Behind every Olympian is a dedicated team of professionals, including coaches, physiotherapists, nutritionists, and doctors, all working together to keep athletes at the top of their game. For physicians at major international competitions, the challenges are unique. They must be ready to respond swiftly to injuries during events and provide support for athletes’ recovery afterward. Dr. Thomas Kremen, one of the physicians supporting the USA Basketball men’s team at the 2024 Paris Olympics, is a testament to this crucial role.
Kremen, an orthopedic surgeon and sports medicine specialist at UCLA Health, has a background in competitive swimming, which brought him to work with USA Swimming for 10 years, including the Tokyo Games. His experience extends to working with UCLA intercollegiate athletics, the Los Angeles Lakers, and the Los Angeles Chargers. In an interview with Live Science, Dr. Kremen sheds light on his experiences as an Olympic doctor, the preparation involved, and what he looks forward to in Paris.
When asked how he became involved with the USA Basketball team, Dr. Kremen explained it’s a combination of factors including availability and experience. His extensive work with USA Swimming, including several international games leading up to the Tokyo Olympics, provided valuable experience. The preparation for the Tokyo Games involved a full medical team practicing their procedures a year in advance to ensure everything ran smoothly. This included athletic trainers, massage therapists, chiropractors, performance staff, strength and conditioning personnel, and a team of doctors.
The same meticulous preparation was also applied to the USA Basketball team. Prior to the 2024 Games, the team participated in the FIBA World Cup in Manila with the same medical infrastructure, ensuring everyone was ready for the demanding environment of the Olympics.
Regarding player preparation, Dr. Kremen emphasizes that his role is less about daily training and more about strategizing for potential medical needs. Elite athletes are accustomed to maintaining peak fitness and performance, with dedicated teams supporting them. From a medical standpoint, Dr. Kremen’s focus is on ensuring that necessary resources are readily available for a wide range of medical scenarios, from common injuries to rare but serious conditions.
Dr. Kremen acknowledges that the most common injuries in basketball are muscle strains, ankle sprains, and related issues. These injuries are often familiar to athletes who have been playing since childhood. However, their unpredictable nature requires constant vigilance. Although basketball isn’t always considered a contact sport, the movements involved, such as jumping and landing, can lead to bruising from contact with the court or floor. Other common issues include tendonitis and aggravated injuries like ankle sprains and muscle strains.
Dr. Kremen finds the most rewarding aspect of his job to be empowering athletes to showcase their incredible skills. Witnessing their dedication and seeing them perform at their highest level is deeply fulfilling. As a former athlete himself, he understands the commitment and passion required to excel. The Olympic Games, with their global reach and the significance of representing one’s country, elevate the experience to another level.
Dr. Kremen looks forward to the diversity of backgrounds represented at the Olympics, highlighting how the shared love of the game transcends cultural and resource disparities. He also sees the opportunity to learn from the experience of working with elite athletes and apply those lessons to improving healthcare for all patients. The goal is to translate the knowledge gained from optimizing the performance of elite athletes into innovative approaches for treating everyday patients at UCLA.
Dr. Kremen’s dedication to his role as a physician at the Olympics underscores the essential support system that allows athletes to reach their full potential. He combines his medical expertise with a deep understanding of athletic performance, ensuring that these world-class athletes have the best possible chance to excel on the international stage.
