Shoulder, Elbow, & Sports Medicine
Surgical Expertise
Dr. Christopher S. Ahmad
Chief, Sports Medicine
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Our surgeons have particular expertise in femoroacetabular impingement, incorporating preoperative three-dimensional CT that allows for accurate mapping of the joint to localize the range of motion and source of impingement. This enables them to precisely recontour the ball and socket and reattach the labrum using advanced arthroscopic techniques.
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Our sports medicine specialists are experts in ulnar collateral ligament reconstruction, more commonly referred to as Tommy John surgery. They have also developed a technique for repair when the UCL is intact but is torn off a landmark. In this instance they use an internal brace that helps suture the ligament back to the bone. The native ligament is used and no other tissues are needed to perform the surgery.
A Focus on Elite Athletes
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Our physicians and surgeons have extraordinary expertise in treating injuries of elite professional athletes and serve as head team physicians and provide medical coverage for professional and collegiate teams that include the New York Yankees, New York City Football Club (MLS), and Rockland Boulders.
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Christopher S. Ahmad, MD, serves as President of the Major League Baseball Team Physicians Association, and William N. Levine, MD, serves as a consultant to both the National Football League and the National Hockey League Players’ Association.
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Our long-established concussion program comprises highly experienced sports injury specialists in orthopedics, neurology, and neuropsychology, as well as the head athletic trainer for Columbia University varsity athletics. Our specific expertise and experience, along with results of cognitive, balance, and neuropsychological testing, are key to determining when an athlete can safely return to play.
Advances in Shoulder Arthroplasty
Our surgeons have led the way in shoulder arthroplasty dating back to the early days of Dr. Charles Neer. Revered as the “father of modern shoulder surgery,” Dr. Neer founded Columbia’s original Shoulder Service in the 1950s. Dr. Neer’s contributions include the first total shoulder replacement, the classification system for proximal humerus fractures, and the acromioplasty procedure for impingement syndrome.
Now, under the leadership of Dr. William N. Levine, Chief of the Shoulder Service, Dr. Christopher S. Ahmad, Dr. Charles M. Jobin, and Dr. Levine continue to lead research and product design efforts to minimize pain, improve patient safety and outcomes, and increase durability of shoulder prostheses. The implementation of a multimodal pain management program by our surgeons has led to a dramatic decrease in postoperative pain following shoulder replacement surgery.