Here are 30 spine surgeons focused on sports medicine and sports-related injuries. For list recommendations, contact Heather at hlinder@beckershealthcare.com.
Robert S. Bray, Jr., MD (DISC Sports & Spine Center, Marina del Rey, Calif.). Dr. Bray is the founder of DISC Sports & Spine Center, which serves as the official sports and spine center for the Los Angeles Kings. DISC surgeons also treat Olympic athletes and Red Bull America athletes. During his career, Dr. Bray was a founding member of the Institute for Spinal Disorders at Cedars Sinai Medical Center and headed the spinal programs at three different hospitals. In addition to his clinical practice, Dr. Bray participated in the development of the Zeiss Microscope. He holds multiple innovations on spinal implants and surgical instrumentation. He is a member of the American Association of Neurological Surgeons, North American Spine Society and Association of Military Surgeons. Dr. Bray earned his medical degree at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston and completed his residency in neurosurgery at Baylor Affiliated Hospitals.
Andrew Cappuccino, MD (Buffalo Spine Surgery, Lockport, N.Y.). Dr. Cappuccino is a physician with Buffalo Spine Surgery in Lockport, N.Y., and a spine surgeon for the Buffalo Bills. He earned his medical degree from State University of New York at Buffalo (N.Y.) School of Medicine and completed a spine surgery fellowship at the Johns Hopkins University Scoliosis and Spine Center in Baltimore. Dr. Cappuccino has published several articles about spine surgery techniques and presented his research around the world. He is a member of the Cervical Spine Research Society, North American Spine Society, Spinal Arthroplasty Society and a fellow with the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons.
David Chang, MD (Marina Spine Center, Marina del Rey, Calif.). Dr. Chang is a board-certified orthopedic spine surgeon who has a special interest in treating the complexities of sports injuries. He performs minimally invasive spine surgery, artificial disc replacement and care for degenerative disc disease. He is a member of the North American Spine Society. Dr. Chang earned his medical degree at New York University School of Medicine in New York City and completed his residency at NYU-Hospital for Joint Diseases. His additional training includes a spine fellowship under Robert G. Watkins, MD, and Lytton A. Williams, MD, in Los Angeles.
Andrew B. Dossett, MD (The Carrell Clinic, Dallas). Dr. Dossett is a spine consultant for the Dallas Cowboys, Texas Rangers and Dallas Stars professional hockey team. He practices with The Carrell Clinic in Dallas and is a member of several professional organizations, including American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons and North American Spine Society. During his career, Dr. Dossett has authored several articles on lumbar spine fusions, neck injuries in athletes and injuries in the cervical and lumbar spine. Dr. Dossett earned his medical degree at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical School in Dallas, where he also completed his residency in orthopedic surgery. His additional training includes a fellowship in spine surgery at Kerlan-Jobe Orthopaedic Clinic in Los Angeles.
Arash Emami, MD (University Spine Center, Wayne, N.J.). Dr. Emami is a consulting team physician for the New York Rangers. He is a physician with University Spine Center and serves as the director of spine surgery at Saint Joseph's Regional Medical Center in New York City. He has a professional interest in treating patients with complex spinal disorders and has expertise in minimally invasive spine surgery. He was among the first spine surgeons to perform a total disc replacement in the lumbar and cervical spine. In addition to his clinical work, Dr. Emami serves as a clinical assistant professor at NYU/Hospital for Joint Disease and is a member of North American Spine Society, Scoliosis Research Society and American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. Dr. Emami earned his medical degree at the University of Chicago, where he also completed his residency. His additional training includes a fellowship at the University of California in San Francisco.
Anthony Guanciale, MD (Cincinnati Spine Institute). Dr. Guanciale practices spine surgery with Cincinnati Spine Institute and The Christ Hospital. He is the spine surgeon consultant to the Cincinnati Bengals and the University of Cincinnati. During his career, he spent 16 years as the director of orthopedic spine surgery and an associate professor at the University of Cincinnati and published extensively on spinal conditions. He has a professional interest in minimally invasive spine surgery, adult scoliosis deformity and revision surgery. In addition to his clinical work, Dr. Guanciale is a member of North American Spine Society and American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. Dr. Guanciale earned his medical degree at Medical College of Ohio in Toledo and completed his residency at Cleveland Clinic. His additional training includes a fellowship at Kerlan-Jobe Orthopaedic Clinic in Los Angeles.
