| ON THE COVER
For Gordon, the Ozzie Smith Regenerative Medicine Center is just as valuable a part of his competitive war bag as Lady Luck and a lot more dependable.
IMAC Regenerative Clinic. “When we started treating Colt, our first bronc rider, our staff unilaterally decided that these guys were truly a different breed.”
“In 2016, I pulled my groin badly,” Gordon recalled. “I wanted to ride at the PRCA Permit Challenge in Las Vegas, but knew that injury would hold me back.”
Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP) therapy is simply a matter of drawing the patient’s blood then spinning it down in a centrifuge to concentrate it. It’s then reintroduced to the injury site where it goes to work accelerating and enhancing the healing process.
“My mom heard about the work they’re doing at Ozzie Smith Clinic that is non-invasive, speeds proper healing and provides fast relief,” said Gordon. “She made the call, told them my story and they got me in fast. By December, the pain was gone, my range of motion and flexibility was back to normal and I was ready to give it everything.” Doctors at Ozzie Smith Clinic routinely treat professional athletes in and around the sporting city if St. Louis. Their first experience with professional cowboys came when million dollar futurity barrel racer, Lance Graves presented himself for treatment after Tandy Freeman had closed his shoulder promptly after opening it. Freeman apologized to the groggy cowboy in the recovery room, saying the shoulder was done, his career was over. He’d never seen such a miserable mess in his long history of successfully returning rough stock athletes to high level competition. Today, Graves is functioning at 100%. “We saw a whole new level of toughness in Lance that made us reset the bar regarding what we know about professional athletes and stoicism,” said Doug Bouldin of Ozzie Smith
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“It was an honor to treat Colt at our IMAC facility in St. Louis. Knowing his goal was to be healthy enough to compete in Las Vegas, we went to work immediate to help reduce his pain. As a supporting therapy, our staff developed a plan to strengthen his leg and send him back into competition in the best competitive shape possible,” said Bouldin. “Having barrel racer, “Elaine Duff on staff gives us tremendous insight into the relentless nature of the world of class rodeo athletes.” “The combination of our regenerative techniques and the fact that our staff possesses the same competitive drive as the athletes we serve helps us provide an edge that traditional medicine cannot offer,” Bouldin said. “Colt’s undeniable toughness and our professional staff of healers made a perfect combination for success.” “I love those guys in St. Louis,” Gordon said. “Now, other bronc riders, Brody Cress, for instance, have incorporated them into their competitive health regimens. They keep us going strong, I highly recommend them.”
Colt Gordon and Native Fringe of Dakota Rodeo Company.