If staying active is important to you — whether that’s for a high school sport, doing chores around the house, a manual job or simply going to the gym — Derek Day, MD, is your go-to expert if you encounter an injury or stubborn musculoskeletal pain.
Dr. Day offers non-operative sports medicine services at the Avera Specialty Hospital in Sioux Falls, SD. He’s part of our robust Avera Orthopedics team, offering personalized services that address issues of the bones, joints, ligaments and tendons before referring to surgery.
As an athlete himself, he’s passionate about getting people back to doing what they love.
“When I first meet a patient, I want to know what interests them — not just what brings them in,” said Dr. Day. “With that lens of what’s important to them, we can work together to remove the barriers that try to hold them back.”
Expert Care in Sports Medicine
Before pursuing medicine, Dr. Day considered engineering as a career. He changed course when he discovered he’d rather help people through direct interactions. The interest of ‘how things work’ never left him though.
“I’m fascinated by the intricate mechanical relationship between the structure and function of the musculoskeletal system,” he said.
If you sustain an injury, or if pain, swelling or weakness doesn’t go away, Dr. Day might use one or several treatment approaches to help you find relief. These include bracing, casts, injections, medication or drainage around the affected area.
Active Lifestyle
When he’s not at work, Dr. Day enjoys spending time with his wife and sons, exploring the outdoors and volunteering in his church congregation. As a sports medicine doctor, he says it’s no surprise if you find him keeping up with favorite sports teams or playing any sport he can!
“I find so much value and fulfillment in staying active and want to help others do the same” he said.
Dr. Day is proficient in Spanish and looks forward to caring for Spanish-speaking patients with ease.
