Craig Ferrell, M.D., with one of his horses, Carboncita, at his farm in Franklin.
VUMC Reporter Profile: Orthopaedics, Olympics keep Ferrell riding high
Few physicians can say they have held clinics in Barcelona, Sydney, Athens and Beijing.
In his 30-year relationship with Olympic swimming and equestrian sports, however, Craig Ferrell, M.D., has traveled the globe caring for the world's most elite athletes.
“Olympic athletes generally have such a single-minded dedication to being the best they can be. It's that total commitment that makes them special, and it is an honor to care for them,” Ferrell said.
Craig Ferrell, M.D., examines patient Pam Marlin at the Vanderbilt Bone and Joint Clinic in Franklin. (photo by Joe Howell)
An orthopaedic surgeon and sports medicine expert, Ferrell founded the Bone and Joint Clinic in Franklin, which recently became Vanderbilt Bone and Joint Clinic.
He had competed as a collegiate swimmer at the University of Notre Dame and naturally gravitated to caring for swimmers, beginning his relationship with the U.S. Swimming Team at their training camp in 1979.
He worked his way up and became a team physician at the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta.
“The coolest experience was running down the ramp with all those Olympians and coming into the opening ceremonies. I felt very patriotic and part of something big,” he said.
Ferrell said being a team physician is more than just caring for injuries.
An avid equestrian, Ferrell, far left, recently took up polo.
“A good team physician gets to know the athletes and gains their confidence. When most athletes are injured, they want to continue to compete. They're afraid the physician is going to tell them they can't, so they have to have confidence that we are trying to help them safely compete,” he said.
“It's also extremely stressful, and we end up being counselors and confidants. Having been there and learned how athletes react to the pressure, I can help them with the psychology of sport. At that level, the difference in gold and silver is often mental rather than physical.”
New Olympic duties
After the Atlanta games, Ferrell continued as chair of U.S. Swimming Sports Medicine, but took on team physician duties for equestrian sports as well. Ferrell and his wife, Lorraine, were experienced riders and the other Olympic physicians were afraid of horses, so the fit was obvious.
Ferrell with Gina Miles, who won the silver medal in ‘Eventing’ at the Beijing Olympics.
“Equestrian sport is really interesting to me because you see the effort of the horse and how much they enjoy it too. The horse is your partner. It's incredible to feel the animal exert that kind of effort. They're trying and they're having fun, and there's something very special about that bond.”
Ferrell cared solely for equestrian athletes at the Sydney, Athens and Beijing Olympics.
“Athens was one of the best because it was such a welcoming environment. I think of Athens like I think of the South in the U.S. People are generally open and friendly, and I found the Greeks to be similarly warm and welcoming.”
In Beijing, after an athlete got a serious infection that required surgery, Ferrell discovered a funny difference between Chinese and American equipment, specifically footwear.
“There were these rubber boots lined up in the surgery lounge, and they said they didn't know if they could find any to fit me. The doctor looked at me and said, 'We have two pair that are huge!' and I could just barely squeeze into them. I thought I might have to go barefoot.”
Ferrell received his medical degree from Tulane University School of Medicine. He did a surgical residency at Ochsner Foundation Hospital in New Orleans and his Orthopaedic residency at the Campbell Clinic in Memphis.
His clinical interests are sports medicine and joint replacement. He is board certified in Orthopaedic Surgery and a member of the American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine.
Horse sense
Ferrell keeps horses on his farm off Old Hillsboro Road. His wife rides hunter jumper horses, while he has recently taken up polo. The couple have two children; Aaron, 34, and John, 32.
He says having horses is like having children.
“You relate to them in different ways and they all have different personalities. Mayday is the least talented and a fairly stubborn girl, but she's pretty athletic. Carboncita is much more talented but is more quiet and shy. My newest horse is Diana, and she is pretty close to perfect,” he said.
“The more I ride, the more I develop an appreciation for the horse, the more I understand what is required of the athlete, the more I appreciate what they put in to get to where they are. Technical details are key in athletics, key in medicine and probably key in every endeavor. The people who pay attention to the details are the ones who get it right.”
The jumping competition draws a good crowd at the Beijing Olympics equestrian facility in Hong Kong.
One of his biggest responsibilities now is to approve applications for “therapeutic use exemptions” submitted by athletes who have a legitimate need for a banned medication that can be abused as a performance-enhancing drug.
Ferrell has been part of several committees to make athletics safer, especially in high-risk equestrian sports. He championed a rule that went into effect before the Beijing Olympics banning riders from continuing competition if they fall off their horse.
“First of all, an athlete is not going to win the competition after falling off. More importantly, an athlete might have sustained a small concussion that could lead to an error in judgment. That misjudgment could result in a more serious injury to the rider or their horse. Without being evaluated, it is foolish to go on.”
“Team physicians should try to make their sport as safe as possible but acknowledge that sport has inherent risk. That's part of the excitement,” Ferrell said. “Team physician is almost a role like clergy. You try to be the voice of reason and take a bigger perspective on the competition to protect the athletes. It is always hard to pull an athlete, but sometimes you have to protect them from themselves.”