A competent doctor can cure everything

“What’s the principle behind this?”

“?”

“What’s the treatment principle?”

The head AT, a man with an attitude, shot the question at me.

He had been challenging me since earlier.

Well, I understood. He was responsible for the players’ health on this team.

He might have felt like an outsider was trying to take his place.

And since I wasn’t a specialist yet, it was natural for him to be skeptical.

So, I answered his somewhat rude question sincerely.

“First, I reduced the swelling of the bursa (a small sac filled with liquid between the bone and tendon) using wet cupping. Then, I inserted needles deeply into the ashi points and various acupoints to induce perforation in the tendon.”

“Perforation? You mean a hole?”

Jeong Ho-jeong, who had just gained mobility in her shoulder, asked with curiosity as she continued to move it.

“Yes. This reduces the internal pressure in the tendon, and we aim to expel the calcification through the perforation.”

“So what about the injection?”

“The injection used this time is a herbal remedy called Huanglian Jiedu Decoction, which has excellent anti-inflammatory properties. It washes away the calcification while also providing anti-inflammatory effects.”

After listening to my explanation, Ho-jeong nodded vigorously in admiration.

“Oh, so that’s why the pain has improved so much. I thought of the expression ‘it’s like I’ve been washed clean,’ and it really was washed away.”

“To put it simply, yes. It lowers the pressure and removes the calcification. The muscles around the shoulder would also have relaxed.”

After hearing all this, the head AT, who had been silent for a moment, stammered defensively.

“W-well, the hospital I took Ho-jeong to is also famous and skilled.”

“Of course, that hospital isn’t wrong. They used to actively perform surgery for SLAP lesions. But for athletes, the rehabilitation period after surgery can be quite burdensome compared to the average person. So recently, the trend has shifted away from performing surgery for SLAP lesions.”

…as Professor Ryu informed me.

It’s clear that the professor’s practical lecture was helpful.

Suddenly, Han Mi-young, who looked much better than before, added as if she had just remembered something, “So, what about the treatment for SLAP lesions?”

“If there’s no pain or discomfort, you can manage it with rotator cuff strengthening exercises, scapular muscle strengthening exercises, and joint mobility exercises.”

“Phew, that’s a relief.”

At that moment, my body suddenly lost balance and shook violently.

“Doctor!”

“!”

Jeong Ho-jeong rushed in and hugged me tightly before letting go.

“Thank you, thank you, thank you! You’re my lifesaver!”

It seemed the despair and discouragement from earlier had washed away with the pain.

She had returned to her cheerful and vibrant self, just like when I first met her.

“So, do I not need any more treatment for that calcification?”

More than anything, her gaze was different.

There was an infinite trust in Jeong Ho-jeong’s eyes.

“If you still have pain tomorrow, we can do a little more treatment. If it doesn’t hurt, it’s okay to stop the treatment.”

“Yes! Thank you!”

When I reassured her about her future during the treatment, I was confident her shoulder wouldn’t worsen again.

Still, since the future can change, I made sure to advise her just in case.

“Seon-Joon.”

As Jeong Ho-jeong stepped back, now it was Han Mi-young and the head AT approaching me.

“I feel embarrassed, but as a coach, I had high expectations for Ho-jeong. To be honest, I felt lost until you arrived. Ho-jeong plays a significant role in our strategy. I truly appreciate it.”

“I apologize for my earlier excitement; I may have said some harsh things. Ho-jeong’s surgery was a huge deal for us… I’m sorry.”

Well, as long as the patient is doing well, that’s all that mattered.

I also felt a sense of relief as my tension eased after the treatment, so I could smile and say,

“Now you should hurry back to the court.”

As we exited the medical room, all eyes were focused on Jeong Ho-jeong.

“Sister! How’s your arm?”

“Look at this~!”

As Ho-jeong playfully swung her shoulder around, relieved gasps erupted among the other players.

“Wow! Are you already all better?”

“So does that mean you don’t need surgery?”

“Wow, that’s amazing. You really are a top doctor!”

“Wow, we actually have a top doctor on our team.”

…? Did I just get another strange nickname?

As I adjusted my glasses in confusion, Soso rushed over to me.

She waved her right hand in front of my eyes excitedly.

“Doctor! My fingers don’t hurt at all anymore! You’re the best!”

“Wow, Doctor. You really saved all of us.”

“Are you leaving after just a month?”

Leading the charge, Soso and the others surrounded me, bombarding me with questions.

Goodness…. Why are they all so loud? I can hardly keep my composure.

Plus, with so many players, remembering their names is no easy task.

I felt a bit guilty, but I figured I’d need to give them nicknames in my mind.

‘First, Jeong Ho-jeong is the captain, Ji Yeong-sook is the eldest sister, Soso is Soso, Emma is the mercenary… that should do it.’

Just then, Han Mi-young, who had been watching us with a smile, announced in a booming voice.

“Hey, everyone! While we’re at it, listen up. Doctor Seon-Joon has agreed to come three times a week for a while. But if we don’t place in the top three in the KOVO Cup, we’ll lose even the home visits we’ve been getting. However, if we make it into the top three, we’ll be able to get proper treatment from the team doctor.”

“Wait, what?”

“The club and Professor Yeon Jae-wook discussed it this way. If we get good results while receiving treatment three times a week, they’ll officially hire a team doctor. Otherwise, we’ll lose the home visits too.”

“Ugh, how can that be?”

“So if we make it into the top three, we can keep seeing Doctor Seon-Joon?”

That’s not quite right. I raised my hand.

