This summer at the Olympic games in London, several APMA members made the trip over to London to ensure atheletes from all across the world had feet fit for competition.
Dr. John Connors, DPM, of New York, treated 19 patients from 5 different countries, all of whom participated in the Track & Field portion of the games. A veteran of treating elite athletic competition – his private practices serve elite and Olympic-level athletes in the US – Dr. Connors still found himself starstruck when meeting Olympic superstars like Gabby Douglas who he deemed, “The Queen of the Olympics”.
“Experiencing the Olmypics as a sports podiatrist was phenomenal”, Dr. Connors said, “I was treated as the foot and ankle expert [podiatrists] truly are. Doctors from Germany and Spain were seeking my advice on various conditions, and it was great exposure for all of podiatric medicine.”
Jane Anderson, DPM of Chapel Hill, NC and Colleen Schwartz, DPM, of Pleasaton, CA had more pleasure than business scheduled for their trip to the UK. Anderson had developed a relationship with French soccer player Camille Abiliy through a host program back in 2010 and was invited to hang out with the French soccer team for much of their stay.
Mark Mendeszoon, DPM, from Chardon, OH and who is known as Dr. Zoom for his obsession with everything Track & Field, made a last minute decision to travel to the games but says it’s one he’ll never forget. He had the opportunity to work with eventual gold medal pole vaulting champion Jen Suhr and was quoted as saying, “I’m blessed to work with athletes at all levels, but London was electric.”
The APMA hopes that it’s members will continue to show their value to elite athletics every 4 years!
