CRMC Celebrates Opening Of New Sports Medicine Facility

Cookeville Regional celebrated the official launch of its new sports medicine center off of South Willow Avenue Wednesday.

Shona Davis Smith is the Director of Therapy Services at CRMC. She said that there has been a huge need for such a facility in the area.

“At outpatient therapy, if you’ve had a stroke, and you need neural rehab that would still be taking place over the outpatient, at the Blue Roof,” Davis Smith said. “But any type of athlete, if you’re a golfer, if you’re an aging athlete, we are here for you. We want to return you back to that game, to what you love doing.”

David Maldonado is a Certified Athletic Trainer and Sports Physical Therapist. He said that the new location allows him more opportunities for treatment through a larger space and more equipment.

Maldonado said that it’s been exciting to have current patients start to use the equipment and feel like they are being more successful in their physical therapy. The facility features a narrow 30 to 40-foot strip of turf that Maldonado can utilize differently during treatments.

“Other surfaces that we can use for active movement patterns that we would be trying to reinforce and improve,” Maldonado said. “A variety of areas both public and private to receive treatment from me, as well as a hodgepodge of various equipment that someone might see and think I don’t know what to do with that. And that’s the great thing, that we get to expand your horizons and realize how we can mimic the type of patterns that you are wanting to use outside this building and put it to use here.”

Maldonado said that he hopes people know that this facility is for everyone, whether you’re a professional athlete or someone who is active or who wants to be active.

“Someone that has that mindset of wanting to be driven and pushed a little bit, this is the perfect place for you,” Maldonado said. “And because of the hospital’s backing, there are a lot resources available where fi you want insurance you can be here. If you don’t want to do that and do just a private pay type of enhancement of your own skills without the formality, that’s also an option. Just a lot of freedom to meet what you’re looking for.”