• President's Message
• 2021 Elected Officials
• Journal Review
• Membership Meeting Survey Results
• 2021 SAM Hybrid Meeting a Success!
• Members in the News

• Young Member Mentor Program
• Special Olympics Update
• AAPSM Student Chapter Update
• TrueForm Webinar
• Welcome New Members
• Dates to Remember

“ When You Come To The Fork In The Road – Take It “-
Baseball Hall of Famer, Yogi Berra

First off greetings from “Paradise” in the Northwest Florida Panhandle! Hope all is well, safe, and healthy for you and your families, as we navigate these challenging times. I want to first thank the past presidents who recently served before me during my tenure on the AAPSM Executive Board: Dr.s Maggie Fournier, Howard Osterman, and Jimmy Radcliff. They along with our storied history of past presidents are the shoulders I stand on!

As my year begins, my personal priorities for the AAPSM will always be centered around the question -“What is best for our fellow/associate/resident/student members”. We as an Executive Board are here for you!

I encourage you to please become involved in your Academy by contributing to our newsletter, committees, sponsored CME meetings ,etc. Contact your Executive Director Rita Yates at ritayates2@aol.com/301-370-2397 at any time to offer your services or inquire on how to become involved. Too many times members in medical associations like ours feel that they cannot become involved, or that the board members do all the work. That is not healthy for our Academy. The lifeblood of our Academy requires large amounts of input from membership . I promise you that should you want to become active in the Academy, we will find a committee or project for you...

Colonel, USAF Retired Joseph Agostinelli, DPM – Niceville, Florida
Elected President of American Academy of Podiatric Sports Medicine

The American Academy of Podiatric Sports Medicine (AAPSM) is  pleased to announce that Colonel, USAF Retired Joseph Agostinelli, DPM, a retired sports medicine podiatrist in Niceville, Florida was elected President.  Dr. Agostinelli has over 23 years of active duty in the US Air Force and 13 years in private practice.  He is board certified in the ABFAS/ABPM and is a Fellow/Emeritus in the ACFAS/AAPSM.  He was also inducted into the World Softball Association Hall of Fame in 2015.

Dr. Agostinelli’s vision for the AAPSM “is to support and promote our Academy membership as the preeminent source as comprehensive lower extremity sports medicine subject matter experts to the public and all other medical associations.”

Elected along with Dr. Agostinelli are: Vice President-– Jay Spector, DPM –Johns Creek, Georgia; Secretary/Treasurer – Michael Donato, DPM – Fredericksburg, Virginia, and newly elected Director Alicia Canzanese, DPM -Glendale, Pennsylvania. James Ratcliff, DPM from Los Gatos, California serves as Immediate Past President. Rita J. Yates, of Ocala, Florida, serves as AAPSM Executive Director.

Functional Outcome of Sesamoid Excision in Athletes
The American Journal of Sports Medicine
Review by Kathryn Laviolette, DPM

This article out of the American Journal of Sports Medicine reported on patient-reported outcomes and return to sports in an athletic population following sesamoidectomy. Patient charts from a single surgeon’s practice were retrospectively reviewed for sesamoidectomies performed after exhaustion of all conservative treatment options. Study analysis consisted of 82 feet that underwent 54 medial, 18 lateral, and 10 bilateral excisions. Patients were divided into athletic, defined as those who participated in sports at a high school level or higher, or non-athletic groups. Patients also underwent several assessments throughout their treatment time frame including FFI-R, SF-12, SANE, VAS, and a questionnaire from the surgeon’s practice regarding patient’s subjective post-operative return to activity and satisfaction following surgery. A specialized post-operative protocol was followed by all patients which began at 3-4 weeks following surgery...

Special thanks to all those members who recently participated in our recent 2021 Meeting Survey.  We are currently reviewing all the results including individual comments, concerns, etc. and hope to have a summary to the membership soon. 

Special thanks to AAPSM Fellows Dr.’s Ed Fazekas, Missy Journot, Sona Ramdath, Jr., Matt Werd and Cary Zinkin for representing the AAPSM during the Florida Podiatric Medical Association -SAM Meeting at Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort. The theme for 2021 was “The Challenge of Change” and this challenge was met with an incredible hybrid conference with approximately 400 attendees present in Orlando, Florida and another 400 attendees online. FPMA staff and Disney World did a fantastic job pulling off the impossible during a challenging COVID-19 pandemic. The AAPSM sports medicine track was fantastic and we hope to be a big part of the Summer SAM meeting coming up in June...

Attendees felt comfortable attending this “live event” as the temperature screenings, hand sanitizing stations, strict adherence to mask wearing, room sanitizers, spaced out exhibit hall, and 6 to 10 foot social distancing were welcome safety measures. Hopefully, this meeting will set the pace towards regaining medical seminar normalcy.

(L to R – AAPSM Fellows Dr’s Ed Fazekas, Missy Journot, Sona Ramdath, Jr., Cary Zinkin and Matt Werd)

AAPSM Past President and Fellow Named One of Top Docs in Western NY by Buffalo Spree 

Congratulations to AAPSM Past President and Fellow David Davidson, DPM for being named one of the Top Docs in Western New York by Buffalo Spree.  Buffalo Spree’s 2021 Top Doctors list is researched, rigorously screened, and provided by PRS/Professional Research Services, a nationally known research company based in Troy, Michigan. Congrats to Dr. Davidson for being selected by his peers in a survey conducted by Professional Research Services. 