Roger Hartl, MD (Weill Cornell Physicians Organization, New York City). Dr. Hartl is the chief of spinal surgery at Weill Cornell Medical College in New York City and a spine surgeon with the New York Giants. He earned his medical degree at the University of Munich (Germany) School of Medicine and a fellowship in neurocritical care at the Charite Hospital of the Humboldt University in Berlin. His additional training includes a neurosurgery residency at Weill Cornell Medical College. Dr. Hartl has a professional interest in complex spine surgery and his research focuses on the pathophysiology of traumatic brain injury.
Andrew Hecht, MD (Mount Sinai Medical Center, New York City). Dr. Hecht is the co-director of spine surgery at Mount Sinai department of orthopedics in New York City. He is also the spine consultant for the New York Jets, New York Islander professional hockey team and the New York Dragons arena football team. Dr. Hecht also serves as the director of the NFL Spine Center Program for retired football players at Mount Sinai. His clinical interests include the evolution and surgical management of degenerative disorders of the cervical, thoracic and lumbar spine as well as minimally invasive surgery. In addition to his clinical practice, Dr. Hecht serves on the editorial review board of a professional spine journal and is a member of the North American Spine Society. He earned his medical degree at Harvard Medical School in Boston, where he also completed his residency in orthopedic surgery. His additional training includes a fellowship in spine surgery at Emory Spine Center in Atlanta.
Plas T. James, MD (Atlanta Spine Institute). Dr. James served as a spine surgeon for the Atlanta Thrashers until the 2011 season, when the team was sold to True North Sports and Entertainment and relocated to Winnipeg, Canada. He also served as an orthopedic spine surgeon with the Atlanta Falcons and provided care for the United States Indoor Track & Field Championships. He has a professional interest in performing minimally invasive spinal surgery. Dr. James previously served as chief of orthopedics at West Paces Medical Center in Atlanta before establishing Atlanta Spine Institute. Dr. James earned his medical degree from Harvard Medical School in Boston and completed his residency in orthopedic surgery at Tulane University School of Medicine in New Orleans. His additional training includes a spine fellowship at Harvard.
Kaveh Khajavi, MD (Georgia Spine and Neurosurgery Center, Atlanta). Dr. Khajavi is the neurosurgical consultant to the Atlanta Falcons. He is a founding member of the Society for Lateral Access Surgery and has been treating degenerative scoliosis patients with minimally invasive surgical techniques since 2004. Dr. Khajavi recently co-founded the Institute for Neurosurgical and Spine Research Foundation, a scientific research organization designed to facilitate research collaborations among minimally invasive spine surgeons. The foundation also collaborates with other spine surgeons participating in data collection and research, with studies focusing on clinical outcomes and comparative effectiveness for minimally invasive procedures and emerging technologies. The practice has been collecting outcomes since 2003 and has more than 1,000 patients in the database. He earned his medical degree from Georgetown University School of Medicine in Washington, DC, and completed his neurosurgical residency at Cleveland Clinic.
Lawrence Lenke, MD (Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis). Dr. Lenke is a spine consultant to the St. Louis Blues, St. Louis Rams and St. Louis Cardinals. He serves as a professor of orthopedic surgery at Washington University School of Medicine, where he also serves as co-chief of adult and pediatric spine care, scoliosis and reconstructive surgery. Dr. Lenke is also director of spinal surgery at Shriners Hospital for Children in St. Louis. Dr. Lenke is a member of North American Spine Society, American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons and Scoliosis Research Society. In addition to his clinical work, Dr. Lenke has published several articles based on his research in scoliosis, acute spinal cord injury and spinal implants. Dr. Lenke earned his medical degree at Northwestern University Medical School in Chicago and completed his residency in orthopedic surgery at Washington University School of Medicine. He also completed his pediatric and adult spine surgery fellowship at Washington University.
Steven C. Ludwig, MD (University of Maryland Medical Center, Baltimore). Dr. Ludwig, chief of spine surgery at the University of Maryland Medical Center, has a professional interest in a full range of adult spinal disorders with clinical interest in spinal tumors, infections and sports-related injuries, among others. He has received awards from the Cervical Spine Research Society and American Orthopaedic Association for his research. Along with his practice, Dr. Ludwig is co-director of the University of Maryland's spine program and an associate professor of orthopedics. He earned his medical degree from the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey and Robert Wood Johnson Medical School in Newark, N.J., and completed surgical residencies at Thomas Jefferson University and the Rothman Institute, both in Philadelphia. He received fellowship training in spine surgery at Emory University in Atlanta.
