Cheese and Wine Aren’t the Only Things That Age Well with Time: Inside Summit Orthopedics’ New Plymouth Location with Dr. Dane Hansen

If physicians were to vote on the best type of medicine for middle-to-older-aged athletes, 99.9% would agree: movement is their go-to in the preventative category. Summit Orthopedics’ new location in Plymouth, Minn., spotlights the talented and exceptionally trained Dane Hansen, doctor of osteopathic medicine.

“Summit has never really had a full kind of formal, and that’s a big move for us,” Hansen says.

This presence in Plymouth provides accessibility to the west metro and brings a full package of care. It mirrors both the Vadnais Heights and Eagan locations, veteran locations that have been a part of the Summit hub for the last five to 10 years.

“This location is similar in having truly kind of a one-stop shop,” Hansen says. “We have an urgent care, a clinic, physical therapy, hand therapy and a full surgery center with what we call care suites.”

These care suites are recovery suites that have the luxury and attention of hotel-style areas for patients to recover from major surgeries such as spine surgery, fusions, joint replacements and more. Summit prescribes each patient a care plan tailored to their needs and assigns a specialized team to carry it out.

Care teams have the honor and responsibility to cater to patients through support, presence, encouragement and innovation. Summit Orthopedics’ Plymouth location embraces the idea of open interaction to support both the patient and the care team, whose professional opinion and assurance are easily accessible. This reimagines what an orthopedic medicine environment feels like: professional, but also very human.

Imagine having to experience a painful and difficult circumstance when it comes to your bone, hip or knee health. You’d be wondering where to go for care during each phase of recovery, but also feeling warm and confident in your prescribed care rotation. You’d be seen and heard around the clock, and on a first-name basis with an industry physician whose mission and purpose are to get you back healthy and back to yourself.

It is almost difficult to believe care like this exists without proof of patients who have completed rehabilitation and care treatments. Examples include skiers who were able to return to their sport, competing and training in weather that is known to hinder joint agility, and pickleballers who have re-obtained flexibility months after post-operation physical therapy.

“No matter how old or young we are, all of us have something we’re passionate about,” Hansen shares. “Getting my patients back to doing what they love is what’s rewarding for me.”

Education would come in a close second for the best type of medicine. When people are educated on preventative measures and take advice to get in tune with their bodies, they’ll have better discernment on how to treat or alert chronic to acute episodes of discomfort.

Hansen believes innovation and empathy create the bridge between the technology that Summit Orthopedics has incorporated and a full vision of health for those who are in their care.

“We want people to know that movement is for everyone,” Hansen states. “Whether it’s walking, biking, swimming or chasing after grandkids, it all counts. The goal is to keep people moving and keep them living.”

Just as cheese and wine go through their own seasons of cultivation and preservation, athletes age biologically almost in a similar way. Repetition, endurance and time condition their bodies to a state to withstand motion, whether demanded or free. Aging isn’t a challenge; it’s the opportunity to prepare oneself for recovery and edification, which brings a reimagined idea of what performance means at each stage. This also stands true for the athletes in recovery or rehabilitation. Like aging, they can be a road toward reclaiming their narrative.

Considering the proximity of identity and performance in modern life, preservation is a priority. Longevity matters, and honoring your body’s changes during the entire process is rewarding. The secret to aging well is simpler than we thought and much slower than we anticipated: it’s being prepared for accidents while also living young at heart through the body.

If you are interested in learning more about Summit Orthopedics, please visit their website, summitortho.com.

Lavender updated this article on October 31 to correct erroneous references to the new clinic being in Maple Grove, Minn. Summit Orthopedics’ new clinic is in Plymouth, Minn.