Dr_Eric_Small

Dr Eric Small Education

Dr. Eric Small MD

Dr. Eric Small is a nationally recognized expert in Primary Care Sports Medicine/Pediatric Sports Medicine with more than 25 years’ experience managing high school, college and professional athletes. His practice focuses on sports injuries and concussion management, with the goal of return to play at a high level of performance.  Dr. Small is a past chairman of the American Academy of Pediatrics Committee on Sports Medicine and Fitness and is active in creating national policy regarding children and sports.

Named “Sports Medicine Best Doctor” by New York Magazine and Westchester Magazine every year since 2007, Dr. Small lectures frequently at international, national and regional medical meetings on such topics as overuse injuries, stress fractures, tendinitis, complex regional pain syndrome, and sports concussion.  He has written over 50 peer-reviewed papers and in 2002, he authored “Kids and Sports,” a highly-regarded sports parenting book focusing on all aspects of sports, exercise, nutrition and physical activity for kids.

Personal
I’m married with four sons, ages 17 to 24. I first got interested in sports medicine when I was 11; I was a star Little League pitcher and developed elbow pain. When the orthopedist told me I had Little League elbow and could never pitch again (correct diagnosis, incorrect treatment), I knew there had to be a better way. I continued playing baseball but gave up pitching, and I’ve coached baseball for 16 years. I also played tennis through college and continue to play as a 4.5 level player and taught tennis through high school, college and medical school.

What excites me is helping people return to sports as soon as possible and playing at a higher level.  I’ve always enjoyed kids so I basically eat, live and breathe pediatric sports medicine. Patients seek me out because they know I understand sports, all the practice involved and what it takes to excel. For all my patients, I develop a fitness program and training schedule, and when they’re injured, I get them back to their sport safely and better than before. Spending quality time with my patients is also very important to me—answering their questions and helping them play their sport at the highest level.

I treat the athlete as a whole, not just his/her injury. I provide sports injury advice, strength and conditioning programs, as well as nutrition/hydration strategies. I understand more than anyone else how to formulate a diagnosis, provide home exercises, and establish an ongoing rehabilitation program.

Dr. Small combines the diagnosis with management of the sports injury and provides a specific/individualized home exercise/rehabilitation program.  I am an invaluable resource to athlete, coach, parents, and sports organizations. I am fluent in Spanish.

Specialty

  • Primary Care Sports Medicine/Pediatric Sports Medicine

Research and Clinical Interest

  • Throwing Injuries
  • Stress Fractures
  • Overtraining
  • Sports Concussion
  • Complex Regional Pain Syndrome
  • Muscle cramps
  • Strength and Conditioning
  • Exercise Induced Asthma