Joseph Maroon, MD (University of Pittsburgh Medical Center). Dr. Maroon is a neurosurgeon, vice chairman and professor of the department of neurosurgery at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center and has been a neurosurgeon with the Pittsburgh Steelers. He earned his medical degree from the Indiana University School of Medicine in Indianapolis, where he also completed his residency. His additional neurosurgical training includes time at Georgetown University in Washington, D.C., Oxford University in England and the University of Vermont in Burlington. Dr. Maroon co-developed the ImPACT test for concussion screening and has served as consultant to several professional and college athletes. He is a member of American Association of Neurological Surgeons, American College of Sports Medicine and Research Society of Neurological Surgeons. In addition to his clinical work, Dr. Maroon serves on the editorial board for The Physician and Sportsmedicine as well as Neurological Research.
Frank Pedlow Jr., MD (Boston Spine Surgery). Dr. Pedlow is an orthopedic spine surgeon at Boston Spine Surgery and the former chief of the orthopedic spine service at Massachusetts General Hospital. His clinical interests are in cervical and lumbar spine, sports injuries of the spine, motion preservation surgery and more. He specializes in degenerative spine conditions, minimally invasive spine surgery and athletic injuries. Dr. Pedlow received his medical degree from New York Medical College. He completed a residency at Massachusetts General Hospital and a neurosurgery fellowship at Long Island Jewish Medical Center. He is a member of the North American Spine Society and International College of Surgeons.
John H. Peloza, MD (The Center for Spine Care, Dallas). Dr. Peloza is the director of The Center for Spine Care and a leader in minimal access spinal technology. He helped launch several minimally invasive spine surgery technologies, such as MAVERICK total disc replacement, and was one of the few physicians involved in the introduction of Medtronic's INFUSE, the new FDA-approved bone morphogenic protein. He is a spine consultant to the U.S. Ski Team and a member of numerous national and international medical organizations, such as the International Spine Injection Society, North American Spine Society and American College of Sports Medicine. Dr. Peloza received his medical degree from Northwestern University Medical School in Chicago and completed his residency at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas.
Mark Prasarn, MD (University of Texas Medical School, Houston). Dr. Prasarn is the chief of spine trauma and an associate professor in the department of orthopedics at the University of Texas Medical School in Houston. He is a spinal consultant for the Houston Texans and all University of Houston sports teams. Dr. Prasarn specializes in spine with an emphasis in surgical care of complex spinal disorders and orthopedic trauma. He earned his medical degree from the New York University School of Medicine and completed his orthopedic residency at the University of Miami Jackson Memorial Hospital. He then finished a fellowship in orthopedic trauma at the Hospital for Special Surgery. Dr. Prasarn also completed the Louis A. Goldstein Spinal Surgery fellowship at the University of Rochester Medical Center and has been a visiting fellow at the MD Anderson Cancer Institute.
Andrew A. Sama, MD (Hospital for Special Surgery, New York City). Dr. Sama is an associate attending orthopedic surgeon at Hospital for Special Surgery and fellowship director of the spinal surgical services. He has a keen interested in disorders of the cervical spine and sports-related injuries. In addition to his clinical work, Dr. Sama is active in the North American Spine Society, International Society for the Advancement of Spine Surgery and American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. His research interests include biology and biomechanics of spinal fusions. Dr. Sama earned his medical degree at the University of Miami School of Medicine and completed his residency at the University of Miami/Jackson Memorial Hospital Medical Center. His additional training includes a fellowship at Hospital for Special Surgery/Weill Cornell Medical College in spinal disorders and deformity surgery.
Srdjan Mirkovic, MD (NorthShore Orthopaedics, Chicago). Dr. Mirkovic is a spine consultant for the Chicago Bears and Chicago Fire professional soccer team. He practices with NorthShore University HealthSystem in Evanston, Ill. He has a professional interest in spine arthroplasty, fusion and minimally invasive surgical technique. In addition to his clinical practice, Dr. Mirkovic is a member of the North American Spine Society and American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. During his career he has published several articles in journals such as Spine and Journal of Bone & Joint Surgery. Dr. Mirkovic earned his medical degree at Georgetown University School of Medicine in Washington, D. C., and completed his residency at Baylor College of Medicine affiliated hospitals in Houston. His additional training includes a fellowship in spine surgery at the University of California in San Diego.
