BRADENTON, Fla. — Sports medicine specialist and orthopedic surgeon Dr. Daniel Lamar with Coastal Orthopedics recently traveled to the NFL Scouting Combine to help evaluate players as a sports medicine physician and an orthopedic consultant for the Tennessee Titans.
More than 300 prospects participated in the 2018 combine, Feb. 27 through March 5, at the Indiana Convention Center in Indianapolis, Ind. Dr. Lamar, along with two other orthopedic surgeons for the Titans, were responsible for thoroughly evaluating each player from a physical standpoint.
With the majority of the players having suffered minor, if not major, injuries at least once during their college careers, it was up to Dr. Lamar to help the Tennessee Titans identify whether or not the players will be able to perform next-level playing based on the results of their physical examinations.
“With the difficult drills and the tangibles you see on television, you know these athletes can play football,” said Dr. Lamar. “The general manager and the coaches rely on us to helping them understand whether or not a player is healthy enough to draft. It’s a unique experience because you’re truly functioning in a team capacity in this role.”
Beginning Feb. 28, Dr. Lamar spent four days evaluating each player’s muscular skeletal system with a particular emphasis on hips, shoulders, knees and any other joints that could have been injured. Following the evaluation, each player received a grade from a physical health perspective.
The physical examination is one of the pieces that Titans Executive Vice President and General Manager Jon Robinson and his staff will take into consideration when deciding whether or not to select a player during the 2018 NFL Draft at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas from April 26-28. Every year, Dr. Lamar typically finds a few things that will more than likely eliminate a player from being considered, but for the most part, it’s about calculating risk and determining whether or not a player can perform with long- term results.
In addition to conducting physical examinations, Dr. Lamar also attended the NFL Physician Society’s annual meeting where team physicians discussed player safety and injuries and reviewed research topics.
“These meetings are always great because there’s a lot of camaraderie and ideas with physicians who are at the top of their game,” said Dr. Lamar.
Dr. Lamar is in the end of his second year with the Titans. Prior to joining the Titans, Dr. Lamar served as an orthopedic surgeon for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for 10 years. In his role as an orthopedic consultant, Dr. Lamar attends Titans games, the team’s training camp, the NFL Scouting Combine and the NFL Draft.
In addition, Dr. Lamar also is a sports medicine physician for the Pittsburgh Pirates, Baltimore Orioles, U.S. Soccer, IMG Academy, the Premier Sports Campus, Manatee High School and several other local high schools.
“I enjoy sports,” said Dr. Lamar, who was a wide receiver and kickoff and punt returner for Davidson College. “Participation at this level as a doctor forces me to remain very current. It’s intellectually challenging and there’s a pressure to it that I appreciate.”
About Coastal Orthopedics
Founded in 1973 and based in Bradenton, Fla., Coastal Orthopedics is home to 18 orthopedic surgeons and pain management physicians who maintain hospital affiliations with Blake Medical Center, Manatee Memorial Hospital and Lakewood Ranch Medical Center. In addition to three offices and two ambulatory surgery centers each serving Florida’s West Coast, Coastal Orthopedics’ board-certified and fellowship-trained physicians and surgeons provide patients with the very latest in pain and orthopedic treatment technology. The company strives to repair and heal injuries relating to the entire musculoskeletal system. For more than 40 years, our highly skilled staff of physicians and surgeons has treated patients in specialty care including sports medicine, joint replacement, pain management and rehabilitation. Patients can experience restoration of function both surgically and non-surgically through the use of physician-guided strengthening, therapy, medications, injections and stretching. For more information, please visit CoastalOrthopedics.com or call 941-792-1404.