Nysea Sports Talk

One of the scariest scenes unfolded this past Monday night for the world to see. There was great excitement for this game, as two of the best teams in the NFL were competing head-to-head with playoff implications. A packed stadium and a buzz that only great teams can generate. Shortly after the game had started the unthinkable occurred… 24-year-old Damar Hamlin was injured on the field. Just a routine tackle. A play that you’ve seen numerous times in a game and one that you would never think twice about. As Hamlin stood up, he soon then collapsed back down and lay motionless on the field. Doctors rushed by his side, administered CPR, and 20 minutes later he was rushed to the hospital by ambulance. Dr. Grant Garcia wanted to share some information about what happened and explain what Commotio Cordis is: a trauma to your chest, a type of injury that is usually associated with Baseball, Lacrosse, Hockey, and combat sports. Dr. Garcia wants to let coaches and families know how to be prepared and recognize the dif

Happy New Year!!! As we get excited about all the possibilities and new shows for 2023, we look back at some of our favorite topics and conversations of 2022. In 2022, we talked about several hot topics including the future of cartilage, meniscus, and ACL surgeries. We discussed internal bracing, fantastic tech wearables, and what it takes to make it to the next level. We thought a fun show looking back at some of our top segments would allow our listeners to hear some of the highlights they may have missed or some they may want to hear again. In response to some of these segments, we have had a few updates including the introduction of one of the first cartilage stimulation products with Cartiheal Agili-C Implant (tag) which may be the future of cartilage transplants. Also, ACL repair (tag) has taken off including the tightrope and internal brace combination that has been impressing Dr. Garcia and his patients on their speedy recovery as we enter 2023. Finally, wearable technology was taken one step further

As the World Cup takes the planet by storm, we look at some common soccer injuries and discuss them along with our semifinal and final predictions sure to go wrong. Dr. Grant Garcia discusses serious to nagging injuries such as ACL, quad, hamstring, tears, strains, and others. When do doctors use PRP, shockwave, and other treatments for these injuries and how do these treatments work best for patients? We discuss. The World Cup excitement begins as there are only 4 teams left. Can Croatia and Morocco win their first World Cup? Lionel Messi will be looking to win his first title and Argentina’s third overall. Not to be outdone the defending champions France will look to win back-to-back titles. If France can win, it will be the first time a nation has won in consecutive tournaments since Brazil did it in 1958 and 1962. Each team has suffered injuries. The type of injuries that Dr. Garcia discusses in this show. Enjoy the games. Enjoy the show. Be on the lookout for our end-of-year best of 2022 show. Thanks for

Robotics, cameras, and rehab. A perfect combination.  Orthopedic surgeon, Dr. Grant Garcia discusses a new technology that will revolutionize how patients can rehab and how surgeons can teach. We start out discussing the Avail system. A camera system that utilizes technology, networking, and software to combine the perfect partnership. This Avail system will allow doctors to learn and teach in a way they haven't done before. One technology that has the industry buzzing is coming from the company Hrobotics. They have come out with an FDA-registered robotic, physical therapy device for both the upper and lower extremities called Rebless. Rebles allows for passive, active, active-assisted, and resisted training and range of motion measurement, so therapy can be customized based on each patient’s condition and progress. To simplify, as a patient you can take this machine home, and your doctor can program, monitor, and adjust your rehab in real-time. This device can do much more and Dr. Garcia explains all of

Like any other night for football fans, Thursday Night Football is a time to sit back, root for your teams, and enjoy the game. A fast-moving, action-packed, adrenaline-filled sport that is fascinating to watch. We watch the game in awe, we connect, and it reminds us of our communities and love of the sport at every stage of our childhood. We know with this violent game comes injuries, we expect them, we hope not to see them, but they are inevitable. Blown ACLs, shoulders, ankles, and sometimes frightening compound fractures. These injuries are obvious and then there are those that are by far the scariest of injuries...Head injuries. Concussions. The dirty little word that football leagues don't want us to talk about. An injury that for years the NFL had lied about. The repercussions of this type of injury, until Dr. Bennet Omalu exposed the NFL and the catastrophic results of these injuries. We know the risk, the players know the risk and so does the NFL.  In this show, Dr. Grant Garcia discusses the in

