Shriners Children's Spokane introduces Sports Health and Medicine

Ready, set, play (and stay healthy)!

The Shriners Children's Spokane Sports Health and Medicine program is open and ready to treat patients! Whether playing sports, exercising or having fun on the playground, sometimes children get hurt. And our specialists are ready to make sure those kids can participate in any activity they choose. Our team focuses on healthy training, injury prevention, surgical care and more for our patients. Plus, our sports medicine physical therapy program offers on-site care and treatment plans focused on maximizing every patient’s recovery in a new state-of-the art gym!

Our pediatric orthopedic physicians are among the most highly skilled in North America. In fact, the Spokane Shriners Children's has the largest group of pediatric orthopedic surgeons in the region! They have advanced training and experience in pediatric sports medicine to treat tiny bones and growing bodies. And as a former athlete, pediatric surgeon Jacob Carl, M.D., knows how important sports can be in a child's life. He has had his own experience with season-ending injuries and knows the struggle our patients go through with surgery and recovery. His goal is to provide specialized clinical care to our young athletes and get them back to their pre-injury level.

Ryan Baker, M.D., has lived and worked in the Spokane area since 2012. His education includes a residency in pediatrics and a fellowship in primary care sports medicine. In 2020, Dr. Baker was honored with the Washington State Athletic Trainers’ Association Physician Award. The award recognizes a physician within the state who exemplifies the commitment of service to the profession of athletic training.

Dr. Baker is also one of leaders on the Northeast Washington Sports Medicine Advisory Council, which helped to develop a concussion return to learn and return to play protocol for the greater Spokane area. These were developed with the most current literature and practices and are now used by all Greater Spokane League schools, as well as, most neighboring schools, club sports and numerous area healthcare providers. By creating a standardized protocol and form for the area, concussion management has been made easier for all involved.

Our families receive priority access to sports injury appointments, expedited access to surgery for urgent and acute injuries, plus, on-site, same-day radiology. Our mission is to provide the highest quality pediatric care for our patients regardless of families’ ability to pay or insurance status.

The Shriners Children's Spokane Sports Health and Medicine program is here to help children get back to playing the sports and activities they love in a safe and timely fashion, while also preventing future injuries. This allows our patients to focus on what matters most...just being a kid.