Resurgens Orthopaedics Surgeon Works With American Le Mans Racing Series
Racing is a physically demanding sport that requires a high level of physical fitness, says Resurgens Orthopaedics surgeon Dr. Philip G. Ploska. Dr. Ploska has been a fan of racing since childhood and serves as an orthopaedic surgeon for the American Le Mans Series.
Started in 1999 by Georgia-based businessman Donald Panoz, the American Le Mans Series is based on the famous 24-hour race in La Mans, France, and consists of a series of endurance and sprint races that vary in length from 1 hour, 40 minutes to 12 hours.
Calling racing "a huge test of endurance," Dr. Ploska cites the temperature of 130-140 degrees inside a racecar as well as the G-force pressure on the drivers as they accelerate at high speeds. "It's quite physical. The drivers really work hard to stay in shape," he said.
"You really have to be an athlete to race. You have to have a strong cardiovascular ability and you have to be in shape to handle the G-forces," he says. G-force is a measure of force based on the rate of acceleration in relation to the earth's gravitational pull on an object.
Treating drivers at the track is much more hands-on than office visits, Dr. Ploska says, explaining that during a race, the doctors have to rely on a driver's history and a physical exam rather than waiting on an MRI or other test. "We have to be able to quickly determine whether they are able to return to the track during a race. We don't have an MRI on the track; we can't say, ‘have an MRI and come back tomorrow.' We have to make a split second decision about their injuries."
Most of the injuries Dr. Ploska sees are neck and spine injuries, including sprains and strains. "We have two athletic trainers on site to keep the drivers in shape. Anyone who says it isn't a sport should try it sometime."
"Your neck gets slammed around and there are a lot of muscles involved to keep yourself in the same position. Your entire lumbar spine has to be in shape," he said.
In addition to treating the drivers and the crew at four or five of the Le Mans races each year, Dr. Ploska races whenever he has an opportunity. He calls Road Atlanta his home track where he has driven as well as at Watkins Glen in New York and Barber Motorsports track in Birmingham. Another of his favorite tracks is the Leguna Seca Raceway in California.
Dr. Ploska has been working with the Le Mans series since 2001. He began by taking racing classes at Road Atlanta and met a number of people who opened the doors for his work with Le Mans.
One of Dr. Ploska's patients at Resurgens is the well-known Le Mans driver, Johnny O'Connell, a member of the Corvette racing team who lives in Flowery Branch, GA.
Dr. Ploska is a board-certified orthopaedic surgeon, and he practices at the Resurgens Griffin and Henry offices. His areas of expertise include disorders of the spine, spine surgery, arthroscopic surgery, occupational injuries, and joint replacement.
Resurgens Orthopaedics, Georgia's largest orthopaedic practice, has 20 offices and six surgery centers throughout metro Atlanta. With 93 physicians, Resurgens provides specialized expertise and broad experience in the areas of sports medicine, joint replacement, neck and back surgery, foot and ankle surgery, non-operative spine care, general orthopaedics, hand surgery, arthroscopic surgery, epidural steroid injection, and trauma care. Resurgens provides comprehensive musculoskeletal care in a single location, from injury diagnosis and treatment to rehabilitation services. Learn more at http://www.resurgens.com/.
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