Matthew Moore, MD (Broward Health, Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.). Dr. Moore is the medical director of neurosurgical services at Broward Health North and the official on-field neurosurgeon for the Miami Dolphins. He also serves as director of the Spine Care Center at Broward Health North and neurosurgeon for the Miami Marlins. In addition to his clinical practice, Dr. Moore is a member of the American Association for Neurological Surgeons and Congress of Neurological Surgeons. He earned his medical degree at Yale University School of Medicine in New Haven, Conn., and completed his neurosurgery residency at Harvard Medical School and Brigham & Women's and Children's Hospitals in Boston.
Anthony P. Moreno, MD (Moreno Joseph Spine & Scoliosis, Tampa, Fla.). Dr. Moreno is the orthopedic spine surgeon for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and director of the Mease Neuro-Ortho Spine Surgery Center at Mease Countryside Hospital. He has a professional interest in lumbar and cervical microsurgeries, complex revision of spinal deformities and scoliosis. In addition to his clinical work, Dr. Moreno is an active fellow of the Scoliosis Research Society and has given presentations around the world on spine surgical techniques. Dr. Moreno earned his medical degree at the University of Florida in Gainesville and completed his residency at Jackson (Fla.) Memorial Medical Center/University of Miami. His additional training includes a fellowship in spine surgery at Hahnemann University Hospital in Philadelphia.
Mark L. Prasarn, MD (Ironman Sports Medicine Institute, Houston). Dr. Prasarn is a spine surgeon with the Ironman Sports Medicine Institute and spine surgery consultant to the Houston Texans and the University of Houston. He has a special interest in degenerative spine surgery, spinal trauma and complex fractures. Dr. Prasarn earned his medical degree at New York University School of Medicine and completed his residency in orthopedic surgery at the University of Miami/Jackson Memorial Hospital. His additional training includes fellowships in spine surgery at the University of Rochester (N.Y.) and orthopedic trauma at the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York City. Dr. Prasarn was also a visiting spine fellow at MD Anderson Cancer Center.
Chad J. Prusmack, MD (Rocky Mountain Spine Clinic, Lone Tree, Colo.). Dr. Prusmack is a spine surgeon with Rocky Mountain Spine Clinic and a neurosurgical consultant to the Denver Broncos. He is a board-certified neurosurgeon with a professional interest in minimally invasive spine surgery and complex cervical and lumbar spine surgery. In addition to his clinical work, Dr. Prusmack focuses on research and development of minimally invasive spine equipment. He is a member of the North American Spine Society, Society for Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery and the Miami Project. Dr. Prusmack earned his medical degree at Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons in New York City and completed his residency in neurosurgery at the University of Miami. His additional training includes a complex and minimally invasive spine fellowship at the University of Miami.
Thomas Schuler, MD (Virginia Spine Institute, Reston). Dr. Schuler is the founder and president of the Virginia Spine Institute and a spinal consultant for the Washington Redskins. He also serves as program director for the Virginia Spine Institute Physician Assistant Fellowship Program and is a fellow of the American College of Spine Surgery and the American College of Surgeons. Dr. Schuler has a professional interest in operative and non-operative interventions for cervical and lumbar spinal disorders. During his career, he has served as president and scientific advisor for the Spinal Research Foundation and a founding member of the Lumbar Spine Study Group. He is also a member of the North American Spine Society. Dr. Schuler earned his medical degree at Indiana University School of Medicine in Indianapolis and completed his residency in orthopedic surgery at William Beaumont Hospital in Royal Oak, Mich. His additional training includes a fellowship in spine surgery at Kerlan-Jobe Orthopaedic Clinic in Los Angeles.
Gary Shapiro, MD (Illinois Bone & Joint Institute, Buffalo Grove). Dr. Shapiro is a physician with the Illinois Bone & Joint Institute in Chicago and the Chicago Bears. He earned his medical degree from Health Science Center at Syracuse (N.Y.) and completed his residency in orthopedic surgery at the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York City. He additionally received training through a spine fellowship at the Hospital for Special Surgery and training in the thoracoscopic approach to deformity surgery at Children's Hospital San Diego. Dr. Shapiro has received the Lewis Clark Wagner Award for resident research and is appointed to the Foundation for Orthopaedics and Complex Spine. His area of professional interest includes IME and workers compensation cases. He is a member of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons.
