - Immediate Weight Bearing vs Traditional Recovery 15:00 - Arthroscopic Achilles Repair Explained 20:00 - NFL & NBA Achilles Injury Spike 25:00 - Antibiotic Warning for Athletes 30:00 - Cartilage Repair & Biologics 35:00 - High Ankle Sprains & Scope Evaluation 40:00 - When to Scope an Ankle Fracture 45:00 - Mental Health & Recovery Reality 50:00 - Rehab Keys & Return to Sport 🔗 CONNECT WITH US: Guest Website: anthonyyimd.com Our Website: sportsdoctalk.com Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/AtcwmqDJsyA 💪 SPONSORED BY THE RECOVERY SHOP Expert-level cold therapy and compression solutions to get you back in the game. #FootAndAnkleSurgery #AchillesRepair #MinimallyInvasive #SportsMedicine #InjuryRecovery #BunionSurgery #NFL #NBA #Orthopedics #PhysicalTherapy #TheRecoveryShop #DrAnthonyYi #Podcast

From Disc Pain to Game Ready: The Advanced Spinal Restoration Therapy (ASRT) approach to Spine Care.

Back pain is one of the most common diagnoses in medicine, and most people are told their only options are rest, medication, injections, or surgery. Dr. Brigitte Rozenberg is here to tell you there's a fourth path. On this episode of Sports Doc Talk, Will and Dr. Garcia welcome the LA-based spine specialist and creator of Advanced Spinal Restoration Therapy (ASRT) to walk through the exact non-surgical protocol she uses to get athletes, injury patients, and chronic pain sufferers back to full function without going under the knife. Dr. Rozenberg breaks down every device in her toolkit: the spinal decompression table that creates negative pressure to draw disc material back in, the robotic laser that triggers cellular healing, the neuromuscular stimulator running at 10,000 pulses per second, and the cutting-edge muscle-building device that can produce 20,000 muscle contractions in 30 minutes. She explains how these tools work together in a phased protocol and why combining them produces results that no single treatment can achieve alone. The episode also features a standout case study: a 16-year-old gymnast training for the Olympics who walked in unable to train, with disc desiccation and early signs of spondylolysis, and walked back out months later fully recovered. Dr. Garcia weighs in with the orthopedic surgeon's perspective throughout, offering a candid look at where surgery is necessary and where it's simply the last tool left when the right non-surgical care wasn't available. This one is for anyone who has been told to just manage their back pain. You might have more options than you think. 00:00 Welcome & The Golden Globes Rant 00:55 The Recovery Shop Sponsor Message 01:45 Meet Dr. Brigitte Rozenberg 04:00 What Is Advanced Spinal Restoration Therapy? 09:00 Why Spinal Decompression Was the Missing Link 13:00 The Sculp Neo: Rebuilding Muscle After Disc Injury 19:00 Class IV Robotic Laser Therapy Explained 23:00 How the ACUSA Decompression Table Works 31:30 Neuro Me: Electrical Stimulation at 10,000 Pulses/Sec 35:30 SoftWave Therapy: Acoustic Waves for Pain Relief 38:00 Case Study: Olympic Gymnast & Disc Recovery 45:30 The Surgeon's View: When to Operate, When Not To 47:00 What's Next for Spine Care Technology sportsdoctalk.com | linktr.ee/sportsdoctalk | The Recovery Shop: mikeb@shoprecovery.com

What F1 Racing Taught Me About Saving Knees with Dr. Nicholas Colyvas

What do Formula 1 racing and meniscus repair have in common? More than you'd think. This week, Dr. Grant Garcia and Will Sanchez welcome Dr. Nicholas Colyvas, a UCSF sports medicine surgeon who's revolutionizing how we approach knee surgery while living out his passion for vintage F1 racing. Dr. Colyvas takes us from his childhood in South Africa to the operating rooms of UCSF, where he's pioneering meniscus preservation techniques that are keeping athletes in the game longer. He breaks down complex procedures like fibrin clot augmentation and meniscus transplants in ways that make sense whether you're a patient, athlete, or fellow surgeon. But here's where it gets really interesting: Dr. Colyvas doesn't just talk about precision in surgery. He lives it on the racetrack, piloting vintage Formula 1 cars at Monaco and competing in modern endurance racing. The parallels between racing and surgery? They're all about preparation, precision, and knowing when to push the limits. This episode is packed with surgical innovation, patient care philosophy, and some seriously cool racing stories. Whether you're dealing with a knee injury, interested in sports medicine, or just love a good F1 story, you won't want to miss this one. Brought to you by The Recovery Shop - visit shop-recovery.net CHAPTER MARKERS: Introduction & Background The Journey to Sports Medicine Meniscus Preservation Revolution Advanced Surgical Techniques Fibrin Clot & Biologics Meniscus Transplant Surgery Patient Communication & Expectations Robotics in Arthroscopy Formula 1 Racing Passion The Monaco Experience Future of Joint Preservation Find us at: Website: sportsdoctalk.com All Links: linktr.ee/sportsdoctalk

