WHITE PLAINS, N.Y., April 23, 2015 /PRNewswire-iReach/ — One of Westchester Health Orthopedics and Sports Medicine’s lead physicians, Rick Weinstein, MD, will have the third best seat in the house for the Wladimir Klitschko – Bryant Jennings World Heavyweight Championship this coming Saturday.

(Photo – http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20150423/201105)

That’s because he’ll be ringside as part of an elite team of physicians responsible for the fighters’ health and safety. In fact, he’ll be ringside for seven different matches on that day, caring for 14 different fighters.

“Klitschko, also known as Dr. Steelhammer, is the long-time Heavyweight Champion Of The World, and at 6′ 6″ and almost 250 pounds, the amount of force behind one of his punches can create a much higher risk of severe injury than what normally occurs,” said Dr. Weinstein. “That’s why it’s especially important to have qualified physicians for a match like this major heavyweight bout, given the damage that can be done.”

In addition to his role as a physician at Westchester Health Orthopedics and Sports Medicine, Dr. Weinstein, 50, has been a ringside physician for hundreds of boxing matches over nearly two decades in New York and Connecticut. He also holds the title of Treasurer and Board Member for the Association of Ringside Physicians, a global, non-profit organization dedicated to the health and safety of boxers and mixed martial arts athletes.

He examines boxers before a match to ensure that they’re healthy enough to fight. In particular, he checks that their vision is up to par, and also determines if they’re hydrated sufficiently, as fighting can be a tremendous cardio workout. In New York, fighters also are screened for any infectious diseases such as Hepatitis or HIV that could be transmitted during a fight.

Once boxers are cleared to enter the ring, Dr. Weinstein monitors the action carefully to be sure that nothing “catastrophic” occurs. He will stop a fight if someone is too injured to defend himself. For instance, if an eye is swollen shut or if someone’s balance is severely impaired.

After the fight, he checks for concussions, mends any lacerations, and examines boxers fully for other injuries.

“I really enjoy the energy around a good fight, and being right there to see the action up close,” added Dr. Weinstein. “Besides that, my boys love to see me on TV when I’m tending to a boxer at a big event like Saturday’s, which is sure to receive major broadcast attention.”

When asked if there are any downsides to being a ringside physician, Dr. Weinstein explained that once a boxer was angry that he had stopped a fight. “Before I knew what hit me, the boxer punched me twice in the stomach,” he said. “I turned out to be fine, but getting punched by a professional boxer isn’t fun.”

Sometimes Dr. Weinstein shares some of his ringside stories with his Westchester Health Orthopedics and Sports Medicine patients. In fact, when necessary, he uses them to reinforce the importance of safety in all sports and activities – not just boxing.

Beyond boxing, Dr. Weinstein says that football is the most dangerous sport. After that, the second-most dangerous sport is actually cheerleading, especially for the fliers – the smaller cheerleaders who are tossed in the air. Shoulder injuries and concussions can be quite serious, he notes.

If you want to try to see Dr. Weinstein in action, check your listings for stations carrying the fight this Saturday night and you just might see him helping Klitschko or Jennings or both.

If you’re interested in seeing Dr. Weinstein in person for an appointment and tapping his expertise in sports medicine, call 914-358-9700.

Media Contact: Chuck Casto, Casto Marketing Communications, 508-314-3284, chuckcasto@gmail.com

News distributed by PR Newswire iReach: https://ireach.prnewswire.com

SOURCE Westchester Health Orthopedics & Sports Medicine