Youth Sports Medicine Program

We deliver major league care for the young athlete

Our leading experts who treat and meet the highest standards for professional and elite athletes, will deliver the same major league care to keep your young athlete performing at their best.

We serve a community that is in perpetual motion year-round. The region is one of the most active populations in the world with more children through teens, participating in year-round, organized sports and activities. Injuries to these young athletes are on the rise, now running in the millions annually, nationwide.

Injuries and conditions of the bones, muscles, ligaments, tendons, and joints experienced by young athletes can be very different than with adult patients. Also, children and teens are not small adults and highly unlikely to speak out or advocate for themselves about the health problems that they may be experiencing.

Having a Pediatric Sports Medicine specialist on the athlete’s team will help families learn and navigate the care for sports-related injuries in coordination with their pediatrician and other medical providers. Led by doctors who also serve as team physicians and specialists for the L.A. Galaxy, Angels, Rams, Rugby Football Club, Angel City FC and Anaheim Ducks, our team of sports medicine physicians and network of specialists and physical therapists, work with young athletes of all ages to minimize the risk of injury and time away from sports.

Caring For Your Young Athlete

We are world leaders in the diagnosis and treatment of sports injuries and overuse conditions in athletes of all ages. The program features our board-certified physicians, dually trained in sports medicine and pediatrics and a network of specialists and physical therapists, working with young athletes of all ages to minimize the risk of injury and time away from sports. Led by doctors who also serve as physicians for professional and collegiate teams, we focus on evidence-based diagnostics, prevention, physical therapy, pain management, and when necessary, the latest surgical techniques. Our team tailors a young athlete’s care to integrate professional athlete level medical attention and address their specific need to prevent injury and maximize recovery , and return-to-sport to keep your young athlete performing at their best whether they’re on the court, field, track, ice, stage, pool, or open water.

Treating Common Injuries in Young Athletes

The Youth Sports Medicine Program at the Cedars-Sinai Kerlan-Jobe Institute, takes a comprehensive approach to treating pediatric sports injuries, including these commonly diagnosed sports injuries in young active athletes:

Sprains and strains
Concussions
Overuse injuries
Dislocations

Cartilage injuries
Bone fractures
Stress and minor fractures and avulsions

Ligament injuries
Apophysitis/growth plate injuries
Tendinitis

Features of the Program & Services

Fracture management with same-day X-rays, splinting and casting for broken bones
Surgeons dually trained in pediatric orthopedic surgery and sports medicine
Fellowship trained primary care sports medicine experts in concussion intervention, diagnosis, baseline cognitive testing, guidance, and return-to-play evaluations
Diagnostic services including X-ray, MRI, CT scan, musculoskeletal ultrasound
Sports medicine physical therapy services both on-site and through Cedars Sinai network of partners designed for return-to-play clearance and injury prevention

Seven accessible clinics locations in the greater Los Angeles and Orange County region
Immediate care (walk-in) service in select locations
Motion and Sports Performance Laboratory equipped with dynamic motion-capture technology that measures and records the force and motion of joints, helping us make data-driven, customized recommendations to help improve performance, prevent injuries, and recover quickly and safely.

Sports Neurology consultations and cognitive performance assessment and optimization
Comprehensive care for female athlete, to address the unique requirements and common injuries or illnesses
Consultation in pain management and treatments
Injury Prevention Education events taught by our specialist and physical therapists for primary care providers, parents, athletic directors, coaches and athletic trainers and athletes
Young athlete clinical trials focused on understanding how well different treatments work for youth sports injuries develop new programs and initiate research studies for sports-related conditions
Collaboration with Cedar Sinai Guerin Children’s specialists outside of sports medicine to provide young athletes with comprehensive support, including spine and back injury treatments. Read more about Guerin Children’s services here.
Motion and Sports Performance Laboratory equipped with dynamic motion-capture technology

Committed to Community Partnerships, Research and Education

We pioneer research for sports injury prevention and rehabilitation, and bridge partnerships within our communities by providing injury prevention and sports medicine education needed to help young athletes, parents and coaches maintain safe healthy routines.
We offer our communities, educational information from a multitude of clinical studies on sports injuries in young and developing athletes. Our team of physicians actively engage in research to ensure our young patients receive the best treatment, based on scientific evidence and the resources to a provide safe returns to their sports.
We are proud to be the health resource, and sports medicine/orthopaedic partner of multiple youth sport organizations and over a dozen LA and OC area high schools.

Our Youth Sports Medicine Program Specialists

Carlos A. Uquillas, MD

Brian M. Schulz, MD

Natasha Trentacosta, MD

Tracy L. Zaslow, M.D.

Joshua Scott, MD

Vernon Williams, MD

Ilan Danan, MD

Complete List of Sports Medicine Specialists

View List Here

Access Program Locations

The Youth Sports Medicine Program is offered at multiple location throughout the Greater Los Angeles region. We provide advanced digital imaging capabilities, accessible patient electronic health record system within inviting environments.

Los Angeles – Howard Hughes Center / LAX
Los Angeles – Beverly Grove

Orange County
Pasadena
Marina del Rey

Santa Monica
Tarzana

Educational and Prevention Resources

CAP Program

Kerlan-Jobe Core strengthening, Agility and Plyometrics (CAP) exercise regimen is a 10 step pre-warm up regimen for reducing injury and enhancing performance. To Learn more about how to organize a C.A.P. program for your school or team sport, contact karen.ladnier@cskerlanjobe.org or Karen Ladnier at 310-665-7129.

CAP Program Exercises

Pitch Smart Program Guide – Youth Pitching Mechanics

The Pitch Smart guidelines include age-specific pitching limits and required rest recommendations to limit the likelihood of injuries caused by overuse and incorrect pitching mechanics.

Institute and AYSO Partnership on Female Injury Prevention

Institute physicians specializing in treating teen and adolescent female athletes discuss evidence-based injury prevention education and training measures that will lower risk of injuries among this active pediatric population.

View Here