For this week’s Making the Rounds, we interviewed Mary Lloyd Ireland, MD, an orthopaedic surgeon with UK Orthopaedic Surgery & Sports Medicine. Dr. Ireland is also a professor in the Department of Orthopaedics and Sports Medicine, specializing in sports medicine.
We recently chatted with Dr. Ireland about how she treats athletes of all ages, what makes UK Orthopaedic Surgery & Sports Medicine stand out and the most rewarding part of her job.
What types of patients do you see?
I see patients of all ages, from eight to 80, maybe 90. They are athletes who are in competitive sports of all types. I'm also seeing more and more active adults who want to remain active, and our goal is to keep them being able to do the things that they enjoy doing, to stay in shape, and to feel good about themselves.
What makes the UK HealthCare sports medicine department stand out?
We feel very capable of taking care of that injured athlete and getting answers quickly. Advanced imaging such as x-rays (and)MRI scans, are immediately available, and we really want the athlete, or the active adult, to come see us because we can take care of them.
If I see an injured athlete, I really like to communicate with them, their family and their coaches, and really tell them what is going to be involved to get them back into the game – whether they need surgery or not, because that's everything to them. And if they have a game plan, they can understand it.
What’s the most rewarding part of your job?
The most rewarding part of my job is to see an injured athlete get back on the field, or to see anybody happy with what I've been able to do to…get them back and allow them to be active physically and also mentally happy.
When you can't move or you're having issues with physical activity, that affects a lot of domains, including the mind. So, if I can see that athlete running on the football field six months, 12 months after his ACL reconstruction, or see an older individual doing overhead activities, whatever they want to do, who's had a rotator cuff repair, that's what really makes me feel like I've made a difference.
Watch our full interview with Dr. Ireland.