The 2022 football season is underway, and already key players such as Zach Wilson, the quarterback of the New York Jets has not played a down yet due to a torn meniscus suffered early this preseason. In this show Orthopedic surgeon and sports medicine specialist, Dr. Grant Garcia discusses the torn meniscus and more importantly the technology, and decision-making between reparation versus preservation. Also discussed are... - Not all patients are alike - Age limit on repair? - Radial tears: A lack of blood flow complicating the healing process - Meniscus tears combined with ACL - Cartledge damage is the key - Meniscus deficiency syndrome: When to transplant - Future Tech - Scaffolds: What is it - When and why: Preserving the knee - Does Dr. Garcia have a fantasy football team? An informative show for all. Also, try to count how many times I said “last question”, but the conversation was too good to end right there. Take a listen and as always, we hope you learn something along the way. For more information on

When technology and creativity intertwine great discoveries are explored. This is what is occurring in the orthopedic field. The discussion of restoration versus reconstruction of a torn ACL at times has been debated, but now more than ever restoration has given patients a great option. Orthopedic Surgeon, Dr. Grant Garcia discusses the BEAR Implant. The Bridge Enhanced ACL Restoration (BEAR) technique is a procedure used to treat ruptured or torn ACLs. This new, FDA-approved procedure serves as a much better alternative than traditional ACL reconstruction. It's less invasive and less complex in nature. Dr. Garcia talks about how the BEAR Implant enables your body to heal its own torn anterior cruciate ligament (ACL). The implant is different because it works with your own blood to heal the torn ends of your ACL back together. We discuss who is a prime candidate, and how soon after your injury should you have this procedure done, pros and cons of restoration versus reconstruction, affordability and getting in

The scene is set as the NBA and the NHL are ready to conclude their season and crown a champion. All season teams have one common goal in mind, a reward that every athlete dreams of and it fuels their desire to get to the biggest stage to make their dreams come true. The road is filled with daily competition, athletic endurance, pain threshold, mental fortitude, and luck.  Not everyone is fortunate to get to that stage let alone make it to that level of competition. Not everyone has what it takes. In this show, Dr. Grant Garcia discusses his experiences working with the top athletes in sports and their unwavering drive when it comes to being the best.  We discuss these successes on the field and off it as well. Rainier Beach high school football coach Corey Sampson joins us to share his thoughts on the various ways to recognize success, especially when it comes to his players. It can be graduating, giving back to your community, becoming a professional in your field of interest, etc. This show is in

One of the most exciting conferences an Orthopaedic surgeon can attend is the annual AAOS conference. A conference that has more than 30,000 attendees includes Academy Fellows, AAOS members, international guests as well as allied medical professionals and exhibitors. This conference has representatives from 155 countries. These professionals discuss procedures, old and new. They learn about future technology and its usage, but overall, this is a place where great minds come to share and learn. In this episode, Dr. Grant Garcia discusses a few things that caught his attention. The future of using virtual reality. Also, the expansion of using 3D printing and how it allows the surgeon to prepare for his patient’s procedures before he does the procedure. There are new advancements and data surrounding ACL procedures such as the Bear Implant and the benefits of preservation versus reconstruction. Who are the best candidates for these procedures? What does the data say about the pros and cons of certain procedures?

Lacrosse is one of the fastest-growing sports in America. It is also the oldest team sport in North America. In fact, one of the earliest accounts of lacrosse comes from a document that was written in the early 17th-century, but the sport was clearly around before that time. We also know that the document recognizes the First Nations people first played it across Canada over 500 years ago. Each nation had its own version of “Stickball”, later changed to Lacrosse. “La Crosse” (The Stick), but they all played it to thank the Great Spirit — called Gichi-manidoo in Anishinaabe. Dr. Grant Garcia discusses injuries that apply to lacrosse, and some of the signs to look for when they’re not so obvious. As he says…” he rather be safe than sorry.” Especially when it pertains to neck injuries. It’s a show that is beneficial to coaches, parents, and fellow teammates. It’s not just about the injuries, but the love of the sport. These shows are not to discourage playing sports, in fact, there are countless benefits to play

