Key points from today’s guests:

Cohen Gunn, youth baseball player, treated for little league shoulder & torn thumb ligament

• As a 16-year-old baseball player, Cohen has his sites set on playing beyond high school, but he was injured twice with sports-related injuries.
• In eighth grade, he hurt his shoulder working out on the field. After recovering from that, he tore a thumb ligament playing dodgeball.
• He was very determined to follow his rehab plan and get back to baseball, but it was very difficult for him to sit out and watch his teammates play when he could not.
• He and his mom are grateful for the coaching and rehab from The University of Kansas Health System team in Great Bend, especially Dr. Jake Thompson, who they requested specifically due to his expertise and past experience as a baseball player.
• Cohen is back to 100 percent now and is preparing for this upcoming baseball season.

Dr. Jake Thompson, regional manager, Rehabilitation Services, The University of Kansas Health System in Great Bend

• When it comes to “little league shoulder,” it means there is too much stress for young bones to handle, especially the growth plate.
• It was not a fracture in Cohen’s case, but it could have gotten to that point.
• It’s an overuse injury and it can have long-lasting effects, especially if untreated.
• No surgery was needed for the shoulder, just rehab. But for the thumb injury, that did require surgery.
• It's always better to be proactive versus reactive. If anybody has questions about how to progress through something or make sure they're doing specific exercises right, that's what our rehab professionals are for.
• We're here to help every athlete with whatever their goals are.
• Cohen is a prime example of showing the dedication that it takes to get back to the level that you want to be.

Dr. Tom Dagg, family medicine & sports medicine specialist, The University of Kansas Health System in Great Bend

• A lot of ligaments will heal on their own just by scarring back together, but the problem with the UCL in the thumb is sometimes that tendon can get in the way.
• There's actually a tendon that comes through there, the adductor tendon, which allows us to add up to the thumb, basically move it in.
• And that tendon can actually get in the way of that ligament from healing.

Dr. Dana Hawkinson, medical director, Infection Prevention & Control, The University of Kansas Health System

• Wastewater testing for COVID has shown a recent spike, meaning there is high circulation.
• We will have to wait for the next available test results to see if that was the peak or if it is still increasing.
• ED visits for COVID are decreasing slightly.
• Last week, the FDA approved the new fall COVID vaccines. The recommendation is for everyone who is six months and older to get this new, updated vaccine.
• It is OK to take both the COVID vaccine and flu vaccine at the same time.

Tuesday, Aug. 27 at 8 a.m. is the next Morning Medical Update. Dr. Gregory Poland, director, Vaccine Research Group at Mayo Clinic, joins us as we look back at four years of COVID and discusses the future of infectious diseases.

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