X-Ray in Motion: How DDR is Changing Sports and Surgery

Dr. Grant Garcia and Will Sanchez welcome Dr. Greg Kolovich, orthopedic hand surgeon and co-founder of Oxo, to discuss revolutionary Dynamic Digital Radiography (DDR) technology that's transforming sports medicine. EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS: 🔬 From Engineer to Surgeon Dr. Kolovich's unique journey from Georgia Tech electrical engineer to Harvard-trained hand surgeon and medical device innovator 📱 The 8-Pound Revolution Learn how DDR technology miniaturized an 800-pound C-arm into a portable, battery-powered device with crystal-clear imaging ⚡ Game-Changing Diagnostics Real-time dynamic instability assessment Less radiation than traditional fluoroscopy Applications for sports teams, mission work, and emergency care 🏒 Sports Medicine Applications How professional hockey teams use portable DDR for sideline diagnostics and remote consultation 🌍 Global Impact Mission work stories from Kenya, Ethiopia, India, and Honduras—bringing advanced imaging to underserved communities 💡 Clinical Wisdom When NOT to operate Building a complex surgical practice Second opinion philosophy Patient-first approach 🚀 The Future Point-of-care diagnostics, home healthcare, and the next generation of medical imaging TIMESTAMPS: 00:00 - Intro 03:00 - Engineer to Surgeon Journey 06:00 - Hand & Nerve Surgery Specialization 11:00 - Mission Work Stories 19:00 - Birth of Oxo Technology 30:00 - DDR vs. Fluoroscopy Explained 35:00 - Clinical Applications 44:00 - Sports Team Use Cases 47:00 - Future Vision Special thanks to The Recovery Shop for supporting innovative sports medicine conversations! 🎧 Also Available On: Apple Podcasts | iHeart Radio | Amazon Music | YouTube | Google Podcasts 📝 Full Transcript: sportsdoctalk.com 🎯 Be a Guest: Submit requests at sportsdoctalk.com

The Power of Play: Preventing Injuries and Promoting Health at Every Age

Youth sports look very different from how they did a decade ago: year‑round travel teams, overlapping seasons, private coaches, and constant pressure to keep up with the family down the street. In this episode of Sports Doc Talk, Will Sanchez and orthopedic surgeon Dr. Grant Garcia sit down with OrthoCarolina specialists Dr. James Starman and Dr. Bradley Winter to talk honestly about how that landscape is impacting kids, teens, and aging athletes. You will hear real clinic‑side stories about youth pitchers juggling multiple teams, bullpens, and games without anyone truly monitoring total pitch counts—and how that leads to shoulder and elbow overuse injuries that are avoidable with better communication and planning. The doctors also unpack why female soccer and basketball players tear more ACLs, what landing mechanics have to do with it, and how neuromuscular training and smarter return‑to‑play criteria can reduce risk. For the 30‑, 40‑, and 50‑something weekend warriors, the conversation turns to arthritis, tendon pain, biologic options like PRP, and realistic strategies to keep playing the sports you love without burning out your joints. Throughout, the team keeps the focus on the athlete’s goals, not just the scoreboard, and explores how future tools like AI, navigation, and wearable tech could further personalize care. Sponsored by The Recovery Shop, which supports patients with bracing, cold therapy, and recovery tools recommended by surgeons. Website: sportsdoctalk.com Why you need to listen Understand how overuse injuries really develop in youth sports. Learn questions to ask about pitch counts, workloads, and off‑seasons. Hear practical ACL prevention and return‑to‑play insights for female athletes. Get realistic guidance for staying active with arthritis and tendon issues. See where biologics, tech, and AI may be taking sports medicine next. Chapters 00:00 – Intro, The Recovery Shop, and “the power of play.” 05:00 – Meet Dr. Starman and Dr. Winter 09:00 – Youth throwing injuries and pitch counts 18:00 – Specialization, burnout, and year‑round sports 24:00 – ACL surgery, prevention, and female athletes 31:00 – Graft maturation and realistic return‑to‑play timelines 41:00 – The aging athlete and staying active with arthritis 47:00 – Biologics, supplements, and realistic expectations 54:00 – Wearables, AI, and the future of sports medicine #SportsDocTalk #YouthSportsInjuries #ACLPrevention #OveruseInjuries #AgingAthlete #SportsMedicine #OrthoCarolina #TheRecoveryShop