Sports Medicine Specialists
ST. MARYS, Georgia: September 27, 2021 – They may wear lab coats, but Christopher Yonz, M.D., Lindsey Sweat, M.D., CAQSM, and Frank Clements, PA-C, CAQ-OS, are as visible in local sports as they are in their practice. Each has a passion for helping athletes excel. Their goal is getting players back in the game, whether that means preventing or healing injuries, and Southeast Georgia Health System is proud to share their expertise with the community.
These sports medicine specialists have a lot in common. They are all Georgia natives who attended college in Georgia, Bulldog fans, and they treat patients on the Health System’s Camden Campus.
Yonz is a board-certified orthopaedic surgeon practicing at Summit Sports Medicine & Orthopaedic Surgery. He earned his medical degree from Emory University School of Medicine, and completed his surgical residency and sports medicine fellowship at the University of Kentucky in Lexington. During his fellowship, he cared for an Olympian as well as Division I athletes who now play professionally. The fellowship deepened his knowledge of surgical and nonsurgical treatments, injury prevention and management, and the working relationship between trainers, coaches and doctors.
“Witnessing an athlete’s recovery drew me to sports medicine. I relieve pain and increase function, so they can return to what’s most important to them, whether that’s sports, a hobby, career or becoming more productive members of society,” Yonz says.
In addition to treating patients with musculoskeletal issues, Yonz provides game day coverage for Camden and Charlton County high schools. “I enjoy providing care on the sidelines. Athletes are highly motivated individuals, so it’s doubly gratifying to help them pursue their goals and dreams.”
Sweat is a board-certified family medicine and sports medicine physician practicing at Southeast Georgia Physician Associates-Primary Care. She also offers concussion management on Tuesday mornings at Summit Sports Medicine & Orthopaedic Surgery. Sweat graduated from the Medical College of Georgia and completed her residency and sports medicine fellowship at AnMed Family Medicine in Anderson in South Carolina.
As a fellow, she provided sideline coverage for football games and treated athletes in the training room, including Clemson University’s football team during their 2018 National Championship season. “I’m excited to apply the practices I learned with the National Championship team to our local athletes.”
Sweat provides primary care and non-operative orthopaedic and sports medicine services to adults and children. Her sports medicine treatments include injections that relieve joint pain and improve function. As a credentialed ImPACT® consultant, she taps into the latest concussion assessment and management methods.
“ImPACT provides a quantitative tool to establish baselines for brain functions, such as reaction time, memory processing and other abilities,” Sweat explains. “Historically, concussion management was very subjective, based on a patient’s symptoms. The benefit of ImPACT is that it gives us actual numbers to compare brain function before and after a head injury.” She offers this service to anyone who has experienced a head injury through her weekly concussion management clinic.
Frank Clements, PA-C, CAQ-OS, graduated at the top of his physician’s assistant class at the Medical College of Georgia and was one of the first physician’s assistants in the state of Georgia to obtain an extra board certification in orthopedics. He served as a medic in the military and began working as a registered nurse at the Health System in 1993. He was mentored by renowned orthopaedic surgeon Melvin Deese, M.D., when they worked together in the Health System’s Emergency Care Center. Deese later asked Clements to join him at Summit Sports Medicine & Orthopaedic Surgery. As part of Summit, Clements treats musculoskeletal ailments such as joint pain, fractures, and other injuries.
“Personal interaction and spending quality time with patients brings me great satisfaction,” Clements says. He also delivers on-call and in-person care for Camden High School football players and other local athletes. “I like to give back and am proud that several young students have followed me into a physician’s assistant career,” Clements says.
To schedule an appointment with Yonz or Clements, call Summit Sports Medicine & Orthopaedic Surgery at 912-576-6355. To schedule an appointment with Sweat, call Southeast Georgia Physician Associates-Primary Care at 912-882-6767 or 912-576-6355 for concussion management.
About Southeast Georgia Health System
Southeast Georgia Health System is a not-for-profit health system comprised of two acute care hospitals, two long term care facilities, two comprehensive Cancer Care Centers and multiple specialty care centers, including orthopedic and spine care, joint replacement, breast care, maternity, outpatient rehabilitation, sleep management and wound care. The Brunswick Campus Cancer Care Center is accredited by the American College of Surgeons Commission on Cancer and offers the only CyberKnife® M6 with MLC technology in Georgia. Additionally, the Southeast Georgia Physician Associates medical group includes more than 140 providers working in 20 different medical specialties at more than 50 locations. The Health System is part of Coastal Community Health, a regional affiliation between Baptist Health and Southeast Georgia Health System forming a highly integrated hospital network focused on significant initiatives designed to enhance the quality and value of care provided to our contiguous communities. For more information, visit sghs.org.