William Thorman, MD (Ohio State University's Wexner Medical Center, Columbus). Dr. Thorman is a neurological surgeon with The Ohio State University's Wexner Medical Center, where he specializes in minimally invasive spine surgery and neurological sports-related injuries. His research interests include degenerative spine and sports-related spine injuries. Dr. Thorman received his medical degree from the University of Florida College of Medicine in Gainesville. He completed his internship and neurological surgery residency at OSU. He completed a minimally invasive spine surgery fellowship at Northwestern University in Chicago. Dr. Thorman is a member of the Congress of Neurological Surgeons and American Association of Neurological Surgeons.
Terry Trammell, MD (OrthoIndy, Indianapolis). Dr. Trammell is a spine surgeon with OrthoIndy and is a certified as a diplomat of the American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery and American Board of Spinal Surgery. He is best known for his work in providing care to motorsports athletes as the past medical director and Sr. Orthopaedic consultant to CART. He is currently an orthopedic spinal consultant to the Indy Racing League. Dr. Trammell received medical degree from Indiana University School of Medicine in Indianapolis. He completed a residency in orthopedic surgery at Indiana University Affiliated Hospitals and a fellowship in spinal surgery under the direction of E.H. Simmons, MD, at the University of Toronto.
Alexander Vaccaro, MD (Rothman Institute, Philadelphia). Dr. Vaccaro has been the team spine surgeon for the Philadelphia Eagles for eight seasons. He is the vice chairman of the department of orthopedics at Rothman Institute and co-director of the spine fellowship program at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital in Philadelphia. Dr. Vaccaro is a member of the North American Spine Society, Cervical Spine Research Society, Scoliosis Research Society and American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. Dr. Vaccaro earned his medical degree at Georgetown University School of Medicine in Washington, D.C., as well as a PhD in spinal trauma. He completed his orthopedic surgery residency at Thomas Jefferson University and his spine fellowship at the University of San Diego.
Robert Watkins III, MD (Marina Spine Center, Marina del Rey, Calif.). Dr. Watkins is a spine surgeon and the co-director of the Marina Spine Center. His clinical expertise is in innovations spine surgeries and treatment of sports-related injuries. He has performed successful treatments of professional athletes around the country. Dr. Watkins is a founding member of the North American Spine Society and a past society secretary. He has also participated in several FDA-approved investigational studies, and he was the primary investigator on the ProDisc artificial disc replacement study.
Robert Watkins IV, MD (Marina Spine Center, Marina del Rey, Calif.). Dr. Watkins is co-director of the Marina Spine Center and has a special interest in minimally invasive spine surgery. He serves as a spinal consultant to the Los Angeles Dodgers and works with athletes from other LA sports teams. He teaches advanced surgical techniques including computer guided surgery, lateral approach spine surgery and artificial disc replacement. Papers he authored cover topics such as spinal biomechanics, deformity and spine injuries in athletes. Dr. Watkins earned his medical degree at the University of Southern California Keck School of Medicine and completed his orthopedic surgery residency at Los Angeles County/University of Southern California General Hospital. His additional training includes fellowships in spine surgery at The Queen's Medical Centre in England and a traveling spine fellowship in Europe focusing on disc replacement and scoliosis.
Christopher A. Yeung, MD (Desert Institute for Spine Care, Phoenix). Dr. Yeung is the official team orthopedic spine surgeon for the Arizona Cardinals. He has been the principal investigator in several FDA studies, including the Flexicore lumbar artificial disc replacement, Cervicore cervical artificial disc replacement and DASCOR total nucleus replacement. He has a professional interest in minimally invasive spine surgery. In addition to his clinical practice at Desert Institute for Spine Care, Dr. Yeung serves as the team spine surgeon consultant for the Arizona Diamondbacks, Los Angeles Dodgers, Cincinnati Reds and Arizona Rattlers arena football team. He is a member of several professional organizations, including the North American Spine Society and American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. Dr. Yeung earned his medical degree at the University of Southern California School of Medicine and completed his orthopedic residency at the University of California Irvine Medical Center. His additional training includes a spine surgery fellowship at the USC Center for Orthopedic Spine Surgery/Los Angeles Spine Surgery.
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