NORWICH – UHS Chenango Memorial Hospital, in partnership with the Norwich Family YMCA, will host a free educational program focused on helping baseball and softball players stay healthy, strong, and injury-free throughout the season.

The program, titled “Pitch Smart, Play Hard”, will take place at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, April 21, on Court 1 at the Norwich Family YMCA, 68 N. Broad Street in Norwich.

The session will feature Dr. Keith Cordischi, orthopedic surgeon and sports medicine specialist at UHS Orthopedics Norwich, alongside Richard O’Brien, PT, DPT, OCS, of UHS Therapies Norwich. Together, they will share guidance on preventing common shoulder and elbow injuries, improving throwing mechanics, and building strength safely in throwing athletes.

The topic is one that Cordischi, who joined the Medical Staff at UHS Chenango Memorial in January, is passionate about.

During his sports medicine and arthroscopy fellowship, he was involved in the care of minor league players within the Red Sox organization, which provided him with firsthand experience treating competitive throwing athletes.

That experience, he said, reinforced for him the importance of early education and injury prevention, particularly for youth athletes.

“Young athletes are throwing more than ever before, and we’re seeing arm and shoulder injuries at younger ages,” Cordischi explained. “Many of these injuries are preventable with the right mechanics, conditioning, and workload management. Our goal with this program is to give athletes, parents, and coaches practical strategies they can use right away.”

The program is the first of a new series of sports medicine programs Cordischi and his colleagues at UHS Orthopedics and UHS Therapies will be doing throughout the year, working with both the Y and other partners. Future topics will include improving shoulder health for golfers, and avoiding ACL injuries for female athletes.

“This collaboration reflects a shared commitment to athlete wellness and community education, said Jamey Mullen, Executive Director of the Norwich Family YMCA. “We’re excited to have the opportunity to bring trusted medical expertise directly to local athletes and their families.

The program is free and open to the public. For more information, call (607) 337-4510 or email  cmh.foundation@nyuhs.org. Reservations are accepted but not required.

UHS Chenango Memorial Hospital is a member of United Health Services, a locally owned not-for-profit 916-bed hospital and health care system serving the Greater Binghamton region from more than 40 locations around New York’s Southern Tier.

 

- Information from UHS Chenango Memorial Hospital