Sports

Michael Acurio, MD, has been a cornerstone of the FLEX Institute since 1996, earning recognition as a highly skilled and innovative leader in orthopedic care throughout the region. His journey to the medical field was driven by a lifelong aspiration to become a physician. Although he initially considered a career in ophthalmology during medical school, Dr. Acurio soon discovered his true passion for orthopedics while working alongside his future senior partner, Dr. Clint McAlister.

Dr. Acurio’s practice is uniquely diverse, encompassing three key areas: 1) hip and knee replacements, 2) upper extremity and hand procedures, and 3) general orthopedics. His comprehensive training has equipped him with the expertise to address a wide array of orthopedic conditions, a versatility he continues to embrace after nearly three decades in practice.

Beyond his professional achievements, Dr. Acurio is a devoted family man, proud father and grandfather to five children and five grandchildren. He is actively involved in the Shreveport-Bossier City community, supporting the Shreveport Regional Arts Council, local youth athletics, and various charitable organizations. In his leisure time, he enjoys scuba diving, running, and creating cherished memories with his family.

Dr. Acurio provides patient consultations at the FLEX Institute in Bossier City, where he continues to deliver exceptional orthopedic care.

Read Dr. Acurio’s full bio here.

Born and raised in Shreveport, Louisiana, J. David Googe, MD grew up knowing he wanted to be a doctor. As a young, talented athlete, Dr. Googe was initially introduced to Orthopedic Specialists of Louisiana as a patient. In the early 1990s, Googe was a captain and quarterback of Shreveport High School when he injured his knee. OSL founding partner, David Waddell, MD, performed an ACL reconstruction.

Dealing with his sports-related injuries and his love of medicine led him down a path to an orthopedic residency at The University of Oklahoma and dual fellowships in sports medicine and total joint reconstruction.

“Most sports related injuries /surgeries do not occur in young, high school athletes,” he said. “Most sports-related injuries/ surgeries occur in middle-aged people like me who think they are in high school and spend a lot of time playing sports and not enough time stretching and getting ready to play sports. We see everything from shoulder dislocations and ACL reconstructions in young athletes, to arthritic changes that are preventing the aging population from continuing to participate.”

Dr. Googe believes one of the advantages of treating patients in his community is being from the Ark-La-Tex area and having knowledge of the patients’ reference points. He also believes an open line of communication between patient and doctor is critical.

“If your bones are sticking out of your skin, I am happy to hear your thoughts, but you have to have surgery; otherwise, the rest of this is elective,” he said. “So, it becomes a question of, how fearful you are of having a procedure versus how fearful you are of living without a procedure.”

Read Dr. Googe’s full bio here.

Shreveport’s own Val Irion, MD, joined FLEX Institute Shreveport in 2013. In addition to specializing in shoulder and knee arthroscopic procedures and total joint replacement knee and shoulder, he is also fellowship-trained in cartilage restoration procedures.

Growing up, Dr. Irion gravitated towards being a physician, which was secondary to his love of sports.

“When I realized I probably wasn’t going to be a professional sports player—which is probably what I really wanted to be when I was really young—the easiest and best way for me to stay around sports and athletic endeavors was to be an orthopedic/sports medicine physician,” Dr. Irion said.

As a lifelong athlete himself, he recognizes the importance of a healthy and consistent activity level throughout life and is committed to helping his patients maintain and pursue these goals. He understands and empathizes with a patient’s frustration with not being able to maintain their desired level of activity due to an injury, wear and tear, pain, and arthritic changes.

“I get what that means; being unable to do what you want to do physically really impacts your lifestyle,” he said. “What I want to do is to get patients back to what they want to do, whether it be competitive sports or recreational activities.”

Dr. Irion is the medical director for Specialists Hospital Shreveport and works directly with the SHS teams to improve patient experience and achieve better outcomes.

Read Dr. Irion’s full bio here.

Andrew Patton, MD is an orthopedic surgeon specializing in Sports Medicine, Total Joint Replacement- Knee & Shoulder, Mako Smart Robotic Knee, and general orthopedics at FLEX Institute in Shreveport/Bossier City.

“A lot of people think that because I specialize in sports medicine, I only treat athletes, but really anything can be a sport,” Dr. Patton said. “A big part of my job is to help patients of all ages and all activity levels maintain and restore their level of function—from a weekend warrior trying to get back to the gym, to an elderly patient who is looking to maintain their independence, to a young athlete who wants to get back onto the playing field.”

In keeping with his sub-specialty of Sports Medicine, Patton is a team player. He is on the same team as his patients, his physician partners, and his colleagues. He seeks opportunities to help… and strives to work with others to improve the team’s performance and viability.

Dr. Patton is known for leading with compassion, being a great listener, and his calm yet confident demeanor. Patients leave his clinic feeling like they have options and trusting they can get better.

You can read Dr. Patton’s full bio here.