UNC Sports Medicine Institute

08/03/2026

Heading Into National Wellness Month ☀️🌱

Hard to believe, but August is right around the corner, and with it comes National Wellness Month! Here at UNC Wellness Centers, August is the perfect opportunity to hit the reset button, check in on daily habits, and take a whole-person approach to health. It’s a time to focus on nourishment, stress management, hydration, and creating sustainable routines that support both body and mind. Let's step into August ready to elevate our health together!

07/17/2026

Registration is open! Join healthcare providers and researchers for a day of learning about the prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation of pediatric and adolescent musculoskeletal conditions.
More details and registration on our website: https://go.unc.edu/SMIconference

Presentations on:
• Early sport specialization and injury prevention
• Growth plate and overuse injuries
• Pediatric fractures and osteochondritis dissecans
• Pediatric and adolescent hip conditions
• Athletic groin injury
• Rehabilitation and psychology for return to sport
• Using technology and artificial intelligence in sports medicine

This multidisciplinary conference is collaborative effort presented by UNC School of Medicine's Department of Orthopaedics and UNC Department of Health Sciences /UNC Division of Physical Therapy, UNC Health's UNC Therapy Services, and UNC EXSS UNITE!

Be among the first to learn when the 2026 Annual Conference registration is available (and other important updates) by signing up for SMI updates by email. You can also learn the latest by following us on LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook, and X. UNC Sports Medicine Institute 5th Annual Conference Onlin...

05/22/2026

👏 Teamwork in action to support our local student‑athletes!
Thank you to providers from Orthopaedics, UNC Family Medicine, Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, and UNC Therapy Services and UNC School of Medicine students for providing sports physicals for Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools students. This kind of collaboration helps ensure student‑athletes are ready for a safe and successful season, and reflects the strength of our multidisciplinary team.
UNC Health

05/16/2026

We’re fortunate to have Dr. Smith-Ryan on our team!

professor Abbie Smith-Ryan is partnering with the U.S. Soccer Foundation on a transformative project to improve the athletic ecosystem for girls and women.

A professor in the department of exercise and sport science, Smith-Ryan studies the junction between exercise physiology and sports nutrition, with a passion for applying these insights to women's health. Her work with Soccer Forward, in partnership with the Kang Women's Institute, aims to develop best practice frameworks for tracking and applying female health and performance data in girls' and women's soccer.

“Bridging the gap between research and real-world application is critical,” Smith-Ryan said. “This study is designed to evaluate practical tools that teams are already using combined with lab-based techniques, in order to directly translate and support female health tracking in real time."

https://go.unc.edu/a8X6B

05/15/2026

From the clinic to the backcountry 🩺🌄 Wilderness medicine requires adaptability, critical thinking, and preparation beyond traditional clinical settings.

Our Wilderness Medicine Program leaders Todd Williams, PA-C, and Stephen Scott, DNP, RN presented at UNC’s May Day Trauma Conference on program development and clinical application.

Visit our website to learn more about how we’re preparing providers for care in any environment: https://go.unc.edu/wildernessmed
UNC Health UNC School of Medicine

05/12/2026

Strong core = better quality of life.
In a recent Talk article, Dr. Garzone explains why building core strength is important! Your core includes your abdominals, back, diaphragm, and pelvic floor muscles. When these muscles work together, you move more efficiently and feel better doing everyday activities. Read more: https://healthtalk.unchealthcare.org/your-core-is-the-key-to-feeling-and-moving-better/

Looking for personalized guidance? Dr. Garzone recommends working with a physical therapist or certified personal trainer for individualized instruction and support. offers these throughout the triangle area.
Find one close to you:
Physical Therapy at UNC Therapy Services - https://www.unchealth.org/care-services/areas-of-care/rehabilitation-therapy
Personal Trainers at UNC Wellness Centers - https://uncwellness.com/ and https://www.rexhealth.com/rh/wellness-centers/

05/08/2026

🎉 Congratulations to Hana Marmura, MPT, PhD, recipient of this year’s SMI Research Excellence Award! Dr. Marmura was recognized for her impactful research examining psychological and physical readiness profiles for return to sport following ACL reconstruction (ACLR), work that advances evidence‑based care for athletes recovering from injury and surgery. She will be presenting this research later this month at the 2026 American College of Sports Medicine Annual Conference.

Dr. Marmura is a postdoctoral research fellow in the UNC Psychology of Sport Injury Laboratory, led by Dr. Shelby Baez. Learn more about the lab: https://www.shelbybaez.com/psychology-of-sport-injury-laboratory
UNC EXSS UNITE!

05/07/2026

Congratulations to School of Medicine Orthopaedic faculty on their outstanding contributions to the American Medical Society for Sports Medicine leadership and the recent Annual Meeting!

Your expertise and national leadership continue to elevate the field of sports medicine nationally and patient care at UNC Health. 👏