Orthopaedic Sports Medicine with Dr. John Zavala

Orthopedic sports medicine doctors are crucial in keeping athletes and active individuals at the top of their game. They specialize in diagnosing and treating orthopedic problems arising from sports injuries, overuse, or general wear and tear. Having a goal of getting their patients back to their active lifestyles, what are some ways doctors can quickly and safely help athletes regain their range of motion and achieve optimal health and performance?

In this episode, Shannon sits with Dr. John Zavala, an Orthopaedic Surgeon at the Orthopaedic Specialists of Dallas. Specializing in the diagnosis and treatment of orthopedic problems, Dr. Zavala speaks about what it means to be a sports medicine doctor, how joint and knee replacements have evolved over the years, and what sets orthopedics surgery apart from other practices.

Dr. Zavala earned his medical degree from the University of Texas–Southwestern Medical School, where he was elected to the Alpha Omega Alpha honor society. He subsequently completed his Internship and Orthopaedic Surgery Residency at Georgetown University Hospital in Washington, DC. While in residency, he served as administrative chief resident and was elected to participate in the American Orthopaedic Association Resident Leadership Forum. Following his residency training, he was awarded a fellowship in Sports Medicine and Shoulder Reconstruction at the Steadman Hawkins Clinic of the Carolinas under the direction of renowned shoulder surgeon Richard Hawkins. He then completed a mini-fellowship in Ankle and Foot injuries under Angus McBryde at the American Sports Medicine Institute in Birmingham, Alabama.

His research interests have included fixation in anterior cruciate ligament reconstructions, multimodal analgesia in total knee arthroplasty, and complications of reverse shoulder arthroplasty.

Enjoy!

In This Episode

00:42 - Backstory of Dr. John Zavala

01:21 - How Dr. Zavala and Dr. Burney established Orthopaedic Specialists of Dallas

02:43 - What motivated Dr. Zavala to become a doctor and why he chose orthopedics

03:27 - What it means to be a sports medicine doctor

06:41 - Additional practice Dr. Zavala performs besides sports medicine

07:14 - How joint and knee replacements have evolved over the years

10:05 - Cartilage preservation and stem cell therapy

11:16 - The difference between PRP (platelet-rich plasma) and stem cell therapy

15:42 - What sets orthopedics surgery apart from other practices

20:03 - Why being a surgeon is humbling

21:33 - The most rewarding part of working with patients.

Quotes

04:27 - "A lot of sports medicine is just orthopedics. Now, it's tailored more toward treating sports injuries, keeping people active, and keeping people doing the activities they want to do." - Dr. John Zavala

07:14 - "Shoulder replacement patients are some of the happiest because they don't experience that much pain postoperatively and are extremely happy with their functional gains and pain relief after surgery." - Dr. John Zavala

22:09 - "The biggest reward is when you have patients that you get them functional and they can do things they lost the ability to do, and they don't have pain. And for athletes, it's just taking a potential injury that requires surgery and getting them back to doing the sport and activity they love." - Dr. John Zavala

Learn more about Orthopaedic Specialists of Dallas