The professor said he would recommend me to any sports team I want.

I’m still pondering how to make the most of this great opportunity.

“I don’t know who the team doctor will be.”

“Oh come on~. Just come, please~.”

“Please come!”

“……”

I felt like I had become a student teacher at a girls’ high school.

* * *

With the appearance of Captain Jeong Ho-jeong, the atmosphere turned festive, and practice was paused to begin my consultations.

However, today’s atmosphere was vastly different from the first day.

“……!”

Everyone rushed out and lined up. Even staff members were present.

At the very front was the eldest sister, Ji Yeong-sook.

“Doctor, after that acupuncture treatment, my whole body feels much better. I’ll make sure to take the herbal medicine.”

“You need to stop taking that medicine a week before the game. I mentioned the doping issue, right?”

“Understood. I’ll do that. Oh, by the way, you’ll be giving me the pain relief and obesity acupuncture today, right? Hehe.”

“Yes, I brought the electrical acupuncture device. Please head to the medical room and wait.”

The eldest sister’s face lit up with excitement at the thought of the obesity acupuncture as she headed to the medical room.

As the others took their turns, they each expressed their individual concerns.

The most common complaints were about stiffness, aches, and numbness related to musculoskeletal pain.

There were also many mentions of fatigue and a decrease in physical stamina.

For the simpler ailments, I prescribed some herbal medicine and sent everyone who wanted acupuncture to the medical room.

At this rate, I might need to have patients sit while I perform acupuncture due to the lack of space.

As I prepared to head to the medical room with the charts, I reflected on the earlier events.

The future I had seen last time showed the captain scheduling her surgery and deciding to take a break for the season.

“Did the future change because she delayed the surgery to wait for me?”

In any case, I’m relieved that the treatment went well.

I had aimed to alleviate about half of her pain, but the treatment exceeded my expectations.

“I’m glad I brought the ultrasound equipment.”

When I met the captain, I suspected calcific tendinitis and was almost certain after seeing her future.

Since then, I had been thinking about bringing the ultrasound equipment.

Knowing the future, I wanted to provide a more perfect treatment, so I went a bit overboard.

Of course, this expensive equipment isn’t mine… I spoke to Professor Yeon Jae-wook, and he was able to lend it to me from the Korean Medicine Rehabilitation department.

I had worried that the professor might not allow it, but that was unnecessary.

In fact, he was so impressed that he even gave me a mini-lecture on the ultrasound.

However, while I was in the medical room administering acupuncture, I couldn’t stop worrying about one person.

The foreign player, Emma.

“She didn’t receive treatment today.”

Of course, not everyone in this medical room is in perfect condition, but Emma seemed worse off than the others.

She grimaced every time she jumped, and her jumping ability wasn’t great.

Yet, it seemed she had no intention of getting treated.

Earlier, I had asked the head AT whether Emma was complaining about knee pain.

The head AT, whose attitude had become much more friendly, kindly answered my question.

“Oh, doctor. We’re actually concerned because her performance hasn’t been up to expectations. But she insists she doesn’t have any pain. She says she’s still adjusting to Korea and isn’t performing at her best, but she asked us to wait a bit longer for her to adapt. So we’re planning to keep an eye on her for now.”

No, that’s not just an adjustment issue.

You might wonder why she doesn’t go to the hospital even if her knee hurts.

According to Professor Yeon, there are complicated interests involved here.

From the player’s perspective, they have to consider their contract renewal, and their health status plays a significant role in that.

The club officials evaluate a player based on their health check records and performance.

“So even if they’re in pain, they might pretend not to be, and they tend to avoid leaving any medical records.”

Moreover, when the coach and staff choose the starting members for the game, they obviously consider the players’ health.

If there’s an injury, they may not be selected as starters and could end up sitting on the bench until the season ends.

This is what’s referred to as being in the “chicken coop.”

After finishing the treatment in the medical room, I went out to observe the players’ practice again.

“Hmm.”

Should I try to strike up a conversation?

Emma said she was Italian.

Unfortunately, I’m not fluent in Italian, so I’d need a translator to communicate.

I cautiously approached the foreign player.

“Hello. Is there anywhere you’d like to get treated, Emma?”

The translator shook their head after listening to the player.

“She says she doesn’t want any treatment.”

“I think there’s an issue with your knee. I can help you.”

Then, I received an unexpected question from the player.

“She’s asking if this is the right way for a doctor to treat this.”

The translator held up their phone, showing a picture.

It displayed a few gleaming acupuncture needles and a bowl containing black herbal medicine, surrounded by various herbal ingredients.

“Yes, that’s right.”

“Ask the doctor if they like Americanos like other Koreans do.”

…? What’s that about?

Sure, I’m crazy about iced Americanos.

“I like them.”

“Ah….”

As the foreign player continued speaking, the translator glanced at me, gauging my reaction.

Judging by the player’s aggressive tone, it didn’t seem to be anything positive.

“It’s okay, please tell me.”

“She says that just like an Americano isn’t real coffee, this isn’t real treatment either. It might work for Koreans, but she doesn’t like it and doesn’t want the treatment.”

“……!”

The shock of the Americano being dismissed is significant, but I was left dumbfounded by the player’s firm refusal.

It seems this foreign athlete has a strong aversion to traditional Korean medicine.

I’ve heard that some major league players in the U.S. enjoy acupuncture and cupping, but for this Italian player, it appears to be quite unfamiliar.

‘What should I do…’

With the translator’s awkward glance and the player’s prickly expression, I quickly brainstormed.

Then, a clever idea came to me.