SACO — Southern Maine Health Center has expanded its services to include a sports performance center.
The SMHC Sports Performance Center opened Nov. 3 on the first floor of the former Saco Central Fire Station at 12 Thornton Ave.
The sports performance center provides services for both children and adults, including performance training, sports medicine, sports related physical therapy and sports medicine.
At a ribbon cutting ceremony held at the new center Thursday night, Orthopedic Surgeon and Medical Director of the SMHC Sports Performance Center David Johnson said a 45-year-old “weekend warrior” or a high school athlete could go to the center to help recover from an injury or an athlete could go there for indurance training to maximize their performance.
The new center also includes a concussion management program.
Johnson, who is the team doctor for a number of local school athletic teams, said there was a need in the area for a centralized location for the types of programs offered at the new facility.
SMHC Sports Center Director and physical therapist Mike Hersey said the center has been busier than expected.
SMHC Sports Center Manager and athletic trainer Rick Sirois said the center does not offer “cookie cutter” services but instead individualizes them to the specific customer.
“We maximize the you,” he said.
SMHC President Ed McGeachey said the center is consistent with the agency’s mission of providing health care and improving the health of the community.
“Athletes of all ages have unique needs and the SMHC Sports Performance Center provides integrated, state-of-the-art training, technology and clinical expertise backed by the full spectrum of SMHC’s award-winning medical services to help athletes reach their peak performance or get back into competition again,” said McGeachey.
McGeachey said the agency hopes to develop similar programs in other communities in the future.
— Staff Writer Liz Gotthelf can be contacted at 282-1535, ext. 325 or [email protected].
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