Press Releases

May 22, 2008

Northwestern Lake Forest Hospital sports medicine physician heads to XXIX Olympics with U.S. Women’s National Soccer Team

Lake Forest, IL – Northwestern Lake Forest Hospital sports medicine physician Chris Amann, M.D., heads to the Beijing Olympics in August with the U.S. Women’s National Soccer Team. Dr. Amann, a former competitive soccer player, has been a team physician for 6 years. He is board-certified in family practice and sports medicine and specializes in non-operative adult and pediatric orthopedic medicine.

Dr. Amann and the U.S. Women’s National Soccer Team will depart for Beijing on July 23, 2008. The U.S. Women’s National Soccer Team received a top seed in the tournament along with Germany and host, China.

“I am honored to have the opportunity to join the U.S. Women’s National Soccer Team as their team physician in Beijing for the Olympics,” said Dr. Chris Amann. “They are an exceptional group of athletes; I am confident that they will represent our country well and bring home a medal for the United States.”

Dr. Amann has been working with the team over the past several months to prepare them for this trip to China. While traveling on the road, Dr. Amann typically assists the team with knee and ankle injuries, which are common injuries in the sport of soccer. Dr. Amann has also been preparing the team members for China by providing the necessary vaccinations. In addition, he is prepared to deal with other complex issues that may occur as a result of the environmental changes that they will encounter in China such as gastrointestinal problems, influenza and respiratory distress due to increased pollution.

After completing his B.S. at the University of Michigan Dr. Amann went to the Stritch School of Medicine at Loyola University of Chicago and graduated in 1995. He completed both his internship and residency at MacNeal Hospital in Berwyn, Illinois and participated in a fellowship in the Department of Sports Medicine at The Ohio State University in Columbus, Ohio. Dr. Amann also possesses a Certificate of Added Qualification in Sports Medicine.

Dr. Amann has been on staff at Northwestern Lake Forest Hospital since 2001.

Team USA will open the Olympics on August 6 against Norway in Qinhuangdao at the Olympic Center Stadium in a match that will kick-off at 7:45 p.m. (6:45 a.m. CT). The USA will then have two days of rest before facing Japan on August 9 in Qinhuangdao in a match that begins at 5 p.m. local time (4:00 a.m. CT) before finishing group play on Aug. 12 against New Zealand in Shenyang at the 60,000-seat Olympic Center Stadium in a match that kicks off at 7:45 p.m. local (6:45 a.m. CT). In the 12-team women’s tournament, the top two teams in each of the three groups plus the two best third-place teams after the completion of first-round play will advance to the quarterfinals.

This will be the fourth Olympic soccer competition for Team USA. The US women have won two gold medals (Atlanta 1996 and Athens 2004) and one silver medal (Sydney 2000) in previous Olympic tournaments.