Clanton Named Team Physician for New Houston Texans Football Team

Dr. Tom Clanton, professor and chairman of the department of orthopedics at The University of Texas Medical School at Houston, is one of the new team physicians for the Houston Texans National Football League team.

Dr. Clanton, who has been practicing sports medicine for 20 years, will serve as an orthopedic consultant and the team’s foot and ankle specialist.

"I’m excited to be working with the Texans," Dr. Clanton said. "They have a great organization from the top down."

Dr. Clanton is no stranger to the sports arena. As a student, he played football at Rice University, and since 1982, has been a team physician for the Rice Athletic Department. He acted as a consultant to the team physician for the former Houston Oilers, and numerous professional football players already are among his patients.

His experience and the confidence of Drs. Walter Lowe, the Texans’ head team physician, and James Muntz, team internist and volunteer faculty member at the UT-Houston Medical School, is what earned Dr. Clanton the spot on the four-member team of physicians.

"Our job will be to make sure that the players, as patients, receive the best possible care we can provide," Dr. Clanton said. "It’s imperative that physicians caring for athletes understand both the injury and the sport in order to determine when the risk of returning to sports participation is acceptable. This is particularly critical in the professional athlete."

The Houston Texans begin their inaugural season this fall.

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©2006 Texas Medical Center

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