Southeast Orthopedic Specialists helps Garrett Scantling make it to the 2020 Olympics

No one would’ve guessed that a talented young athlete competing in the top ranks of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics had major ankle surgery almost a year prior. Garrett Scantling, a team USA decathlete, had a spring ligament tear in his jumping ankle back in May of 2020. Most athletes understand that injuries are sometimes inevitable given their profession, but Garrett explained that he’s felt lucky when it comes to keeping his injury count low over his athletic career. It wasn’t until he tore his deltoid ligament that he felt the true impact of the injury. Scantling’s ankle was a critical component to every event that he competed in; the whole world stopped when he injured himself.

Scantling was pointed in the direction of Southeast Orthopedic Specialists when a longtime family friend, Amy, put him in contact with Dr. Jorge Acevedo. Garrett’s Olympic-bound ankle was in the hands of a board-certified, fellowship-trained orthopedic foot and ankle surgeon. Garrett explained that his recovery time was minimal and he was back to running and training for his ten events in just a few short months. He expressed the apprehension he initially felt given that he had never had surgery before or any major injury for that matter. His nerves quickly disappeared once he was introduced to the welcoming atmosphere at Southeast Orthopedic Specialists. The comfort and trust that was instilled in him are some of the reasons why he proudly recommends Southeast Orthopedic Specialists to everyone and anyone with orthopedic or spine care needs.

After a season of competing and practicing, Scantling says the sky is the limit with his repaired ankle. He credits Dr. Acevedo with him being able to make the Olympic team and being where he is today in his athletic career saying, “Dr. Jorge Acevedo has been instrumental in everything that I’ve done over the past few years”. After working so hard his whole life to make it to something as prestigious as the Olympics, Garrett was not going to let his ankle hold him back. With the help of Dr. Acevedo at Southeast Orthopedic Specialists, Garrett Scantling was able to represent the United States in Tokyo and compete at the top of his game.

The physicians and specialists at Southeast Orthopedic Specialists are experts in all aspects of orthopedic and spine care. No matter the type of treatment you require, the team at Southeast Orthopedic Specialists is ready to serve you at one of their six locations across the Duval, St. Johns and Clay counties. If you find yourself experiencing any type of pain related to an orthopedic or spine condition, call Southeast Orthopedic Specialists at 904.634.0640 or schedule an appointment online.