When skills and passions align, incredible things can happen. That’s how Dr. Daryl C. Osbahr, a Rothman Orthopaedics sports medicine surgeon who operates at AdventHealth in Polk County, ended up as the official physician for the USA Men’s Baseball team.
“Through my past sports experiences, I learned the value of passion, excellence, leadership and team-building — these attributes provided the foundation for my path to orthopaedic sports medicine,” said Dr. Osbahr.
Since 2013, Dr. Osbahr has served as a USA Baseball team physician and as a member of USA Baseball’s medical and safety advisory committee. He has also been an orthopedic consultant for the Washington Nationals and the Atlanta Braves.
Now, he’s caring for Team USA at the Olympics.
“Although I have been honored to be a physician for a number of professional teams and elite athletes, there is no greater honor than being selected to be a representative of your country!”
Here’s how this amazing honor came about:
How to Be a Team USA Physician
Dr. Osbahr is part of National Governing Bodies (NGBs) that oversee specific sports, including USA Baseball and US Soccer. That’s what gave him the opportunity to be selected as a member of an Olympic team and provide health care to the athletes. “In my role as Co-Chief Medical Officer and Head Orthopedic Surgeon of USA Baseball, I was honored to be selected as a team physician for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.”
Preparing for the Olympics
In order to serve as a physician to Olympians, experience and expertise are essential. Dr. Osbahr has many years of experience serving the best athletes in various sports from professional to youth players. A wide range of experiences and outcomes from victorious to disappointing all worked together to prepare him for this moment.
“All of my past experiences have ultimately provided me with knowledge and training to be prepared to help our Team USA athletes not only stay healthy, but also provide them with world-class medical care when needed,” Dr. Osbahr explains.
What Types of Injuries are Treated at the Olympics?
While the ultimate hope is that no medical attention would be needed, accidents and injuries do happen.
“In baseball,” says Dr. Osbahr, “we often see shoulder and elbow injuries, especially in pitchers, as well as soft-tissue injuries, including muscle-tendon injuries. Our hope will be that we have success in Tokyo and win the gold medal while also coming back healthy!”
Words of Wisdom
What’s Dr. Osbahr’s approach to providing the best care to our nation’s best athletes? He keeps in mind three “A’s” of high-level sports medicine: accessibility, affability and ability.
“These attributes have to be second-nature to health care providers who provide medical care for athletes on the road,” says Dr. Osbahr. “One must remember that you are a member of the team, and every member of the team must be a ‘jack of all trades’ to assist in every role necessary to help the team achieve the ultimate goal of success on the field.”
Dr. Osbahr is passionate about sports medicine largely because of his own experience with several personal sports injuries in his youth. That exposure provided a framework for his development as an orthopedic sports medicine surgeon. Now he enjoys helping others perform their best.
"I have been blessed and honored to be part of the journey back to the field for so many other athletes including youth, high school, college, professional, Olympic, weekend warrior and master athletes,” he says.
With Dr. Osbahr’s world-class expertise, experience and team-player spirit, we can rest assured that Team USA Men’s Baseball is in good hands.
To learn more about Dr. Osbahr’s experience in Tokyo, check out his full-length interview on Rothman Orthopaedics’ recent podcast.
AdventHealth and Rothman Orthopaedics
Together, AdventHealth and Rothman Orthopaedics are creating a groundbreaking network to be the new gold standard in quality, innovation, research and whole-person care. This visionary partnership raises the bar for orthopedic services, including:
- Arthritis and osteoporosis care
- Elbow and hand treatments
- Fracture care
- Joint replacement
- Reconstruction of the knee
- Reconstruction of the shoulder
With our combined expertise, our team provides the best orthopedic care for every patient, close to home in Central Florida.
