wellness +
fitness
Howard Head Sports Medicine Here for Us By Sandy Ferguson Fuller
Howard + Marty Head
22
“
Life can turn on a dime.” Like mine. A familiar quote without impact, until it happens. For me it was last June while on a local hike with my dog, Piney, to enjoy some wildflowers. One hour later, a trail rescue (hats off to locals Barry Davis and Kady Warble for being first on the scene and to Vail Fire Department for getting me out safely), followed by emergency surgery. A freak, severe injury to my leg required four-and-a-half hours of skilled repair (thank you, Dr. Max Seiter of Vail Summit Orthopedics) and a 10-day hospital stay (kudos, Vail Health). My mountain summer plans evaporated; instead, I faced months of physical rehab and a revised goal — to get back to what I love to do most. That’s precisely the mission of Howard Head Sports Medicine (HHSM) — “To return people to their previous activity levels using the most advanced care, comprehensive education and latest research.” I fit right in! I joined countless patients who have benefitted from the outstanding care and services offered by this valuable organization. As a Vail local, I knew about HHSM; I actually knew Howard and Marty Head as a kid in the 1960s. But until I landed prone in their P.T. room totally by accident, I had no clue what a valuable resource this facility provides our community. I need to share their story. Howard Head was foremost an inventor, an aeronautical engineer who revolutionized both skiing and tennis equipment. The clinic that bears his name celebrates this: “The Spirit of Innovation.” He believed that anyone can achieve sporting goals and that “the best inventions come from people who are deeply involved in solving a problem.” Driven by Howard and Marty’s vision and funding, the first facility opened in 1987 with a few therapists and an experimental practice, followed in 1990 by the grand opening of a full clinic in a new location. For over 30 years, HHSM has continued to expand its expertise, technology, research and professional staff. A part of Vail Health, currently they support 10 mountain locations in Summit and Eagle Counties. Their international reputation attracts patients worldwide.
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