Sports Medicine

What is sports medicine?

Sports medicine involves the treatment of all ailments that keep an athlete from participating in their sport. Dr Shepard is an Orthopaedic Surgeon who is fellowship trained in sports medicine, meaning he spent an extra year in training to learn and care for high level athletes in all sports. Dr Shepard cares for the athletes at UC Irvine, Santa Ana College, and Chapman University. He also cares for the high school athletes at Servite High School, Crean Lutheran High School, Godinez High School, and Villa Park High School.

Dr Shepard's number one goal is to return all athletes to their desired level of play. That being said, we do not want to allow anyone to further injure themselves in playing with an injury. The treatment of the athletes' ailments involves physical therapy, athletic training, and sometimes surgery. Dr Shepard's motto is:

• If you can play— play.
• If you can't play— rest and rehab.
• If you can't rehab— consider surgery.

What kind of athletes does Dr Shepard see?

Dr Shepard sees athletes of all ages and levels. Overhead athletes have ranged from 8 year old baseball players to Olympic Swimmers and Badminton players to 70 year old tri-athletes. Dr Shepard has treated professional athletes from the major team sports, soccer, rugby, cricket, ballet, and golf. Dr Shepard's training at The American Sports Medicine Institute gave him a unique perspective of athletes from around the world.

Dr Shepard takes care of athletes throughout Southern California - including professional athletes, Olympians, and amateur athletes of all ages. Dr Shepard is directly involved with the care of the University of California at Irvine athletes, Chapman University, Santa Ana College, Servite High School, Villa Park High School, and Crean Lutheran High School.