Consumer wearables such as Apple, Whoop, Polar, Garmin and so many others are revolutionizing how we monitor our health. It’s a Multi-billion-dollar market that has expanded way beyond just counting our steps. On this show Orthopedic Surgeon, Dr. Grant Garcia discusses the many uses and how its technology will revolutionize health care. Athletes are a big part of the conversation because as Dr. Garcia said, consumer wearables are the “Holy grail of athletics” in how this tech will help athletes, trainers, doctors, and the overall organization when it comes down to the players and how they are monitored. Athletes are competing longer, are aware of their sleep patterns, mental and physical stresses, and more.  Teams also monitor hundreds of thousands of algorithms to make decisions that they determine is best for an overall winning outcome. There is an abundance of tech such as pitchers’ sleeves, helmet monitors, heads-up displays goggles for swimmers, and much more. This tech doesn’t just benefit athletes

The dreaded three letters that an athlete or a person, in general, doesn’t want to hear from their doctor is ACL. Better yet, torn ACL. It’s an injury that is all too common especially with athletes. An injury that can usually take anywhere from 8 months to a year to recover from. However, Dr. Chad Lavender of Marshall Orthopaedics has developed a new approach, a new technique to ACL surgery that has the orthopedic community buzzing with excitement.  It is known as the “Lavender Fertilized ACL.” this technique uses a mixture of bone marrow concentrate, autograft bone, and DBM (demineralized bone matrix) to fill the tunnels within the knee joint during traditional ACL reconstruction. This technique along with utilizing an internal brace reinforcement to improve the stability of the healing ACL patients have reported the same results as the standard ACL reconstruction with shorter recovery times, significantly less pain, and no known additional risks. “My hypothesis was if we improved the biologics and hea

Guests: Scott Laigo, former football coach and current president of Student-Athletes Advocates Topics: College football national championship, challenges of roster The 2021 college football season has ended and as we recognize Alabama and Georgia as the premier programs in the sport, we also recognize the situation that is happening with the conference committees. Scott and I discuss the championship game between Georgia and Alabama, but also dive into other aspects of college football. We discuss the transfer portal and its trickle-down effect and how it’s affecting recruiting at the high school level. The concerns of recruiting with college programs having to get cut down their roster size after having a 1-year waiver. Meaning there will be student-athletes that may not have many options in the future. Scott Laigo breaks it all down. Scott Laigo and Student-Athlete Advocates help high school student-athletes and their parents with a clear, honest approach to the eligibility, recruiting, and financial aid pr

Topic: Orthopedic Surgeon, Dr. Grant Garcia discusses the college football national championship game with Georgia taking on Alabama. Dr. Garcia discusses his fandom, a little trivia, injuries to key players and the effects injuries play on the NFL draft. For 152 years college football has been played. Now the first 7 years of the sport didn’t resemble anything that we see in today’s game, but with the help of a few Ivy League schools and a man called Walter Camp the game as we know it today began to take shape. Dr. Grant Garcia discusses injuries sustained to offensive linemen Emil Ekiyor Jr., tight end Brock Bowers and others. We discuss what NFL physicians look for when assessing players that teams may potentially draft. I also challenge Dr. Garcia with some trivia, and we discuss why Brown football is better than Michigan. Just kidding. That’s a not-so-subtle shot at his buddies. It’s a fun and informative show to kick off the new year. We would like to wish everyone a Happy New Year. Recognized again as

Guests: Coaches Dori Bennett and Scott Laigo. Topics: Holiday traditions, Bowl game & their names, future of NIL, numbers game with transfer portal Audio Podcast: NYSEA radio on Spotify, Apple, iheart, Audacy, and many other platforms. Have you ever had a Tom & Jerry drink? Say what? We discuss holiday traditions and family as we close out 2021. Want to take a mayo bath? We think about some of these bowl game names, and their new traditions and some of us are not fans. The more important and lengthy discussion we have is the future of NIL. As the flood gates flow through with endless possibilities, we discuss our concerns with the future and how the NIL could benefit not just student-athletes, but institutions and their entire programs. The transfer portal is bursting at the seams. It’s a numbers game as thousands of student-athletes make moves with only limited space at schools. Not only does this affect college students, but what are the ramifications trickling down to how high school athletes are b

