The Birmingham Bulls professional hockey team is participating in the 2023 President’s Cup Finals and is being accompanied by members of the UAB Department of Orthopaedic Surgery.

UAB Medicine is the official medical partner for the Bulls, and the athletes and coaches benefit from the orthopedic and sports medicine programs. They have comprehensive access to providers to address orthopedic issues, concussions, sports cardiology, and primary care concerns.

The Bulls’ UAB Medicine team consists of Amit Momaya, M.D., Aaron Casp, M.D., Mike Johnson, M.D., Irfan Asif, M.D., Ian McKeag, M.D., and Thomas Evely, D.O., in the Departments of Orthopaedic Surgery and Family and Community Medicine.

The team provides pre-game evaluation and interventions as needed. During the games, they evaluate injuries, repair lacerations, and provide additional orthopaedic care both during and after the games.

“Sometimes we have just a few minutes to treat an injury and get them back in the game. It’s a fast-paced game, so the medical care has to keep up,” Said Casp, Chief Medical Officer for the Bulls and head orthopedic surgeon for the team.

“If their injury extends beyond what we do during the game, we will evaluate them in clinic, get X-rays, and provide in-season interventions for injuries,” said Casp. “Also, if players have a surgical injury during the season, I will perform the surgery and formulate a plan with the team athletic trainer for rehab and return. Overall, it’s a lot of coordination with the team athletic trainer, the primary care sports medicine providers, and the team physical therapist.”

The Department of Orthopaedic Surgery is excited to see the team’s success this year and is cheering them on during the championship games.