It got to the point where Canadian Alpine skier Manuel Osborne-Paradis couldn’t bend over to tie his shoes. In fact, he could barely walk.
Chronic back problems were plaguing his training and racing so he worked closely with his medical team at Alpine Canada (ACA) and EFW Radiology to address the issue. He received a PRP (platelet-rich plasma) injection in his lower back and within six weeks he was back to normal and has been healthy ever since.
A downhill and super-G specialist, Osborne-Paradis laughs when he recalls that his doctor at EFW Radiology didn’t even have to look at his chart. “I’ve been there so many times! They know me.”
Osborne-Paradis, who is an 11-time World Cup medallist, credits the strong partnership between Alpine Canada and EFW Radiology for helping to keep him healthy over the years. Having been through one complete knee reconstruction in his career, he appreciates the support he receives from EFW.
According to Osborne-Paradis, when you crash going 120 km/h everything may feel OK afterwards, but there can be a nagging doubt about whether there is damage that isn’t necessarily felt right away.
“I had four big crashes in Europe one year,” he remembers. “I had two MRIs in Europe and two at EFW in Calgary. It was really important to have those done to ensure that I was OK.”
Dr. Katie MacGregor is the Chief Medical Officer and Lead Team Physician at Alpine Canada. She says that the key benefits EFW Radiology provides are timely imaging and relationships with highly trained and skilled musculoskeletal radiologists. “They are very helpful in offering treatment advice as well as a valued second opinion,” she says.
EFW Radiology is instrumental in providing not only imaging and diagnostic support to athletes at Alpine Canada to ensure athlete longevity, they bring a personal connection to the team.
“They don’t just provide a service and help us diagnose injuries, but they come out to our competitions and really support us,” says Osborne-Paradis. Adds MacGregor, “I trust EFW Radiology immensely and refer all my patients there, not just Alpine Canada athletes.”
EFW Radiology is a proud community partner to:
- Canadian Sport Institute Calgary
- Alpine Canada Alpin
- Mount Royal University Cougars
- U of C Dinos
- SAIT Trojans
- Alberta PGA
Writer Kristina Groves is a two-time Olympian and four-time medallist who holds three silver and one bronze medal in speed skating.
