Easy Reider Podcast: Dr. Bert Mandelbaum on Sports Medicine
The Easy Reider podcast recently interviewed Bert Mandelbaum, MD, vice chair of Network Development at Cedars-Sinai Orthopaedics and Sports Medicine, about his long career in sports medicine and preparing for the LA28 Olympic and Paralympic Games. (Cedars-Sinai is the Official Medical Provider for the LA28 Games.)
Mandelbaum, medical director of the Cedars-Sinai FIFA Medical Centre of Excellence, told podcast host Bruce Reider, MD, that he became fascinated with exercise physiology research early in his career as a surgeon.
He later became known as a “soccer doctor” in Southern California, where he focused on ACL injury prevention as more female patients were coming to him for surgery. This led Mandelbaum to collaborate with colleagues on a neuromuscular training program that reduced ACL injuries in athletes by more than 70%.
“Through systematic reviews and meta-analyses, people now conclude that a majority of ACLs should and can be prevented,” Mandelbaum said.
Having served as a medical officer for nine FIFA World Cups and six Olympic Games, Mandelbaum said he has seen how sport can bring people together because “the sport of life and the life of sport is where humanity sits."
Looking ahead to the LA28 Games, Mandelbaum told Reider a key challenge will be scaling medical coverage across multiple venues and disciplines. However, he is confident in the thousands of healthcare professionals who will support the event, citing their “amazing capability of coming together, harmonizing and creating this convergence and unification.
“And the Games will be an amazing success.”
Listen to the complete episode from the Easy Reider.