It’s no stretch to say that folks in the Black Hills are active. The endless outdoor exercise options as well as passionate fan bases for numerous sporting activities means there is no shortage of teams, games and tournaments throughout the region.
Where you’ll find the most exciting sports action, you’ll likely find Monument Health Orthopedics and Sports Medicine providing expert medical assistance to the region’s premier athletes.
“We are the largest integrated Orthopedics and Sports Medicine provider in our community,,” said Shawn Mechling, Supervisor Sports Medicine with Monument Health Orthopedics and Sports Medicine. “Sports is such a big part of the local culture here, and it’s very gratifying to be able to play the role we do for local athletes.”
The presence of staff on the sidelines during games, practices and training is a service Monument Health provides at no charge to its partner school districts and universities.
The Sports Medicine Team is responsible for establishing and maintaining the performance programs for the athletes of these schools. Trainers and coaches establish programs with three major goals in mind: improving athletic performance, reducing athletic injuries and teaching lifelong fitness and movement skills.
“We provide services to 10 area high schools and three area universities. We cover large scale rodeos like the Black Hills Roundup, Days of ’76 Rodeo and Rodeo Rapid City,” said Shawn. “One of the best things about living and working in the Black Hills is being part of such a sports-centric community and serving these area athletes while watching them perform and develop.”
Monument Health’s Athletic Training Team is composed of 22 Certified Athletic Trainers and 11 Strength and Conditioning Coaches. With two primary locations in Rapid City and Spearfish and clinic outreach in other communities, including Sturgis, Monument Health has the largest comprehensive athletic medicine and performance program in the area.
The life of an athlete has its uncertainties — wins and losses, injury and recovery. In the Black Hills, athletes can always count on the caregivers of the Monument Health Sports Medicine Team. Whether that means working with athletes during training to reduce the possibility of injury, on the sidelines during a game or recovery post-injury, Monument Health Sports Medicine is a constant in the lives of athletes in the Black Hills.
Pictured: Northern Hills (left), Southern Hills (right)
Monument Health Orthopedics and Sports Medicine
1635 Caregiver Circle
Rapid City, SD 57702
(605) 755-6100
Monument Health Orthopedics and Sports Medicine
2479 East Colorado Boulevard
Spearfish, SD 57783
(605) 644-4460
monument.health/sportsmedicine