The life of a professional and collegiate trainer
Did you know that the head physician of the St. Louis Rams also provides services to Wash. U. varsity athletes? His name is Matthew J. Matava, M.D., and he is the head team physician here at Wash. U.
Matava, a St. Louis native, received his six-year medical training at the University of Missouri-Kansas City before completing a five-year orthopedic surgery residency at Emory University in Atlanta. Upon leaving Emory, he interned for one year at the Cincinnati Sports Medicine and Orthopaedic Center, where he completed the training necessary to become a specialist in sports medicine. It was at this time in 1993 when Matava first arrived on the scene at Wash. U.
“I always played sports in St. Louis and always wanted to be a doctor, so it seemed like the best of both worlds,” said Matava. Practicing sports medicine in his hometown was a dream come true for Matava. For 13 years, he has been treating “musculoskeletal problems of athletes” at Wash. U. These varsity athletes range from football players to cheerleaders, or, as Matava puts it, from the “weekend warriors” to the “spirit athletes.” In reality, though, he has only had to treat one cheerleader in his time at the University.
Since 1996, Matava has worked not only as the Bears’ team physician, but as an assistant physician with the St. Louis Blues of the NHL. By 2000, he had become the head physician of the St. Louis Rams, as well.
Work in the NFL has slightly interfered with his role on the Danforth Campus. Whereas in the past, Matava was positioned on the sidelines for every Wash. U. football game, that role has been assumed by his peer, Brian Gruber. He still attends an occasional home game, but his schedule is far busier now, as he generally comes to the University only on Mondays – after work – to treat varsity athletes.
Work as the head physician for an NFL team has clearly become a time priority, as Matava attends Rams’ practice every Wednesday and Thursday afternoon, meets with the players every Saturday morning before games, is with the team all day Sunday and consults injured players and coaches on Mondays after games. One would think that his time as the Rams’ and Blues’ team physician would cause him to downplay the importance of treating Wash. U. Division III athletes, but he has hardly allowed this to divert his attention from Wash. U. athletes.
“Taking care of professional athletes allows me to take better care of collegiate athletes,” said Matava. “I have a range of treatment options available that I have in the past incorporated for a professional athlete.”
Matava has also learned techniques from professional trainers that he uses when caring for collegiate athletes. And, despite the fact that he would appear to be in a position of expertise from which he could provide advice to other trainers of Wash. U. teams, the veteran doctor maintains that he learns “more from Wash. U. trainers about their particular sport than they learn from me.”
Matava is perhaps in a better position than anyone to speak of the difference between sports at Wash. U. and at the professional level.
“At the professional level, it’s a job they are being paid to play,” he said. They are more willing to play through injuries, “as long as playing does not put them at risk for further injury.”
At Wash. U., Matava will not let “a player’s health suffer at the goal of winning a competition or winning a game.” He elaborated that Wash. U. athletes are generally “not looking to go into a career in a professional sport” and have other jobs for which they are preparing. Bears varsity athletes “do not want to put themselves at risk for their future lives with their family.” Showing tremendous respect for the Wash. U. athletes, Matava added, “They are true student athletes: devoted to their sport, but also to their studies.”
Another key difference between the two levels of play is that “in the NFL, a lot of times agents will send players for second opinions,” hoping to receive a diagnosis that permits the player’s soonest possible return to the playing field. At Wash. U., Matava noted, “The athletic director [John Schael] will always and has always supported the decisions we make in regards to the health of a player.” Winning games is a much larger priority in the NFL than at Wash. U., but at both levels, Matava said that he always makes sure to “put the players’ health first,” before any pressures to win.
In balancing his role as a physician for the Blues and Rams with his own medical practice and his family, Matava may not spend as much time at Wash. U. as he has in the past. Still, the professional experience he brings to the University is immeasurable.
Having a physician with the experience of Matava is a huge asset at the University, as an injured varsity athlete can be guaranteed only the best treatment.
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