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Craig Capeci, MD, NYM's newest addition to its expert team of sports surgeons.

Torn rotator cuffs. Ruptured patellar tendons. Snapped anterior cruciate ligaments (ACLs). Labral tears. Bone spurs in the hip. Unfortunately, these are just a few of the many injuries that regularly befall athletes, whether or not they've reached the big leagues.

The good news is that treatments for sports injuries have advanced by leaps and bounds, with procedures now available that enable athletes to recover from what were once "career-ending" injuries. New York Methodist Hospital's (NYM) Institute for Orthopedic Medicine and Surgery provides a wide range of options for patients who have sustained injuries both on and off the playing field.

"We live in a very active community," said Henry Tischler, MD, NYM's chief of orthopedic surgery. "Prospect Park is only a block away from the Hospital, and it's a great place for Brooklyn residents to exercise, but sometimes they do sustain athletic injuries. NYM provides Brooklynites with the most advanced procedures available."

New York Methodist Hospital has a robust division of orthopedic surgery and several excellent orthopedic surgeons who are fellowship-trained in sports medicine and perform advanced surgical procedures for the treatment of sports injuries. The newest addition to the lineup is Craig Capeci, MD

Dr. Capeci specializes in shoulder, hip and knee arthroscopy and reconstruction. From the sidelines at a New York Jets game, to the training rooms at Hunter College, Dr. Capeci brings a unique background to NYM, as well as advanced procedures for the treatment of sports injuries.

"There are over 100 million Americans who regularly participate in athletic activities," said Dr. Capeci, "and each year, over three million of them will sustain an injury. When an injury forces you to stop playing a sport, whether you're a professional athlete or a weekend warrior, it doesn't simply derail your fitness regimen—it deprives you of an activity that's an important part of your life.

Dr. Capeci completed a five-year residency in orthopedic surgery at the New York University Hospital for Joint Diseases, and a fellowship in orthopedic sports medicine at Lenox Hill Hospital. One new procedure he brings to the Hospital is arthroscopic hip surgery.

Hip arthroscopy is a minimally invasive surgical procedure in which an arthroscope (a thin, flexible, fiber-optic scope) is inserted into the hip joint to assess and repair damage. During a hip arthroscopy, a camera attached to the arthroscope displays an image of the joint on a television screen, allowing the surgeon to view the hip joint from within. After determining the type or degree of injury, the surgeon repairs or corrects the problem using surgical instruments only three or four millimeters in diameter.

Arthroscopic surgery is used to treat a variety of injuries, including repair of the cartilage that surrounds the knee joint and repair of fractures and torn ligaments caused by trauma. The benefits of arthroscopy include smaller incisions, less pain, and faster healing time.

"One of Dr. Capeci's biggest assets is his extensive training in the newest procedures for sports injuries," said Anthony Tortolani, MD, the Hospital's chairman of surgery and cardiothoracic surgery. "At NYM, he has joined a team of superb orthopedic surgeons and sports medicine specialists, and broadens the spectrum of surgical options for our patients who want to get back to the field, track, diamond, ice, pool, and beyond."

For referral to a physician affiliated with New York Methodist Hospital's Institute for Orthopedic Medicine and Surgery, or to schedule an appointment, please call 1-866-ORTHO-11 (1-866-678-4611).