Young athletes in Orange County now have greater access to specialized sports medicine care as a non-surgical sports medicine specialist joins the CHOC Orthopaedic Institute. Dr. Jonathan Minor specializes in ultrasound-guided injections and procedures, as well as diagnostic ultrasound evaluations, which provide improved visualization of the body tissues. The enhanced view, so to speak, along with dynamic tissue evaluation and use of selective injections can confirm the location of pain and assist with surgical decision-making. Ultrasound-guided injections can offer a quicker recovery and may be used to avoid surgery altogether in some patients.
Dr. Minor’s commitment to helping young athletes return to the field stems from his own lifetime experience as an athlete. As an adult, he has completed multiple marathons and Ironman triathlons, including three Long Course World Championship races with Team USA.
His passion for sports medicine was inspired by his father, an accomplished orthopaedic surgeon.
“I was moved by my dad being able to take an injury, and just like a carpenter, put it back together,” Dr. Minor said. “As a non-surgeon, I consider myself more like an architect, laying out a floor plan, and bringing together a team of providers to treat and safely return our athletes back to the sports arena.”
After medical school and residency training, he completed a non-surgical sports medicine fellowship and an additional musculoskeletal ultrasound fellowship at Boston Children’s Hospital. During his training in Boston, he served as team physician for several collegiate and high school teams, and worked closely with the Boston Ballet.
A chance to work with the expert team at CHOC and help expand the sports medicine program led Dr. Minor back to his native California. He treats everything from ankle and knee ligament sprains to overuse injuries and concussions. Dr. Minor is working with the experts at the Orthopaedic Institute to expand the footprint of its sports medicine program with the addition of physical therapists, new regional physical therapy locations and a new orthopaedic surgeon, Dr. Jessica McMichael.
“Given the number and caliber of athletes coming out of Orange County, I am honored to be part of a growing and highly respected sports medicine program at the CHOC Orthopaedic Institute,” says Minor.
As an avid athlete, Dr. Minor is dedicated to injury prevention, particularly overuse injuries. He offers athletes of all ages the following tips to prevent sports injuries:
- Stay committed to a progressive training program
- In preparation for a new sport or season, make sure your body is conditioned aerobically before training with your team
- Consistently stretch after a warm-up and again after exercise
- With the exception of gymnasts and ice skaters, athletes should not specialize in a single sport until they are well into high school
- While California offers a perfect climate for year-round single sport specialization, every athlete should spend 2-4 months every year outside of their primary sport; this could involve playing a sport that uses different muscle groups, or spending the time working with a personal trainer to optimize fitness and neglected muscle groups
Learn more about CHOC’s sports medicine program.
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Learn more about CHOC’s Orthopaedic and Sports Medicine Services
CHOC Hospital was named one of the nation’s best children’s hospitals by U.S. News & World Report in its 2023-24 Best Children’s Hospitals rankings and ranked in the orthopedics specialty.
