ORLANDO, Fla. — The Special Olympics USA Games are underway in Central Florida, and athletes from all over the country are going after the gold.
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At ESPN Wide World of Sports, where some of the biggest competitions are underway this week including track and field, basketball and powerlifting, there is a massive medical team dedicated to keeping athletes healthy and safe.
Dr. Michael Jablonski is an orthopedic surgeon at OrlandoHealth and the chief medical officer for the Special Olympics USA Games. He said part of the mission includes getting athletes the right individual care.
“We have hundreds just here. We have 12 physicians, multiple athletic trainers, nurses … providing this excellent care,” he said. “Even before the games, all 5,000 athletes had their medical history downloaded, which included any very specific medical problem, which (is) very unique to this population.”
All of the medical professionals have access to that data through an app, giving them a vital tool in keeping the athletes healthy.
“So if some athlete has an issue, whether large or small, we can pull up on this app their medical history, medications, history (and) have real-time data so we can make sure we know what’s going on,” Jablonski said.
That care extends beyond ESPN Wide World of Sports, with similar operations at every venue hosting events this week.
READ: Hundreds of Special Olympics athletes gearing up for summer games in Central Florida
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