CLEVELAND — We all know the physical risks of the gridiron. Every season, we see football players suffer serious injuries, so it's not surprising that every team has its own doctor on the sidelines.
Dr. James Voos has been part of the Browns since 2014, when the orthopedic surgeon became their team doctor. He's passionate, not only about protecting pro athletes, but also about learning how their experiences can help everyday patients.
"It hits from several directions, and one is in the operating room as we develop new surgical procedures to help our athletes get back out on the field, we're able to utilize those same procedures with our weekend Warriors and everyday patients that may have had an injury," Voos said.
Besides his duties with the Browns, Voos holds several other job titles. For instance, he currently serves as chairman of the orthopedics departments at University Hospitals and Case Western Reserve University, which includes overseeing their renowned orthopedic training programs and research divisions.
He's also vice president of the NFL Physicians Society, the elite group of doctors who care for 1,600 professional football players across 32 teams. Next year, he becomes president, and says the biggest game changer he's witnessed during his time with the organization is how pro sports medical care has shifted its focus.
"The NFL and all of professional sports have done a great job really thinking about the whole player and being much more proactive and preventative than reactive," Voos explained. "I think that's really helped our players perform in a much healthier environment."
Voos' position as chair of orthopedic surgery at UH helps him with dozens of research projects, because he's also focused on the science of sport and how research can predict the future.
"This is a wonderful time to be in sports medicine," he told 3News. "So many advancements with wearable technology, with biologics and stem cells, with all of our rules changes — everyone's really engaged in helping our athletes play a safer game and lengthen their careers."
And everything he learns on the field may one day help future athletes perform better and safer.
By doing that at the professional level now, we can counsel our high schools and colleges how to better develop their practices or design their practices to reduce those injuries with their athletes," he said.