David Davidson, DPM

AAPSM Fellow Offers Tips during the Pandemic

AAPSM Fellow Ben Pearl, DPM was featured on “Weekend Edition” in the Washington, DC area where he discussed toe fractures during the pandemic. The interview was aired on radio station WAMU in DC and its national affiliates. Dr. Pearl was also interviewed in a similar segment recently in the Washington Post.

CPMA Congratulates AAPSM Fellow Howard Liebeskind on
Achieving MD Affiliate Status in the AOSSM

AAPSM Launches YOUNG MEMBER MENTORSHIP PROGRAM (YMMP)

If you haven’t already done so, the AAPSM urges you to volunteer your expertise to  young members of the AAPSM!  Special thanks to AAPSM Fellow Ana Cafengiu, DPM, for coordinating the AAPSM Young Member Mentorship Program (YMMP) .The YMMP is a voluntary program intended to foster a cooperative one-on-one relationship between a young/new podiatric professional interested in pursuing a sports medicine practice with an experienced AAPSM Member in good standing of the AAPSM.

This unique program is open to AAPSM podiatry students currently enrolled in a college of podiatric medicine, resident members, or members in their first 5 years of practice.

The Mentor would be a current AAPSM member (with at least 5 years of professional experience and within 5 years of retirement) with a vested interest in sharing their sports medicine knowledge, and “paying it forward” as a role model to the young member. 

Special Olympics Arizona:  We may be ice-olated during these times, but Special Olympics Arizona's programs are still on! Support their mission to raise funds for the terrific athletes of SOI in sports, health, education, arts, and advocacy, all across the state. Support Manda on her mission to raise $5,000 and taking the digital dive to support our athletes in sports, health, education, arts, and advocacy, all across the state. Every little bit counts!  If she hits her goal, she will make her digital dive the real deal and take a polar plunge into the freezing waters of Lake Mary. https://lnkd.in/grcnY3A - Want to do more than donate? Join the Polar Plunge team, Manda's Money Makers - recruit your friends and family to join in!

Special thanks to AAPSM Fellow and newly elected board member Alicia Canzanese, DPM for recently presenting a Zoom conference on Case Studies – Athletic Overuse Injuries to student members of the AAPSM Student Chapter at Temple University School of Podiatric Medicine.  The AAPSM has been working with presidents of the various AAPSM Student Chapters to present Zoom meetings to keep students up to date on sports medicine related topics during the pandemic. 

SAVE THE DATE!! Wednesday, January 27, 2021 @ 8:30 pm EST

You are invited to participate in an informative non cme webinar sponsored by TrueForm Running on Running and Walking Form. This webinar will be presented by Mark Cucuzzella, MD - Air Force Reserve Lt. Col., Professor at West Virginia University School of Medicine. He is designing programs to promote healthier and better running in the military with the USAF Efficient Running Project. Mark has presented running workshops on over 50 military bases in the last 10 years and continues to teach through Healthy Running.

Welcome New Members

The American Academy of Podiatric Sports Medicine would like to welcome the following new members who have recently joined the AAPSM:

Benjamin Kamel, DPM
Rancho Cucamonga, California

Vanatius Babila, DPM*
North Royalton, Ohi

Brandon Rogers, DPM*
Rego Park, New York

*Resident members

Welcome Student Members

The American Academy of Podiatric Sports Medicine would like to welcome the following new student members who have recently joined the AAPSM:

Joshua Green
BUSPM – Class of 2022

Zachary Korwek
TUSPM – Class of 2022

Susana Londono
BUSPM – Class of 2022

Please note that members' email addresses will be shared with our GREAT Corporate Partners.
If you prefer not to have your email address shared please "OPT OUT" by contacting
AAPSM Executive Director Rita Yates at ritayates2@aol.com.

AAPSM Executive Board

Past Presidents

• Robert M. Barnes, DPM
• Richard S. Gilbert, DPM
• John W. Pagliano, DPM
• Steven I. Subotnick, DPM
• Harry F. Hlavac, DPM
• Edward J. Kent, DPM
• Raymond E. Stidd, DPM
• Gary M. Gordon, DPM
• Jeffrey F. Yale, DPM
• Michael W. Heaslet, DPM
• Paul M. Taylor, DPM
• William L. Van Pelt, DPM
• Lloyd S. Smith, DPM
• Gary L. Rippberger, DPM

• Richard L. Blake, DPM
• Roy B. Corbin, DPM
• Mark E. Julsrud, DPM
• Jeffrey A. Ross, DPM
• Michael K. Lowe, DPM
• Phyllis A. Ragley, DPM
• Thomas E. Shonka, DPM
• William R. Olson, DPM
• Richard T. Bouche’, DPM
• Perry H. Julien, DPM
• Patrick J. Nunan, DPM
• James M. Losito, DPM
• Douglas H. Richie, Jr., DPM
• Stephen M. Pribut, DPM

• Timothy G. Dutra, DPM
• Matthew B. Werd, DPM
• Bruce E. Williams, DPM
• David Davidson, DPM
• Karen Langone, DPM
• James Yakel, DPM
• Robert M. Conenello, DPM
• Paul R. Langer, DPM
• David Jenkins, DPM
• Alex Kor, DPM
• Amol Saxena, DPM
• Maggie Fournier, DPM
• Howard Osterman, DPM
• James Ratcliff, DPM