Guests: Rainier Beach HS football coach Corey Sampson, and Scott Laigo. Topics: 2021 recruiting and the year that was for Rainier Beach HS football. Rainier Beach high school football coach Corey Sampson joins us this week after a tremendously long year. A year that saw his football program play in the spring, followed by summer practices, and then another football season this past fall. It was an extremely successful season for his Beach Boys, that now encompasses his seniors going off to the next level. Coach Sampson has had a multitude of coaches come to talk to him about his players. We discuss that process and what it means to him. We also discuss one of his highly recruited players in the country, offensive lineman Josh Conerly Jr., his leadership on and off the field, and what he has meant to the locker room for the Rainier Beach football team.  Corey’s community work and fundraising are recognized, and he constantly demonstrates how important it is to give. This holiday season he hopes people wil

Topic: Orthopedic Surgeon, Dr. Grant Garcia discusses future training for orthopedic surgeons, advancement in robotics, sensors, and 3D printing. The role of virtual, augmented, and mixed reality and how costs and choosing a medical provider play a role. The definition of virtual reality (VR) is… the use of computer modeling and simulation that enables a person to interact with an artificial three-dimensional (3-D) visual or other sensory environments. Dr. Grant Garcia explains how virtual, augmented, and mixed reality is the future and present of orthopedics, from a teaching perspective to a technological one. For example, imagine the world’s greatest doctors operating on a patient from thousands of miles away or a student learning to operate under any scenario before even interacting with their first patient.    From robotics, sensors, costs, accessibility, and even the importance of choosing a medical provider, Dr. Garcia discusses it all. A fun futuristic show that even Stanley Kubrick would lov

Orthopedic Surgeon, Dr. Grant Garcia discusses new tech., hopeful breakthroughs, and exciting possibilities. Topics: Telehealth surge, Cartilage restoration, Biologics, and Fertilized ACL When it comes to our health, we always want the best treatment. Just like we are looking for the best medicine, the best hospitals, the best care, and the best doctors, doctors are on the lookout for new technology, new methods, new equipment that will essentially benefit us… the patient.  We discuss things that came faster than expected out of necessity and new technology that is ahead of its time: Telehealth which has increased over 50% in 2020, bringing convenience to so many.  Cartilage restoration: Scaffolds to grow cartilage, Arthritis prevention. How do you restore lost cartilage?  Biologics:  Can the future be as simple as an injection? A procedure that will eliminate the need for surgery. Fertilized ACL: This new procedure was one of the most exciting Dr. Garcia discussed. A technique using a mix

Guests: Coaches, Dori Bennett, and Scott Laigo. Topics: CFB Playoffs are set, thoughts on the season, Manny Diaz speaks out and Marcus Freeman's era has begun. Podcast: NYSEA radio on Spotify, Apple, iheart, Audacy, and many other platforms. The college football regular season has come to an end. After an abbreviated and in some cases tumultuous season, this past year turned out to be a remarkable one. We discuss what stood out the most for us this 2021 football season. The Playoffs are set, and we decide to have a little fun of what if as we discuss matchups and winners if they had included a 12-team playoff system. After little suspense or discretion, Miami has hired Mario Cristobal and the new era has begun in Miami-Dade County. As the former Hurricane returns to where his football career began. Their former coach Manny Diaz spoke glowingly of his players and the program but was not happy about how this process went down. Congratulations to all the Heisman nominees. It’s been a tremendous season. --- Su

Congratulations To Dr. Grant Garcia recognized as Washington’s 2021 Top Doctors On December 4, 2018, the NHL Board of Governors approved expansion for the city of Seattle.  The three years that followed saw the construction of the Climate Pledge Arena, 32,000 ticket deposits, a new Kraken Community Iceplex, and a generation of new hockey fans. This new boom has thousands of new fans learning to ice skate and how to play hockey. A sport that is fun for the entire family to enjoy. Dr. Grant Garcia discusses common injuries related to this sport and how to minimize them. Listen in before you lace up those skates! As the great De La Soul said… “Hold back up the track, grab your rollerskates y'all And let's zip on by Zip-a-de-doo-dah, let's zip on by” Also, don’t forget to grab your protective gear and get out there and play. Let’s get Kraken! --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/nyseasportstalk/support