Dr. Tom Goodwin

05/13/2022

For those in Michigan, welcome to instant summer this week!

For those planning to run the tomorrow, please be aware of the heat! Slow down. Take water/Gatorade at most if not all aid stations. DO NOT TRY TO PR!!! You’ve not had enough time to train in this humidity.

Medical directors don’t issue these warnings without carefully considering the implications (trust me as we had to do this once for Kzoo).

Please be smart. Keep hydrating today and in the morning. See you out there with that super cool finisher medal on around your neck…not an IV in your arm!

02/24/2022

It may only be for a couple of seconds, but man that’s a good feeling.

02/05/2022

It is on! Over 350 people made a commitment to themselves today and it all started with a single step. Run campers, whether you ran 500 feet or 500 miles, YOU ARE A RUNNER!

02/05/2022

Snow beard season continues! Get out there and have some fun! How did you burn some calories today?

01/29/2022

It's officially snow beard season. Did you get your workout in today?

01/04/2022

We're back!

A Kalamazoo tradition sidelined for two seasons will resume in February thanks to a newly formed nonprofit group. Run Kalamazoo, a nonprofit organization made up of some of the area’s most passionate runners, will take on hosting the training program formerly known as Borgess Run Camp. “...

08/12/2020

A lot of reaction to the and decisions today to cancel fall sports seasons. I'm watching Sports Center anchors, television personalities, and commentators who are highly critical of this decision. There are a lot of emotions here, but this is ABSOLUTELY THE RIGHT DECISON.

The wide range of residual complications (both short and long-term) from Covid-19 are unknown. This is the only logical decision that could be made. Without easily available rapid testing and total compliance by every player, staff member, and coach, there is no way to contain the spread.

There has been a lot of criticism of the medical decision making that has gone into this decision. There is no way that these presidents and chancellors made this gut-wrenching decision without the input of those trusted medical professionals at their institutions.

So what's the big concern? PLAYER SAFETY. Finally. Specifically, Myocarditis. That's the reason. Inflammation of the heart muscle that can lead to heart failure and death. Yes, the risk is likely very low, but multiply that by hundreds and thousands of athlete-encounters, training and competing at elite levels mere inches from each other.

The major reason we, as physicians, perform sports physicals is to try to identify risk factors for tragic cardiovascular events. Without the ability to quickly and accurately diagnose and contain this virus, across campus and state lines, I see no way to proceed. Full disclosure, football season is my favorite time of the year. This fall is going to be strange without donning the Green and White and cheering on .

If you think this was an uneducated, rash decision, please look at the algorithm the well-respected AMSSM created earlier this month. I've NEVER seen a protocol like this for return to play after a cold or flu.

Wear a mask and wash your hands. This virus is real. Let no one convince you otherwise.

07/29/2020

A lot can happen in the next few weeks, but here's the current MHSAA return to sport plan.

07/22/2020

It's happening again! Kalamazoo peeps! What are you doing Thursday at 8:38am? I'll be speaking with Ken Lanphear about running injuries. Tune in to 106.9 FM or 590 AM in Kalamazoo to check it out!

07/21/2020

Long post alert regarding returning to in-person school.

I'm currently writing this while awaiting the test results of my 3 and 1 year old nieces who were directly exposed to a positive child at daycare. They have been placed in a mandatory 14 day home quarantine by thier local health department, regardless of results.

I want to thank any of you directly involved that are devoting hours of your time and effort in this area. I too am struggling to find answers in this time of uncertainty. My line for this entire pandemic has been "there is no playbook for this".

I've dissected the data and the numbers, trying to decipher patterns and truth. I've read the studies, trying to concentrate on the best available information to help navigate the murky waters ahead. That being said, as a physician, parent, husband to an immunocompromised wife, friend to affected individuals, and concerned community member, I cannot see a scenario (without a vaccine) where we can have in-person education (let alone sporting events, church services, educational conferences, work meetings, etc) any time soon. The ripple-effect from a single positive test is where I struggle most. One positive test places all known contacts in quarantine and could potentially lead to devastating results.

Here's some data from a South Korean study looking specifically at kids 10-19 years old. I've copied a pasted a summary and included the link in the comments.

Takeaways: One positive patient typically infects 12% of household contacts and 2% of non-household contacts. However, in the age group of 10-19 years, this study found infectious rates of 19% of household contacts. The remainder of the age groups held at 12% and 2%, respectively for household contacts and non-household contacts.

Think of the ripple effect of just one positive case in a single classroom. What does that mean for the other kids, the teachers, the parents who both work away from home? All of this assumes the symptoms may be minimal, but what if they're not? Now you see why I can't envision kids in physical classrooms anytime soon.

I've talked with colleagues who have treated hundreds of cases. There is no predictibility to this disease. During the peak in southeast Michigan, my friends would leave the hospital daily and walk past trailers full of the deceased...there was no other place for the bodies to go.

This disease is real. Don't let anyone tell you anything to the contrary.

07/10/2020

I have cards!