Nationwide Children's Westerville Sports Medicine and Orthopedic Center

09/06/2025

🏈 GO BUCKS! Meet Juliana. 👋 This sweet OSU fan is excited to cheer on her favorite team and so are we!

09/05/2025

👋 Meet Alaina.

In November of 2023, Alaina fell out of a jump during ballet practice. She experienced pain immediately that continued to worsen over the next month as she danced through 23 performances of The Nutcracker. The following January, her pain had not subsided, and she was diagnosed with post traumatic Achilles tendinopathy. Alaina began physical therapy but when she found that she was not getting better, she visited her doctor again, this time to get an MRI.

The news was not what she expected. Alaina had built up fluid in the back of her ankle and had a stress injury in her talus bone along with a posterior ankle impingement. She was placed in a boot for four weeks and took an additional two weeks off from ballet.

Following her diagnosis, she began to work with Nationwide Children's Performing Arts Medicine Program and physical therapist, Aimee Heslop to regain her strength.
Alaina shares, "I slowly came back to ballet with help from Aimee. I graduated from physical therapy in May of 2024 and completely recovered from the injury."

Unfortunately, Alaina began to experience pain again. A second MRI showed the pain was caused by os trigonum, an extra bone behind her ankle. Between 15-30% of people have an os trigonum and repetitive stress on the ankle from activities like pointe can injure this extra bone.

After trying cortisone injections unsuccessfully, Alaina was scheduled for surgery in October 2024. The surgery was a success! She once again began working with our Performing Arts Medicine Program following surgery and has now completely recovered and is pain free!

Alaina shares, "Physical therapy and working with the Performing Arts Medicine Program was so helpful. I appreciated always having Aimee in my corner through the ups and downs of recovery and the exercises helped me regain my strength in a way that I felt confident in returning to ballet at the level I was before the injury!"

Learn more about our Performing Arts Medicine Program: https://bit.ly/467CGr0.

09/05/2025

Welcome to the Fetal Care Unit at Nationwide Children’s! Here we care for mom and baby following a fetal procedure or scheduled delivery.

Learn more about fetal care at Nationwide Children's: https://bit.ly/3UnvFOf.

09/04/2025

Parents: Watch the video below for 5 signs your teen might be sleep deprived. 😴

Does this sound like your child? If your teen could use better sleep, follow these tips from our expert:

1️⃣ Create a sleep-friendly environment: Aim for a cool, dark and quiet room and consider using a sleep mask or white noise machine.

2️⃣ Cooler temperatures are key! Lower bedroom temperatures to help your body dip in temperature for better sleep.

3️⃣ Prioritize homework wisely. Handle work on a computer or laptop early to avoid bright lights affecting sleep and save pencil and paper homework for later in the evening.

09/04/2025

🎉 Congratulations to the Nationwide Children’s Burn Center team who recently received their 8th reverification as an American Burn Association (ABA) Verified Pediatric Burn Center!

This recognition means more than just a badge of honor, it confirms that our Burn Center meets the highest standards of care for pediatric burn patients, from initial treatment through rehabilitation and recovery.

We’re incredibly proud to celebrate this milestone with our amazing team, whose dedication makes this achievement possible, and with our inspiring patients, who remind us every day why we do what we do!

09/03/2025

Honored to celebrate Dr. Scott Harper from the Jerry R. Mendell Center for Gene Therapy as the first recipient of the Brian and Rita Kaspar Endowed Chair in Gene Therapy!

An endowed chair represents one of the most prestigious recognitions in academic research as an enduring tribute that secures a legacy of excellence for generations. We are grateful to the Kaspar family for their generosity which will make a difference in the future of gene therapy. 🦋

09/03/2025

September is NICU Awareness Month! 💚 Come behind the scenes for a tour of a typical NICU room with NICU nurse, Mikara!

As one the largest neonatal centers in the nation, Nationwide Children's cares for more than 3,000 babies each year. Learn more about the care we provide: https://bit.ly/443c9Kf.

09/02/2025

Did you know September is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month? Hear from Dr. Nicholas Yeager, Section Chief for the Division of Hematology, Oncology, and Bone Marrow Transplant: “I enjoy learning about my patients, who they are and their hopes and dreams. I love seeing kids ring the bell at the end of their chemotherapy journey. These kids inspire me each and every day. They keep me energized and give me purpose!”

09/02/2025

👋 Meet Michael! At 10-years-old, he spends his time playing his favorite sports, basketball and soccer. But his toughest opponent can be found off the field – Hirschsprung disease.

Michael was diagnosed with Hirschsprung disease shortly after birth. After enduring numerous surgeries, his health deteriorated and in 2021 his parents sought out Dr. Richard Wood and the Nationwide Children's Center for Colorectal and Pelvic Reconstruction.

Dr. Wood and his team provide individualized care for patients with Hirschsprung disease and following two successful surgical interventions, Michael returned home to recover!

Michael’s mom shares, “We are forever grateful for all that was done for Michael and everyone who touched our lives!”

Learn more about our unique approach to caring for patients with Hirschsprung disease: https://bit.ly/3US7Qhe

09/01/2025

We hope everyone has a safe and fun Labor Day! In the event you need our services, check out our Labor Day Urgent Care hours below. ⬇️ Our Emergency Rooms on Main Campus and in Lewis Center are open 24/7. For directions to all of our locations, visit: https://bit.ly/3pdyj9O.

08/31/2025

🐝 Have you been fending off yellow jackets lately? Whether you are allergic or not, it is best to avoid being stung, and the best way to keep from getting stung is to outsmart them! Here are the top 5 ways to do just that ➡️ https://bit.ly/4bbAjnB

5 ways to outsmart a yellow jacket.

08/30/2025

🏈 LET'S GO BUCKS! ⭕-H!

All across campus, the Nationwide Children's team is ready to cheer on the Buckeyes this afternoon!